WAVENEY VALLEY: With the end of river fishing for three months the popular swims were those where fish had been shoaled up.

The milder spell reflected a significant rise from the lower temperatures prevailing for several months and the dace were amongst the first to be seen flashing over gravel shallows at Earsham's Stow Fen, and near to the Golf Club on Bungay Common. The tiny rivulet weir stream at Wainford was packed for two days with eager roach searching for the right place for them to set about their business.

The disruptive and disturbing presence of up to three otters at a time in both the Fleece AC and Bungay Cherry Tree AC morning matches throughout the year has caused havoc with their results. Whereas these two clubs have always had double-figure winning bags with good backing weights often comprising of a further three or four double-figure bags, the form zoomed down dramatically. Returns came on three occasions for Bungay and two for the Fleece with just two competitors weighing in and the top bags limited to often under a pound and no higher than 2lbs 10ozs.

Ellingham suffered too with only the evenings on pleasure outings showing well when the creatures appear to be more inactive and lay up.