THE SALMON season has got off to an excellent start with at least four fresh run, silver springers tempted by anglers on the River Taw.

Best of these was a fish of 13lb from the lower river on the opening day of the season.

The following day, Ron Warwick took his rod to the middle river and was rewarded with a fine salmon of 12lb on a Willie Gunn tube fly.

Let's hope this is a sign of a better season to come.

Remember, all salmon fishing is catch and release until June 16.

At the Torridge Fishery Association's annual meeting, more than 50 members enjoyed an upbeat event, rekindling friendships built over many seasons on the river.

The hatchery has seen the healthy development of a batch of eggs that will be stocked out within a few weeks.

Blakewell continues to yield some big trout, with Stuart Cawson, from Plymouth, landing a fine rainbow of 15lb.

Justin Read, of South Molton, landed a double of 10lb 2oz and Bob Dawson, of Braunton, a fine trout of 9lb 2oz.

James Lanfear had a rainbow of 9lb 3oz and Clovelly's Nick Adams a rainbow of 8lb 7oz.

Stillwater sport continues to improve with some weighty carp taken from several venues.

At Angler's Paradise, Clint Miller had a great day on the Specimen Lake, landing a fine carp of 31lb 8oz, and others of 24lb, 23lb and 22lb.

Oisin Riley also landed a fine mirror of 23lb and Terry Allen a 20lb carp from the Main Lake.

The complex's catfish have started to move, with Martin Wilcox landing a heavyweight of 45lb from the Easy Access Lake and a 25lb catfish from Octopussy Lake.

At Slade Reservoir, Mark Lamude added to his tally of carp with a fine brace of commons weighing 18lb 12oz and 17lb 8oz.

Andy Adcock targeted the lake's pike and landed a specimen topping the 20lb barrier.

Fishery bailiff Mike James informs me the South West Lakes Trust have carried out fencing work to keep dogs away from the water's edge where they can interfere with anglers and their bait and tackle.

There is more work planned on footpaths and angling platforms.

Tickets for Slade can now be purchased from Tackle Direct in Ilfracombe, in addition to all existing permit agents.

Stafford Moor's home team won the latest Supercup heat on their home water. Team captain Steve Forshaw led the way with a bag of 80lb.

Furzebray Carp Lakes, near South Molton, have seen an upturn in sport with several carp to upper doubles landed.

This season is likely to see the water produce its first carp of more than 30lb.

I got chatting to a keen carp angler while he was bivvied up beside a local lake.

We soon started discussing the pros and cons of various baits and feeding times.

Regular visits to a water will often enable the angler to build up experience of when the fish are most likely to feed.

While carp anglers tend to enjoy camping beside the water's edge, there are times when shorter sessions can enable the capture of a carp or two.

There is never enough time for anglers and this is one reason I seldom fish for carp these days. It can become an obsession.

That great angling writer and carp angler 'BB' wrote: "Your habitual carp fisher is a man of inexhaustible patience, no angler born has more than he, not even a wild, sad-eyed heron has greater patience and, I may add, watchfulness."

Combe Martin Sea Angling Club's Monthly Competition was won by Graham Snow with an early-season grey mullet of 4lb 7¾oz. Second was Adrian Gove with another mullet weighing 4lb 1½oz, and in third John Avery with a mullet of 3lb 7oz.

Bideford and District Angling Club's Monthly Rover saw 24 senior competitors fish from marks all over the South West.

With the wind in the east, results were expected to be poor. But few would have expected just one fish to be weighed in — a dogfish of 1lb 4oz to the rod of Dick Talbot.

Two junior members showed the adults how it's done, Joshua Atkinson landing a flounder of 1lb 6¾oz and Cameron Atkinson a brace of flounder weighing 1lb 2oz and 13¼oz.

The club's latest Midweek Rover saw Jazza John win with a dogfish of 2lb 3oz. Runner-up was Dick Talbot with a doggie of 1lb 9¾oz. Graham Parsons was third with a dog of 1lb 7¼oz.

Triple Hook Club's Derek Phillips Memorial produced plenty of dogfish during darkness. John Passmore won with a near specimen dogfish of 2lb 14½oz. Tarrant Wotton's dogfish of 2lb 8oz secured second.

Diary date

Saturday & Sunday: Barnstaple Rod 'n' Reelers Rover.