GORLESTON Jolly Boy Lee Arnold had every reason to be smiling this week. For he won the final round of the Burgh Castle Fishery Winter Series which clinched him the Darren Squires Shield as overall champion.

GORLESTON Jolly Boy Lee Arnold had every reason to be smiling this week. For he won the final round of the Burgh Castle Fishery Winter Series which clinched him the Darren Squires Shield as overall champion.

His 35lb 13oz winner on Sunday brought him the day's top cash prize and another �155 for finishing top of the table of this welcome winter tournament, writes Roy Webster.

“The fishery manager Darren Squires worked wonders to keep us going when other lakes were closed during the bitter winter and altogether the total cash prizes presented amounted to �1,000 over the nine-match tournament,” said Arnold.

At the annual meeting of the Sportsmans Club, Lee - who is secretary of both outfits - was also presented with the Club Knockout Cup and other rewards were received by Mick Bunn - Club Champion, Garry Hunter - MTM Cup, Dave Docwra - River Cup, Karl Hodgins - Broads Shield, Mick Bunn and Karl Hodgins - Pairs Trophy, Robert Silverwood and Anthony Varley - Pairs Handicap Trophy.

Local competition fishing last weekend brought success for Jolly Boy Ray Kent with a 72lb 8oz winner at Mill Farm. In the Barford Winter League Browning/Pownalls dropped out of the title race after finishing joint third, leaving Dynamite Z and barfordtackle.com in a two-horse race.

At club level Jimmy Colman headed the Lacons match card at Holly Farm, South Walsham, with 85lb 11oz followed by K Barfield 76lb 13oz and B Norton 76lb. At the same venue the Dukes result was N Smith 53lb, C Urry 39lb 6oz, S Jonas 17lb 10oz.

On the big fish lakes Gorleston anglers Scott Turner and John Stanton each netted a catch of 17 carp, the best the common of 17lb and a mirror of 16lb in aggregates that rose to three figures.

The top fish taken at the Kingfisher Club Lake at Lyng fell to Great Yarmouth syndicate member Derek Bullard who winched out a splendid mirror of 34lb 10oz while John Bryan of Waxham was not far behind with a fish of 34lb 8oz.

Along the beaches decent codling have been conspicuous by their absence but Hopton appeared to be one of the more encouraging venues where one angler reported 13 fish to 4lb. Tides appear to be more favourable this weekend so sport could pick at all beaches with springers to the 4lb mark.

Prospects in the commercial lakes are in the balance as temperatures are forecast to plunge to zero overnight. However, the days are lengthening and afternoon fishing at Hall Farm, Burgh Castle and the Burgh Castle Fishery may produce the best catches.

A short review of the coarse fishing on local Broads and rivers that gave way to the 93-day statutory break suggests the season will go down as one of the most spectacular in recent years.

Caister pike expert John Goble bagged his 45lb 8oz river record from the Thurne system, but there were other specimens over 28lb taken along with huge catches of bream and roach from local venues.

The match returns from the Rivers Bure and Thurne were outstanding and these have promoted a rush of bookings for next season's Summer League and the Norfolk Broads Championship with a line-up of 100 top match anglers expected at both.

There is one vacancy to be filled for the Yarmouth Borough Teams of Four Challenge scheduled for Barford's Railway and Willow Lake this Sunday. Teams have to be based in the Mercury circulation area, contact Lee Arnold on 07795 468694.

Anglers are reminded that their fishing rod licences must be renewed on Wednesday, April 1. These are available on-line from the Environment Agency or from most Post Office counters.