A BRACE of specimen roach, a new record for the River Stour and the early appearance of tench are the main features of the week's angling scene.

The spring-like weather brought mixed blessings for fishermen - the days were beautiful but the nights were cold making fish reluctant to feed as the winter sun is still too weak to warm up the water to any degree.

But, some decent fish have been caught, including two roach weighing 2lb 6oz and 2lb 4oz caught by Downton angler Roger Moody fishing one of his home stretches.

Tench have started to emerge from their winter lay-off at Watergate Farm Fishery in Bulford with a couple of them weighing 4lb and 3lb.

Anglers have also been catching carp between 4lb and 10lb with the odd doubles, the best at 15lb.

Casters are proving a top bait on the Snake Lake at Witherington Farm Fishery for both carp and bream. But, it was the fishery's Cottage Lake that fished well in last Saturday's fifth round of the Pairs Competition.

Individual winners were Richard Self with 88lb and Gary Etheridge with 62lb, both fishing Cottage Lake.

The winning pair, however, were Andy Potter and Mark Fitzgerald, who amassed 20 points.

With just one match to go there is all to fight for.

Salisbury Angling Club members held a club match on the Avon on Sunday and Steve Brown maintained his top river form by again taking first place with 10lb 12oz from the top Stratford field stretch.

His bag comprised three chub and some small dace.

In second place was Shaun Gumbleton, who fished the very top peg at Stratford and netted a super bag of all grayling for 8lb 12oz.

In third place was Simon Ward, who was pegged in the Horses Field and weighed-in 6lb 3oz, his second good result this year.

At Waldens Farm Fishery plenty of pike from both Bishops Lake and Abbots Lake, with the week's best at 14lb 4oz, which took a float-fished trout.

Some carp from Abbots but the cold nights has put the carp down.

Monks Lake continues to provide mixed bags as the colour fines down after days of dry weather.

Plenty of mirror carp and some chub from Popes Lake while on Deacons Lake, one angler took a dozen carp up to 8lb and another angler had a 38lb mixed bag of carp, rudd and roach using sweetcorn over pellet.

In the Ringwood and Fordingbridge area some nice chub and dace are being taken from the Avon and reports of a 24lb pike from the Somerley stretch.

But, it is the Stour near Ringwood that is making the news and in particular the Longham free stretch just a stone's throw from the town.

A new Stour barbel record has been set just a week after a huge 17lb 11oz fish came out of the Longham stretch.

This week an amazing 18lb 2oz barbel was caught together with a chub of 7lb.