The phenomenal form of Norfolk's outstanding natural match angling venue – the great tidal river Yare – continued last Saturday.

Every section in the third round of the NISA Feeder League was won with more than 20lbs headed by yet another whopping winning weight of 80lb 12oz.

Mike Whittaker, a well known figure on the Eastern match circuit, drew the much coveted peg number 22. And far from being just two little ducks on the pond this hugely populated swim contained the usual shoal of bream down there waiting to hoover up any edible substances.

The Norwich DAIWA Angling Direct squad man produced his usual consistent piscatorial prowess employing a standard feeder rig baited with maggot. His reward amounted to 25 bream up to 4.5lb apiece netted during the five hour session, and this catch and others over 30lbs making the top six were all the more amazing considering crystal clear water on the ebb tide.

'The levels of fish stocks in this river is fantastic,' declared league organiser Andy Wilson-Sutter. 'I think it just a matter of time before we record some three figure winners when the river colours up.'

Mark Pollard (Suffolk Angling Direct) was runner up on the day with 60lb 2oz from peg 23. Former Norfolk Broads champion Eddie Davison (Yarmouth) made third spot with 54lb 12oz from peg 61 and Terry Smith (Yarmouth) in peg 63 was fourth with 45lb 11oz.

Wilson-Sutter added 'We are staging the Keith Ford two day memorial charity match on August 4 and 5. This event is likely to be popular and I advise local anglers to book in soon to avoid disappointment.' (01502 531776)

While on the subject of match bookings the uncertainty on running competitions on Environment Agency controlled bank has been clarified by NDAA chairman and consultant Tony Gibbons who advised 'Local angling clubs may book EA bank for matches simply by speaking to the fisheries officer Graham Gamble at the Norwich office (01473 706556).

He will confirm the bank is available and then it is up to the club to put up notices warning other anglers that a competition is arranged on that date. If a pleasure angler is already in situ the match will be obliged to peg around him to avoid dispute.'

One venue that has become recently available is a stretch of the river Yare at Postwick.

Last week local anglers tested the quality of the fishing there and caught a succession of bream up to 6lb. There is suffcient bank space to accomodate 20 match men.

Other river banks applicable to verbal booking arrangements are the river Bure either side of the Upton Dyke entrance, the river Ant above Ludham Bridge and the river Thurne between Martham and Potter Heigham excluding private riverside properties and official Broads Authority and boatyard moorings in the summer months. Among the lakes, pits and ponds attention was focussed on the reopening of the picturesque Blickling Lake last week. And within the first half hour of the new season a monster carp scaling 40lbs 8oz was banked by one of the secretive big fish specialists who hunt this small shoal of leviathans populating this National Trust day permit venue costing �7 adults and �5 concessionaries.

The main quarry are the quality roach and bream that have been caught in abundance from the marginal wooden staging's and the dam wall.

At Woodrising lake Cranworth young Thomas Williams tested a new homemade bait. On a recent visit to France he achieved success on smoked garlic boilies but back home he discovered the bait was not available through the usual channels.

He obtained the necessary ingredients and concocted his own mixture and the result was six common carp between 20lb and 26lb 3oz for the innovative Melton Constable rod man.

Wymondham club members in competition on their Shropham lake have almost invariably been greeted by finicky fish reluctant to feed.

However, member Paul Edwards on a pleasure session proved the specimens are still in there and netted 17 bream and one tench to over 7lb for an estimated aggregate well into three figures.