WAVENEY VALLEY: With half of the Beccles Quay frozen and drifting ice flows on the surface moving up and down, swims have been at something of a premium. Nevertheless it has still proved to be the most reliable venue for an outing.

With half of the Beccles Quay frozen and drifting ice flows on the surface moving up and down, swims have been at something of a premium.

Nevertheless it has still proved to be the most reliable venue for an outing.

For those sticking it out there has been reasonable sport available, with small roach keener to engulf a single maggot than the quality specimens which have been unwilling to feed.

High colour and a strong flow dragged down catches in the main river in comparison to what they have been, but most anglers opting for the 1.5 ounce maggot-feeder and the quiver tip, sitting it out all day with a single red or fluoro maggot on the hook, still managed to get near to double figures.

On the upper river it was hard to find an angler who had more than the odd fish as turbulent icy water raced through the weirs as backwaters remained frozen over.

On Sunday the Bungay Cherry Tree AC waters at the Falcon Meadow were swift and clearing fast for their match, with the colour dropping out.

Apart from the Earsham coalman Jamie Buck, who set the field alight with a dazzling display of 14lb, mainly of dace on the waggler, no other entrant in the match landed a fish or even had a bite, indicating just how tight the fish are shoaled up.

Harleston, Wortwell & District AC's normally ice free venue in the Middle Weybread Pit had the pump frozen and their matches were called off.

Those who opted for Broome Pits still managed to find fishable areas and small jack pike in both the deep square D, and island B Pit.

Best bet though was the nicely kept central Kidney Pit with its 18 permanently staged stations attracting what small wind movement there was on the surface to keep the pit free.

So well stocked is this pit these days, with a variety of species, there just had to be fish ready to feed and the roach that did were nice quality 10-ounce redfins in perfect condition.

Floats dotted right down and held still at 11-metres was the order of the day for hitting delicate bites, encouraged by pot feeding less than a dozen casters regularly.

With the Marshes flooded right up to Diss, access has been a problem, but the run-off taking place should leave them free soon.

With the first good flush through for some time, shoals of fish will be hungry, having used up energy to fight the flow. Much of the River should be in peak condition once it settles down again.

Secretary Mark Casto reports the Bungay Cherry Tree AC have gained the Club Mark Accreditation from the Angling Trust.

This will enable their two coaches at Level I to proceed with coaching lessons under Level II head coach Dougie Wingrove.