The Ouse came back with a bang as a big match venue when Division Two National winner Pete Marlow heaved more than 100lbs onto the scales.

Marlow, who was pegged in an unfancied section between the Lark outfall and Sandhills Bridge, caught bream from whistle to whistle to win the match by more than 30lbs.

The Leicester Sensas team member battled anglers in adjacent pegs in a contest that harked back to the glory days, with the first five places coming from a handful of swims.

Top five scores on the doors (national weights now given in kilogrammes) were Marlow, with 50.35kg, Nigel Grindle (Pelham Piscatorials), 35.6kg; Paul Ripley (Urban Moor Leeds), 31.11kg; Kevin Rowles (Devizes AA), 18.16kg and Mick Hanks (Suffolk County) 11.63kg. The top three teams were Devizes, Garbolino Blackhorse and Maver Bait Tech.

C Section has the highest average weight, at 5.21kg an angler. Elsewhere on the river, averages were far lower, although while many struggled for a bite there were only nine dry nets.

Next-best to the Lark – Littleport section, which hadn't been pegged in a match for six years, was the final section, K, pegged on Lynn AA's Piggeries stretch, where weights averaged 2kg and there were a couple of 10kg nets of roach and skimmers.

The EA said it would be keeping an eye on results for a snap shot of fish stocks.

What will make many sit up is the size of the bream shoal that was knocking about in C Section.

With other areas un-pegged for the match, similar-sized shoals could easily have been quietly going about their business elsewhere, while the anglers struggled half a mile away.

King's Lynn AA will be hosting two events for National Fishing Month.

The first will be on the Middle Level at St Peters Bridge on Sunday, August 11, where top local river anglers Mark Smith and Paul Wright will be on hand to demonstrate a variety of methods on how to fish Fen drains.

If you are complete beginner and want to catch your first fish or just want to improve your fishing skills then pop along between 9am-3pm to give it a try.

All tackle and bait supplied on the day. Further details from Ashley 07876 491748.

The second event will held at Shepherds Port lakes at Snettisham on Saturday, August 17, where angling coaches will be giving taster sessions to any one interested in angling.

Further details from Darrell on 07801 028085.