TWO big barbel have been caught from the Avon and there is a reliable rumour of an even larger one from the Stour at the Longham free stretch not a stone's throw from Ringwood.

The biggest of the Avon barbel weighed-in at 15lb 3oz and came from the North End Farm stretch of the river below Bicton, while another at 13lb 11oz was caught at Ibsley, below the bridge. The biggest of all, if confirmed, weighed 17lb 11oz.

Further upstream at Downton perch to 2lb have been caught and many stretches have produced good bags of dace and chub.

It was dace and chub that helped Salisbury Angling Club members sweep the board in Sunday's inter club match with Test Valley and fished on the Nadder's Constable Fishery in Salisbury.

The 28 competitors had to battle a strong and biting cold wind, which made presentation difficult.

Those anglers allotted slower swims fared better than those facing the fast-flowing current.

Salisbury filled the top three places with Paul Clancy weighing-in 24lb of chub from the Deanery Meadow and Malc Pepperill catching 19lb 12oz of dace from the smaller mill pool at Harnham. Brian Shutler was third with a dace bag of 19lb 8oz.

Saturday saw the fifth round of the Winter League Teams of Four at Witherington Farm Fishery.

Reid's Tackle won the day with 28 points, helping to maintain their position as league leaders, with three matches to go.

They now have 124 points with Shergold's Originals nudging them in second spot with 118.5 points.

Top individuals in the match were James Knight with 88lb 12oz and Paul Barnard with 40lb 10oz, both good weights coming from Cottage Lake.

Some more carp have been stocked into Witherington Farm's lakes and during the last week, pleasure anglers have been catching some reasonable bags from all the fishery's lakes.

In the Ringwood area a 28lb carp has come out Hucklesbrook Lake and there have been several 20-pounders caught from Somerley Lake.

At Waldens Farm Fishery the biggest pike of this year so far was taken by Trevor Atkins from Bish-ops Lake weighing-in at 16lb 2oz.

It fell for a float-fished herring. Other anglers had pike into double figures with float-fished trout proving the top bait.

Twelve-year-old Danny Rodrigues tried his luck on Abbots Lake at peg 34 and hauled out a good bag of roach and bream with the best roach at 1lb 8oz and a bream of 3lb. He used float-fished caster on the drop.

Mixed bags from Monks Lake and mirror and ghost carp from pegs 74 and 75 on Popes Lake.

Sport has been slower during the mornings on Deacons Lake but picks up as the day goes on with mixed bags from close against the island wall.