CHRIS BISHOP It might not seem like it, but spring time sport is just around the corner.The rivers and drains ended the season on a mediocre note, with less-favoured venues like the Old Bedford and Little Ouse showing up big guns like the Cut Off and Great Ouse.

CHRIS BISHOP

It might not seem like it, but spring time sport is just around the corner.

The rivers and drains ended the season on a mediocre note, with less-favoured venues like the Old Bedford and Little Ouse showing up big guns like the Cut Off and Great Ouse.

Salters Lode was the place to be on the Bedford, with pole pushers sacking up with roach, rudd and even dace. Rudd were again in evidence on the Little Ouse, with fish to 2lb reported.

Rudd have also been showing on the Old Nene and the Twenty Foot produced an 85lb tench net on the final day of the season.

Spring means stillwaters, where anglers can duck the close season and fish as the water warms and comes alive after the winter slowdown.

Tottenhill was producing tench, bream and carp up to this week's cold snap, with warmer weather on the way it will soon be business as usual.

Water levels have recovered on the pit, after last summer's fears over low levels. With nets nudging 100lb last spring, this is one for the shortlist.

So is Snettisham, where both Bear and Shepherd's lakes just need temperatures to rise a few degrees and the wind to swing away off the sea to start producing.

One or two warmer days will get the carp on the feed in Bear, while Shepherd's now has a good head of bream as well as tench to go at.

Bank improvement work is under way on the Great Ouse between Ten Mile Bank and Denver.

A National on the lower end of the river next season could well see it begin to receive the recognition it deserves, after another cracking season.