Angling: Roger's magnificent mirror

Lee wasted little time after setting up at the Cranes Farm Road lake to land common carp of 17lb 4oz, 12lb and 10lb plus a terrific mirror of 17lb 8oz and a 5lb 8oz tench.

Roger Hicks chose Pipps Hill's beach area for a night session and couldn't have been too disappointed when he banked a huge common of 23lb 14oz along with a mirror of 16lb.

Roger fished with tangerine boilies at 60 yards out to take his big brace.

Pipps Hill has also been providing on the quieter bays where John Richardson used his nash baits on 12lb line to take six quality fish - including commons of 18lb 8oz and 19lb 4oz.

Any information on Pipps Hill's revamped angling set-up can be obtained from Dave Levy on 01268 440217

Roger Hicks took this magnificent 23lb 14oz mirror from Pipps Hill Monster - a group of five anglers booked-in for a mammoth 96 hour session at Stewards Elm Farm, in Great Stambridge and were all rewarded with some magnificent catches.

In all, 29 big carp were taken, ranging from 14lb to a whopping 35lb 12oz specimen (pictured) caught by Brian Wagstaff.

For more information on fishing at Stewards Elm Farm, contact 01702 258634. Evening matches

Bait and Tackle Centre will be running some evening matches. Entry fee will be £5 (50 per cent heaviest flat, 50 per cent heaviest round), plus £10 optional pools.

The First match will be on May 24 on the Pier (8.30-11.30pm) For more details please contact the Bait and Tackle Centre on 01702 617764.

Do not forget the Leigh and Westcliff Open Pier match this weekend. Fishing times are from 11am-5pm.

Entry fee is £5 plus optional pools. It is also the Junior Pier championships for which entry is free.

An early draw will take place at the TEAC club on May 13 at 8pm. For more information phone D Day on 01702 218111. Steve's on song

Ramsden Heath angler Steve Smith found the Northlands Park bream in feeding mood to take a near 40lb haul, fishing just yards from the car park!

Steve minimised on effort - choosing a swim to the right of the concrete slipway. Waggler tactics and luncheon meat bait saw him land a procession of quality fish, netting individual specimens to almost 4lb.

Carl Tuffin walked a little further from the Northlands Park car park, and was rewarded with an estimated 40lb haul from the road lake. Carl fished a waggler and caster to include a couple of bream, perch and roach, in his otherwise all tench bag.

Carp angler Andy Eustace made the most of a short session at the road lake to land a common of 15lb.

The fish fell to a homemade boilie and semi fixed rig. Eager forbig fish

Billericay's Lake Meadows continues to produce some excellent carp, with Gary Eager's 23lb 8oz mirror heading the list.

Gary fished from the houses bank where he tempted the fish with a homemade boilie. Are you the best in Basildon?

As a joint venture Mick Toomer's Angling Enterprises and Basildon District Council are organising the Basildon Angler of the Year Competition, which is open to all residents of the Basildon District Council Area.

A knockout competition to decide the five finalists will commence this month, and be held on Gloucester Park, Northlands Park and Lake Meadows.

The pegged final will be held at Gloucester Park on Wednesday, September 1.

The five finalists are all guaranteed a share of the accumulated prize fund, which will be split as follows: First 30 per cent, second 25 per cent, third 20per cent, fourth 15 per cent, fifth 10per cent. The finalists will also receive trophies provided by Basildon District Council.

Entry to the competition will be £5, plus £5 for each subsequent round progressed to, with the accumulated monies forming the prize fund. Competitors must be 18 years or over on the day of the final.

There will be a public draw for each round. The first name of each pair drawn will chose the water. The second drawn will then select the two adjacent pegs to be fished.

The first named will then have the choice of the pegs. The match to decide the winner of the pair can be fished on any mutually agreed date, but must be at least three hours duration up to a maximum of six hours.

The winner will then go through to the next round.

Depending on the number of entrants it is anticipated that there will be a minimum of three eliminating rounds and a maximum of five.

For an information sheet and an entry form ring Mick Toomer on 01268 282317. Dave gets the right mix

Gloucester Park lake has been producing some enormous catches, with a tremendous 196lb 13oz haul for lake regular Dave Hemmings.

