A big, big fish from the back lake at Broome Pits is reported by ever-vigilant bailiff Keith Brown as a Mirror carp weighing 40lb 4oz.

In wonderful condition, its mighty flanks portrayed the fighting fitness exercised to avoid the net in an epic struggle.

This tremendous fish is one of a number of known large carp, but may well not be the biggest inhabiting the complex. Certainly they are pursued with some enthusiasm and regularity and within that chase a number of 30lb plus fish have already come to the scales this year.

Perhaps the central Kidney Pit has limitations on the size expected, but certainly B lake, with the islands and features creating vortex effects, has been proved reliable for 20lb plus specimens.

Marsh Trail Lakes should not be ignored for a very large fish as it is now several seasons since a couple of carp over 20lb were caught. With plenty of natural food thriving in its abundant weeds added to match fishing's regular feed introduction, the conditions are ripe for a surprise to emerge.

In the B Lake a huge pike is on the cards also with 20lb plus fish returned during the winter, and tench surmounting 7lb are quite common. In matches 2lb-plus roach have been recorded from C Pit, giving a very good prospect for those out to improve a personal best from each of the three lakes.

The Cherry Tree's Lay-by Pit produced a decent junior match winner weight for eight-year-old Samuel Ruthven from Ellingham of 3lb 11oz on the whip. Runner-up was holiday-maker Brychan Raiment – staying with his uncle Andrew also in Ellingham– with 2lb 8oz of small fish from five species, taken close in on a light waggler and maggot.

Delight for all eyes were a few well-muscled golden rudd impressing young minds with their radiant natural beauty.

The River continues to be moody above Beccles with some swims performing brilliantly and others having a dismal face.

Big chub dominate the pleasure catches and personal bests like the 5lb 14oz at Ellingham for member Bob Stimpson of Great Yarmouth on the lead – a really good fish for the 'average' angler.

All efforts to find a 2lb roach these days appear a gigantian task on the upper river where once they thrived, and although two years ago a Colchester visitor took a winter fish on the Common in that class, no other is reported.

Nevertheless, good shoals of small fish continue to bode well for the future as their abundance is well spread around Bungay – apart from at Broome Headworks.

Here, a sorry state of little flow, abundant duckweed and the increasing presence of if the invasive Azolla can be seen trapped above Ellingham Mill in conjunction with Bearded Burr Reed even growing mid river, obliterating almost 50 yards of water.