CHRIS BISHOP Shepherd's Port got off to the predicted flying start, with all lakes on the coastal fishery going well in the weekend's warm weather. Bear Lake was producing carp of all sizes, despite most pegs being is use and a lot of comings and goings.

CHRIS BISHOP

Shepherd's Port got off to the predicted flying start, with all lakes on the coastal fishery going well in the weekend's warm weather.

Bear Lake was producing carp of all sizes, despite most pegs being is use and a lot of comings and goings.

Shepherd's Lake also fished well for bream and roach, with waggler over groundbait out-fishing the tip. Shoals were finicky and bumping off fish soon unsettled them, anglers report.

Bream showing in Stanton's Lake, with quality slabs coming out to worm and feeder and some tench on the feed. Big bream can often be seen rolling in the early mornings close to the iron hut by the car park.

Otherwise, the lake - known locally as the Queen's Lake, because it is owned by the Queen - remains a bit of an unknown quantity as few fish it. Spring and early summer are the best times, as its proximity to the coast means it can get a bit blowy.

Lynn AA has already sold 110 permits for Shepherd's Port, which is run in conjunction with the RSPB.

Anglers pay an extra £10 on top of their Lynn Book to fish, the money being ring-fenced to be spent on improvements such as re-stocking at Shepherd's Port.

June 16 also sees the fourth water on the complex open. Ken Hill Marsh offers access to part of the mysterious network of marsh creeks which wind alongside the sea defences between Snettisham and Heacham, some of which offer some surprisingly good fishing.

Good rudd, roach and tench were caught last summer after some of the thick weed was cleared. The creeks, parts of which resemble canals, are manageable beginner's and juniors' waters. They also contain a few fish of other species, such as carp, eels and the odd stray trout from the Heacham River.