West & Fens roundup

Weights have been down over the last few days with the easterly wind the prime suspect.

Norfolk police's match series came to a sticky end on the Ouse on Monday, with Nigel Elmar needing just 2lbs 7oz to win from Wissey Mouth, with half the field blanking.

Just tiny roach and perch were caught on long pole and worm, with not a single skimmer showing. It was the same story for pleasure anglers on a river which is running as clear as I've seen it in nearly 20 years.

Hopefully, things will improve before the Lynn AA stretch hosts the Ten Mile Bank Championship on Sunday, October 20.

We'll certainly have had some rain by then, which could be all it needs to transform the river and bring the bream back to life.

The draw's being held at Denver, at 8.30am, fishing 10am-3pm. Tickets are £15 all in; call Paul Wright to book, on 07807 638187.

Shepherd's Port also suffered a blip over the weekend, with John Chamberlain winning the Lynn open on Sunday with 13lbs, seeing off Darron Howling on 11lbs 12oz, Dickie Sayers (11lbs 7oz) and Manny Sayers (5lbs 11oz). The week before, the place was rammed with a venue best 23lbs carp and big bream nets.

Quality roach have been showing on seeds on the Middle Level, with fish to 1lb from the Pingle Bridge stretch.

Looking off Welney Bridge the other day, I saw a huge shoal of roach and rudd on the top. Loose feed was devoured, but baits dangled shallow under floats were disdainfully ignored. This sums up the start of the winter's pike fishing, with the odd following pike visible in clear water.