Dave fished at the eastern end of the island to take his 116 fish on pole and luncheon meat. The majority of his catch consisted of tench, although he landed 12 small carp and a few roach, bream, chub and barbel.

Rochford angler Dave Martison fished the cockle bank to take a 112lb haul. He fished a feeder and red maggot to land ten carp, a few bream, and numerous tench.

Luncheon meat also proved the successful bait for Mark Knowles who took a 111lb 12oz catch from tench point. Mark fished pole tactics taking several carp amongst his mainly tench catch.

Stan Howard fished the eastern end of the island to take an unweighed Gloucester Park haul. As it took three people to lift his net, an estimate of 80lb plus would be on the conservative side. Stan's mainly tench catch fell to pole and luncheon meat.

Carp anglers have also been taking some good bags at Gloucester Park.

Michael Blackburn and Neil Rayner fished several sessions to land a total of over 50 carp between them. Homemade boilies cast tight to the island from their cockle bank swim produced the action.

Laindon angler Geordie Cator fished several sessions to land a total of 17 carp to 14lb. Geordie fished the big bay, tempting his fish with homemade boilies.

Fifteen-year-old Rob Kipling had carp in mind when he presented a homemade boilie against the island from his big bay swim.

However he was not disappointed with the huge bream, estimated to weigh around 8lbs, which picked up his bait. As well as the personal best bream Rob also landed carp to 12lb.

Graham Reed fished the canal stretch to take a 15lb carp on a strawberry boilie. Graham fished at close range, presenting his boilie over a bed of groundbait. Fifteen-year-old Stuart Bourne landed a superb Gloucester Park common of 14lb on light pole gear. The fish fell to a boilie presented on his float rod and 3lb line!

Tony Cheeseman's Colmic-sponsored Northlands Park Evening Series will commence on Thursday, May 27. Meet at the lake at 5pm for a 5.30pm walkoff. Fishing time will be 6pm till 9pm.

The series will consist of six individual matches with their own pools payouts. There will also be trophies for the overall series winners with prizes for the heaviest fish of the series and the heaviest one match bag.

Entry will cost £10 for each match fished with the usual £2 evening fishing ticket payable on the bank.

For more information ring Tony Cheeseman on 01277 840137. Colmic to cast off Sharon's Hockley success

It was a case of ladies first at Hockley Angling Club when HRH held their latest match at the popular day ticket water.

Sharon Brown put the men in the shade by claiming the honours with a 50lb 8oz catch. Sharon's haul was made up of mainly carp caught high in the water.

Second place went to Tony Jenkins who landed 38lb 2oz of fish using similar tactics.

Dave Ridd was third after taking 33lb 3oz to the scales. Richard Mansfield, who caught mainly roach, weighed in with 24lb 8oz to take fourth.

The Enfield Arras Angling Club were the next visitors to Hockley with the spoils going to P Witten who, despite "having a bad day", still managed 45lb of fish.

His catch could have been doubled had he not lost so many fish at the net.

B Kingsland was some way behind to take 17lb 4oz for second spot. Third place went to A McCleane with 8lb 6oz. Conditions round-up

Southend boats

Due to the small tides last weekend, Southend boats have found the fishing droping off in quality.

Very few roker were reported, with boats fishing for flounders, eels and small bass.

Private boats have been catching more bass in the 3-5lb range. Southend Beaches

Eels still seem to be absent at night, with only flounders falling to crab baits day and night. Southend Pier

Plenty of flounders still to be caught along the stem with garfish from the bottom end of the stern. BR> More small bass from the head of the pier. Most seem to be about 2lb and smaller. Seven mackerel over the weekend have also been reported. Canvey Island

No reports for this area, contact Bait n Tackle to let local anglers know what is going on. River Crouch

Alan from the Tartar has much the same quieter fishing as the Southend boats. Only one or two roker, but more smoothounds to 4lb with one or two to 8lb falling to crab and squid baits.

Also dogfish and dabs to 3/4lb falling to ragworm. Still only a few small bass from the shore with one or two eels. Gravesend, Tilbury and Stanford

No reports this week but should be fishing all right for eels and flounders on crab baits. River Blackwater

Lots of small smoothounds between 2-4lb with only one or two bigger ones, plus one or two roker falling to squid baits, as reported by John Rood on the Misty Blue. Sea round-up

Contact Bait and Tackle's Ray Power on 01702 617764

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