Wayne Thomas

RIVERTON'S latest open match saw the venue's six-hour match record smashed by Kevin Shears.

He had a bulging net of 178lb 9oz which beat the holder of the previous record, Thomas Downing, into second place with 132lb 7oz. John Lisle took third with 117lb 2oz.

Sixteen members of the National Anguilla Club visited Upper Tamar Lake to fish for their passion — the freshwater eel.

Fifty-six eels were landed, 46 of which weighed more than 2lb. Nine eels topped 3lb. The best was a fine specimen of 4lb 9oz taken by regional organiser Steve Dawe. It was tempted on dead bait, fished at long range.

All the larger eels were caught during daylight, which is apparently a common occurrence on this large coloured water.

The club complimented South West Lakes Trust staff for their help and co-operation.

Glen Patterson, a member of the National Anguilla Club had fished at Tamar with little success. Undaunted, he decided to try a different venue and set up his stall at Riverton, where he stayed for two days and was rewarded with a huge eel of 5lb 1oz.

Angler's Paradise is in great form, with Lee Duffin landing a stunning carp of 31lb 12oz along with a huge catfish of 51lb 4oz and golden tench of 5lb 4oz.

Matthew Caldwell also got in among the venue's specimens, landing a mirror carp of 32lb 14oz, a catfish of 43lb 8oz and three other carp of more than 20lb.

Ilfracombe's Slade Reservoir has seen carp anglers rewarded with some quality catches.

Connor Billet, 16, landed a fine common carp of 18lb and Andy Adcock a 15lb common and a 13lb 10oz mirror. Paul Barnard landed a brace of mirror carp weighing 15lb 3oz and 13lb 3oz.

Thin-lipped grey mullet dominated Combe Martin Sea Angling Club's monthly competition.

The top specimen was a superb thin-lip scaling 4lb 9oz to the rod of Jon Patten.

Mullet enthusiast Mario Manley was runner-up with a thin-lip of 4lb 6oz. Jon Patten was third with a thin-lip of 4lb.

Bideford Angling Club's monthly rover was won by Andy Clements with a thick-lipped grey mullet of 4lb 1oz.

Runner-up was Dick Talbot with a smoothound of 8lb 14¾ oz, and in third Nathan Clements with a thick-lipped mullet of 3lb 5oz.

Cameron Atkinson won the junior section with a mackerel of 9¾oz.

That was also good enough to win the junior prize in the Appledore Shipbuilders' monthly rover, which saw members travel all over the South West in search of fish.

David Atkinson took top spot with a gilt-head bream scaling 3lb 8¾oz. David Babb was second with a Ballan wrasse of 4lb 1oz, and Graham Fisher third with a gilt-head bream of 3lb ½oz.

I travelled to St Ives with two fellow anglers, having been invited to Ammodytes, a company at the forefront of producing quality frozen baits for more than 30 years.

We spent a fascinating day netting sandeels and then seeing how they are blast frozen and packed prior to dispatch to a vast network of tackle shops and sea life centres throughout the UK.

The afternoon was spent free lining live sandeels for bass, a method that reminded me of my youthful days free lining for trout on local streams.

There is something special in this minimalist approach of rod line and hook.

Fly fishers have been enjoying top-rate sport at Wimbleball where rod catches have averaged 4.4 fish per rod day.

The top fish included a rainbow of 3lb 9oz to B Carl and a 3lb 2oz rainbow to R Mitchel on a fly pattern I have not heard of before — Jane's Pink Tickler.

Choice of fly pattern is to a large extent linked to angling confidence, with popular patterns changing through the years.

Montana, Damsel and diawl bach are top flies now. Twenty years ago, Mrs Simpson, Sweeney Todd and baby doll would have figured in a list of successful patterns.

Diary date

Saturday & Sunday: Triple Hook Club night rover, fishing Saturday 6pm to Sunday 6pm, weigh in at Royal British Legion, 7pm.