Wayne Thomas

LATE summer and early autumn is a great time to be an angler, with sport likely to be at its best across the disciplines.

Carp is the nation's most popular fish and they are feeding well.

At Stafford Moor, a junior match saw young anglers taking some impressive hauls despite heavy rain.

Lewis King, aged 15 from Weston-super-Mare, won the four-hour match with an all carp haul of 62lb 12oz.

Oscar Scoynes, a 7-year-old from Torrington, did exceptionally well, landing three carp of 4lb, 9lb and one brushing double figures that he caught as the whistle sounded to signal the end of the match.

At Furzebray carp lakes, Jack Stringer had a great session, landing several 20lb specimens, including a stunning mirror of 23lb 2oz.

Fishery manager Tony Kingdon estimates that the lake now holds close to 40 carp of more than 20lb.

Kevin Curtis landed the lake's largest resident, Charlotte, at a new record weight of 32lb 9oz. Brendon and Daniel Issac caught a 21lb 14oz two tone mirror and an 18lb mirror. Lee Chipperfield landed three quality carp, including a superb 22lb 10oz mirror.

Kevin Shears won Riverton Fishery's latest open match with 83lb 8oz. Thomas Downing was runner-up with 81lb 1oz, and Richard Dennis was third with 67lb 2oz. Peter Slade won the silver fish bag with 6lb 12oz.

At Slade Reservoir, there have been several carp landed, with Luke McClerron landing a brace at 18lb and 12lb. Anglers have also enjoyed some great sport with bream and roach, with many roach topping the pound.

Darren Short won a large cash prize in Bideford Angling Club's Sea Angling Festival. His winner was a fine specimen triggerfish of 3lb 6¾oz.

Matt Druce was second with a bass of 7lb 4oz and Tarrant Wotton third with a dogfish of 3lb ¾oz.

Andrew Luxton took the first two prizes in the junior section with dogfish of 2lb 7oz and 2lb 4¼oz. Cameron Atkinson was third with a trigger fish of 1lb 9½oz.

Paul Murray Clarke won the Des Clements Memorial Trophy with smoothound of 7lb 8oz and 6lb 4oz.

The festival saw a variety of species brought to the scales, including flounder, huss and small-eyed ray.

September and October are always good months for sea angling, with a large variety of species present along our coastline.

Barnstaple Rod 'n' Reelers' roving competition was won by Darren Short with a triggerfish of 3lb 6oz. Runner-up was Micky Metters with a dogfish of 2lb 2oz and third Tarrant Wotton with a dogfish of 1lb 15oz.

James Fradgley Gubb took his boat out from Lynmouth to land a fine tope scaling 45lb that was part of a good day's mixed fishing, which included bass, bull huss, mackerel, pollack ling, rockling, codling, pouting, wrasse, conger and one dogfish.

I have ventured into online fishing magazines, joining up with www.worldseafishing.com as a feature writer. My first article covers a recent family holiday to the Isles of Scilly.

The internet has become a valuable source of information for anglers with at-a-glance data on weather conditions and what is being caught where.

The Environment Agency have added a useful link to their website, giving up to the minute data from their river monitoring stations.

This is of great benefit to salmon anglers who need to time their arrival at the water's edge perfectly.

Several salmon have been tempted from both the Taw and Torridge. Over half a dozen were landed from beats on the lower to middle Taw, ranging from 5lb to 10lb.

There was a buzz of excitement at Summerlands Tackle shop last week as Derrick Jones and Adventure Flyfishing UK gave anglers valuable advice on saltwater flyfishing.

The day was completed with a trip to the estuary mouth where several school bass were landed.

Trout anglers averaged 3.1 fish per rod day at Wimbleball Reservoir recently. Best fish was a 4lb rainbow to the rod of B Carl.

Diary dates

Sunday: Combe Martin SAC monthly meeting, Braunton Cricket Club, 7pm.

Sunday: Bideford Angling Club monthly rover.

Sunday: Appledore Shipbuilders monthly rover.

Sunday: Triple Hook Club Sportsman Cup, 8am to 1pm.

Sunday: Wimbleball 2000 Pairs competition, boat match, call South West Lakes Trust on 01566 771930 for full details.