ANGLING: The river Thurne returned to spectacular form on Saturday when stunning match catches of fish were weighed in at the end of the second open event staged this autumn along the Martham bank below the boat yard.

ANGLING: The river Thurne returned to spectacular form on Saturday when stunning match catches of fish were weighed in at the end of the second open event staged this autumn along the Martham bank below the boat yard.

Only six days earlier a surging flood tide and a devilishly cold overnight frost had wrecked the prospect of a notable revival of match angling on this once popular river venue, writes Roy Webster.

However, with the tide receding by Saturday and the thermometer rising the bream were ready and willing to accept anglers' baits. At the end of a hectic five hours it was Great Yarmouth's Sportsman's ace Kevin Paynter who had won that first grueller with just a solitary 5lb bream. He stepped up to the plate again to complete his five-hour stint with 50lb 7oz from peg 20 at the bottom of the match length towards the first riverside bungalow.

In an adjacent swim Jason Brewster (Anglers World) was runner-up with 42lb 8oz followed by Reg Bryanton (Deben) with 28lb 8oz.

The majority of the fish caught were bream of around 1lb apiece with a few nudging 3lb. All of them fell to red maggot and caster baiting feeder rig.

On the strength of those results and further reports of pleasure anglers filling their nets all week, match organiser Tony Gibbons has arranged another open event on Sunday, draw at the Martham car park at 8.30am. Late entries to 01603 400973.

Commenting on Saturday's brilliant result Gibbons said: “A number of anglers believed the fish had migrated from the river into boatyards and dykes during the high tides, but I was confident they were simply off colour and not feeding during our first outing. When anglers started catching again last week I was confident of a fair result on Saturday. As it turned out it was a bream bonanza with nine anglers achieving more than 20lb of fish with most of the remainder in double figures.”

Gibbons believes anglers now have a duty to use and enjoy these excellent fishing facilities made available by the environment agency whose work force have toiled tirelessly to release more angling access to the three tidal river embankments in the Broads.

Gibbons also said local anglers were becoming increasingly excited by the prospects of a tidal sea barrage being installed in the river's estuary to protect fresh water fish stock.

Apologies for the loss of an important three letter word in cyber space last week. Reported observation from Martham Club man Barry Maddison on the death of the large pike should have read “I am convinced this was NOT deliberate slaughter, nor the work of an otter.”

Match results: Burgh Castle open. L Arnold (Sportsmans) 21lbs 8oz, T Woods (Huntsmans) 19lbs 10oz, S Huggins (SENSAS) 18lbs 2oz. Stalham members memorial (Club lagoon): C Timms 12lbs 15oz, M Brown 10lbs 8oz, C Lawrence 9lbs 1oz. Potter Heigham sea anglers (Gorleston): R Gurkeless 1bk 15oz, A Millen 1lb 7oz, T Watson 1lb 6oz.

THE Pro-Heat Open 2009 angling competition was held on Gorleston Beach last Friday.

Karl Whitlock was in first place from the 21 fishermen with a total weight of 7lb 6oz including a whiting and codling of 3lb 2oz, which also won biggest fish. Karl's winning bag won �150 and the Pro Heat Trophy.

Results included: Andy 4lb 5oz, Gary Minister 3lb 2oz,

Alfy 3lb, Clayton Oxborough 2lb12oz, Ray Gadson 2lb10oz, Bob Hodger 2lb 8oz, John Jarvis 2lb 8oz, Billy Sutton 2lb 5oz, Rob Heenan 2lb 4oz.

Clayton from Pro-Heat thanked Ronnie and Reecy for all their help with the weigh-in and everyone for making it an enjoyable evening.