Sizzling daytime temperatures kept the top specimen hunters off the water and the best fish reported were caught during after-dark action. That was more especially on Waveney Valley's Yew Tree Lake, where Norfolk catfish enthusiast Anthony Cole heaved out two giants, scaling 36lb 3oz and 29lb 1oz.

Sizzling daytime temperatures kept the top specimen hunters off the water and the best fish reported were caught during after-dark action. That was more especially on Waveney Valley's Yew Tree Lake, where Norfolk catfish enthusiast Anthony Cole heaved out two giants, scaling 36lb 3oz and 29lb 1oz. Cole, who recently moved to Holt from Norwich, was fishing with well-known Army angler Jamie Bale, making the most of a fortnight's leave before a posting to the Middle East.

However, it was the civilian who hit the jackpot, easily beating his personal best ending a midnight struggle with the larger of his two cats, the smaller coming in just as day was breaking at 3am.

“The nearest I came to breaking the duck was from a massive bite that I missed, but I was delighted my angling pal landed his two monsters,” said Bale.

Two venue records were set at Taswood.

Chris Ansell of Spixworth lifted out the best mirror carp so far from the Heron Lake scaling 31lb 8oz, while the best grass carp from the venue weighed in at 29lb for Chris Brown of Horsford, who also had four mirrors in the low to mid 20s.

Other anglers to reel in catches of mirrors, commons and grass carp to the mid 20s were Dave Banham, Lowestoft; Steven Feek, Cromer; Daniel Brown, Horsford; Jason Lowe, Tasburgh and Norwich rods Graham Martin and David Gook.

None of the usual giant carp from the Kingfisher, the best falling to Robert Germaine of Bintree, a mirror of 34lb 12oz. Steven Sparks of Felthorpe banked a mirror of 33lb 2oz while Norwich members Dave Harrison and Rob Edmonds respectively recorded mirrors of 32lb 5oz and 30lb 3oz with Keith Cox of Norwich bagging a brace in the mid 20s.

Top fish at Swangey was a 28lb 2oz linear carp for Old Buckenham's Matthew Wyles, while Glen Hales of Norwich had four mirrors and commons around the mid 20s.

The best carp at Waveney Valley fell to Dan Taylor of Reydon (four mirrors to 26lbs) and Dale Sankey of Halesworth with half a dozen to 23lbs.

Catfish also featured at Cobble Acre, where visitors Trevor and Lee Metcalf bagged a brace at 31lb 8oz and 26lb 8oz as well as a common carp of 24lb 8oz.

Top mirror there came in at 28lb 10oz for regular Dave Cooper while Robert Caraway, Lowestoft, netted five commons and mirrors all in the low 20s and Rick Stafford of Norwich a mirror of 24lb 8oz.