For the first time in the club records since 1946 a Bungay Club match had to be cancelled at Ellingham because the river is completely choked in some areas by heavy weed growth at low tide.

Looking 300 yards below the Weir the weed can be seen growing two feet out of the water as natural species and the invasive bearded burr shiny leaves prosper. Completely across the river in the third field water cabbage with roots as thick as one's arm resist attempts of removal and neither the Environment Agency nor the Broads Authority have any weed cutting programme on the tidal stretch.

Silting up and huge sand banks moved down by heavy flood water have changed much of the nature of the river as it deteriorates rapidly. Little wonder then that these days with similar situations exist in the filter streams like Broome and Alma Beck, not one club leases any access rights to fish the Norfolk Bank from Wainford Maltings down to Dunburgh Boathouse.

Retired harbourmaster Jinx Davey took a trip out to Puddingmoor Park and in amongst some good perch he landed a superb 3lbs 11ozs beast on a ledgered small dace in a changeover from lobworms.

Good job then that the commercial fisheries are producing such good results.

With Marsh Trail Lakes de-weeded there are plenty of attractive swims full of fish ready to feed and of many species in a wide range of sizes. Simple baits are the best for the pleasure angler and the success of matchmen with the most lethal moulded method pellet feeder a good line ton follow. Easy and clean to use requiring little tackle, it has been a winner on a number of pools.

Sweetcorn has come into its own this week, not just for carp scouring the bottom but good roach and rudd up a few inches from the bottom. Top tip from Bungay's successful feeder man and pole applier Alan Nobbs, is to introduce the strawberry flavoured grains as a change and his recent match carp bags, running round 50lbs, show what a good move this can be.

Meanwhile his Pal Frank Ling brings in patience to play recording similar weights by employing fewer casts with pinpoint accuracy to small areas of concentrated feed. Watching as well as learning, even from a respectable distance, is a key way forward for younger anglers to improve.