Phenomenal perch are becoming a feature on commercial lakes and along the banks of the free tidal rivers. Aylsham club secretary Keith Sutton recommends Blickling Lake where huge stripeys hunt along the dam end.

'Anglers fishing worm for bream have caught some vivid Blickling perch to over 3lb and I know for sure there are specimens considerably bigger than that but no one is fishing for them,' he said

The late Sid Baker once held the national perch record with a 4lb 12oz fish caught from Oulton Broad in 1962.

Compared with present day specimens roaming the tidal rivers Yare, Bure and Thurne, and even the River Wensum in the heart of Norwich, that fish was a mere tiddler.

A certain Mr Myhill of Wymondham, who has always shown a reluctance to be drawn under the limelight has caught specimen stripeys from the tidals in the past five years or so that would have seemed incredible when the species was seriously damaged by disease in the last century.

• An organisation much concerned for the welfare of Broads pike is the Norwich and District Pike Club whose members frequently participate in seminars on this subject. And in their forthcoming East Anglian Pike Championship on the Weybread Ocean Pit each fish caught will be immediately weighed and returned.

The date for this deadbait only championship sponsored by Avenue Angling Tackle Shops is November 11. Entry is �20 (01508 578701) with a cash prize of �250 for the winner guaranteed. Draw 7am, fish 8am-3pm.

• On the local match scene the sudden cold snap has put fish down. However before the thermometer plunged Jim Barrowman (Hot Rods) won the midweek Cross Drove open with 121lb 8oz.

Mal Dobson with 28lb 10oz at Aldeby and 49lb 5oz at Topcroft, repeated a previous performance of chalking up four wins on the trot with the Norfolk and Suffolk Veterans.

• Carp anglers have been conspicuous by their absence and the only fish of note was a 24lb mirror netted by Taswood regular Paul Harper. Waveney Valley's fish of the week was a 38lb catfish from Yew Tree.

On a sombre note Mike Bush, who with his wife Gene, managed the Melton Ponds fishery for many years, has passed away.

On behalf of all local anglers deepest sympathy goes out to Gene and family.