A gin-clear Broome Pits has made catching more than just the odd fish hard work all over the complex unless fishing at range. With plenty of surface debris on a fast moving skim, it has been only the bream shoal caught on heavy feeders with a long chuck in B Pit, that have provided any action before the fish moved off to their spawning area at the far end.

A gin-clear Broome Pits has made catching more than just the odd fish hard work all over the complex unless fishing at range. With plenty of surface debris on a fast moving skim, it has been only the bream shoal caught on heavy feeders with a long chuck in B Pit, that have provided any action before the fish moved off to their spawning area at the far end.

The rather public A Pit, nearest to the gate, has produced the best results with some quality tench coming to some of the locals. Anglers were pleased to hear they will be able to continue to fish this lake free on their residents' qualification for the 10 or 12 swims available when the new arrangements come into place on June 16.

Pre-baiting with sweetcorn accounted for the best specimen of 9lb 3oz this week to Lowestoft angler Hardice Felbridge, who was well pleased with his only fish of the day, float-fished in the reedy margin at the end.

With just a couple of weeks to go to the opening day of the rivers, first walks up the river bank at Ellingham and Shipmeadow near to low tide, show a reasonable weed growth, a decent flow following the heavy rain coming over the weirs and plenty of fish cruising while recovering from their spawning activities. The Bungay Cherry Tree AC cards are available in the shops now for these pristine and well populated reaches.

Upstream at Earsham, the river running through water meadows and then down into the secluded wood on the old road, has seen a host of rising fish dimpling the surface of an evening, boding well alongside massive chub.

A trek along the Yare river bank from Hardley to Langley Dyke was a truly mouth-watering experience with its wonderful watercourse trapped among Norfolk reed overshadowed by the sugar beet factory on the opposite bank. Almost untapped for fishing on most of its length there was an abundance of fry, and Hardley Dyke is stuffed full of dace who appear to be all set for comeback.

For a small fishery, Bales Nursery at Ellingham never ceases to surprise, whether with a 2lb rudd and a roach to match it in size or a bream of 7lb. And if that wasn't enough, one caravaner added a pair of 4lb tench to his breadflake catch fished in the margins of the newer complex as dawn broke.

Equally impressive was local angler Peter Aldiss of Ellingham, also out on an early morning trip who landed 15 tench to 4lb.

Field Farm at Wrentham has been a popular venue and provided good catches from all of their lakes. For lads on holiday from school there are masses of rudd and roach to be caught from the Three Islands Lake by float fishing maggots.

Swarming on to the bait as it breaks the surface, 100 fish in a morning have been caught by those who can count quick.

Some nice size bream have made a good change from the carp alongside a few weighty crucians and the “half-day” ticket here is a very handy facility.