The Quay kept to its up and down face at Beccles, sometimes in five or six swims really good fishing, making 30lbs of mainly small bream, but 40 yards away only a moderate bag. Certainly the most prolific area has been sitting down where the boat is behind on the grass, or nearer to the Harbourmasters building when the tide has fallen away. This week quite a few good catches came from out on the waggler with the skimmers tending to wait until the bait to build up before coming in. Perch are the bonus and to a good size in the swims where only the odd skimmer passes through stopping to feed up nearer the river end taking a whole worm amidst the cupped choppy feed. Still craving for the colour to provoke a feeding frenzy the roach shoals roam the river never seemingly settling long anywhere as pike packs push them around at speed.

It has been the roving pike anglers moving with their lures and twitched dead baits that have really had some notable outings. Covering an area from the main road bridge, taking three later afternoon hours to work down to Boaters Hills and back, yielded 11 pike from 4 lbs to 11 lbs for Alby Repton of Lowestoft. Keeping with a flouro green coloured lure swopped with both rubber and solid bodies plus two perch knocking 2 lbs were taken too. The largest pike reported of late came from the mid-river buttresses at the old Aldeby swing bridge and one of 22 lbs was best, with others four between 12 lbs and 16lbs on popped up sea baits for a complete day's sitting. Whilst it is a long old walk across the Beccles Marshes to reach these swims other than by boat, they can be fished in sight of from the opposite Bank through Aldeby Farm Commercial with just a short walk. A few free places on the mooring staging and then some reed fringed spots on a day ticket.

Although the upper rivers eventually picked up fairly well in the mild spell, large still waters were slow to respond the water and feel of the fish in both remained cold in the hand. Deeper bends on the Brockdish, Diss & District Ac waters produced a good mixed bag or two as did some nearer Mendham Bridge. Bungay Common roach were hard to find but the ever increasing in popularity and size, chub continued to feed in their gatherings of five or six fish, but the biggest specimens over 6 lbs appear to be complete loners hanging closer in to the near banks.

Commercials zoomed back in to favour with plenty to keep the bites coming and a bend in the rod. The prolific pellet still ruled the roost with precise plumbing an important factor, but the humble red maggot sparsely fed has been as good a banker as can be found for a few fish. Barney Earye Broome Baliff reports three carp over 23lbs taken this week from B Pit and some 8 lb plus bream.