WAVENEY VALLEY: Harleston, Wortwell and District AC waters opened with a bang on June 1 and their pits all performed exceedingly well. Club official Nigel Poll reported as follows: 'In spite of the blue-tinged water treatment in the Number One Pit, some big carp were landed on the first day, including one of 31lb.'

Harleston, Wortwell and District AC waters opened with a bang on June 1 and their pits all performed exceedingly well.

Club official Nigel Poll reported as follows: 'In spite of the blue-tinged water treatment in the Number One Pit, some big carp were landed on the first day, including one of 31lb. Middle Pit - carp being taken on floating dog biscuits with up to 25 in a session, averaging 5lb to 8lb. Ocean Pit - several carp from 16lb to 19lb caught. Bottle Pit - several carp from 20lb to 25lb caught, largest reported 32lb 13oz. Tench showing on method feeder in bags of 45lb plus; largest reported 7lb 13oz; largest bream reported 7lb 5oz. Club Pit - fishing well for carp and silverfish.'

There have been a couple of administrative changes and the club have raised their juniors age limit from 16 to 18 years. Their fees are as follows, with two categories. Club membership for the Club Pit, Bottle Pit and river: seniors �40, juniors/disabled/senior citizens �20. Complete ticket (for all six pits and seven miles of river): One rod, seniors �67, juniors/disabled/senior citizens �35; two rods, seniors �95, juniors/disabled/senior citizens �50. Day tickets, one rod: seniors �6, juniors/disabled/senior citizens �3; two rods: seniors �9, juniors/disabled/senior citizens �4.

The club's new website found at www.harlestonanglingclub.co.uk is worth a look, and as a warning for anglers who may seek to malign their club, read of the life ban imposed on two offenders.

The upstream river from Bungay to Hoxne has started to look attractive, but holding a bit too much colour for pre-season fish-spotting exercises, with the opening now just a week away.

Weed growth is slow to get going this year but the water cabbage is the first to show. Largely unfished in this 12 miles of upstream areas, there are huge chub in many places which exceed 6lb, just waiting for a serious approach.

Many roving anglers believe if there is one species the Waveney in the Bungay to Mendham Bridge area is capable of producing to impress national angling papers besotted with sad pictures of belly bloated carp, it is the Waveney chub. Overhanging bushes and runs compressed down to just a couple of metres look attractive, but past catches show the lone alder or two standing out on an otherwise naked marsh have been the best holding specimen points.

Small commercials have been good value for money and had the water warm enough to feel with the hand. Quality fish have fed within feet of the bank, where the occasional breeze has deposited plenty of floating insects and larvae emerged. Tench appear to be the first to recover from their spawning spree and the 2lb fish have been showing well at a number of venues.

t Match result

Junior match (3 hours), Club Pit: 1 Jake Morton 53lb 7oz, 2 Rhys Harvey 48lb, 3 Sam Smith 35lb 12oz, 4 Jessica Knights 30lb 6oz.