A CRACK Gorleston beach angler pulled off a magnificent match double in the space of 48 hours.Clyde Leggatt, a familiar figure along the shoreline tournament scene, won the first round of the North Norfolk division of the National Sea League at Bacton on Sunday with 10lb 8oz and followed up on Monday night with another splendid bag of 13lb 1oz in the Sam Hook League staged at Hopton, writes Roy Webster.

A CRACK Gorleston beach angler pulled off a magnificent match double in the space of 48 hours.

Clyde Leggatt, a familiar figure along the shoreline tournament scene, won the first round of the North Norfolk division of the National Sea League at Bacton on Sunday with 10lb 8oz and followed up on Monday night with another splendid bag of 13lb 1oz in the Sam Hook League staged at Hopton, writes Roy Webster.

At Bacton quality whiting were shoaling within casting range in numbers not seen since the last century. The majority of Leggatt's fish well exceeded the size limit as did those of runner-up Keith Morley with 7lb 5oz.

Those two catches boosted East Anglian Baits into top spot with six penalty points followed by North Norfolk Lads on seven and Trev's on 10.

Monday nights' Hopton returns were the best taken for a number of years for runner-up Kelvan Chilvers weighing in 12lb 9oz and Tony Thomas 10lb 15oz.

Thomas, the organiser of both of these competitions, said: “Legions of quality whiting are stretched all along the coastline from south Suffolk to north Norfolk. This suggests the species has enjoyed at least two successful spawning years.”

On the freshwater match circuit attention was focussed on the first round of the Barford/Foxmatch Winter League.

Members of two teams competing under the Yarmouth Pownalls Tackle Shop banner featured in the top six of the individual list with Brian Bygraves (Pownalls Boys) runner-up with 86lb 7oz, Barry Burlton (Browning/Pownalls) third with 82lb 9oz and D Gilham (Pownalls Boys) fourth with 81lb 12oz.

Top individual was Warren Martin (Unreliables) with 131lb 10oz, reigning champions Carp Vader finished team winners with 40 points and the next two Unreliables 37 and Browning/Pownalls 31.

The first open event ever staged by Browning/Pownalls went ahead at Topcroft where the top three were D Sparks (Browning/Pownalls) 93lb 8oz, A Dickin (Dilham) 75lb 6oz and M Seaman (Browning/Pownalls) 40lb 10oz.

Another Pownalls' man, Dennis Goodwin, won last week's Swangey Lake Open with 62lb 4oz of bream, and other local successes were Jolly Boy Ray Kent with 35lb 10oz at Mill Farm and Ormesby's Stephen Rouse who was top of the card at Hill Farm, Barnham with 72lb 14oz.

The first round of the Burgh Castle Series produced excellent tench for winner Lee Arnold (Jolly Boys) with 33lb 9oz with the next two G Chillingworth with 20lb 13oz and S Huggins 18lb 15oz.

Open match fixtures on the calendar are the important East Anglian Pike Championship on the Weybread Ocean Pit, October 26 (01508 478701), and the Barford Silverfish Series which starts next Tuesday (01603 759624).

On the big carp scene top fish of the week was a super 37lb 8oz Waveney Valley Lake common carp that was winched out as a personal best for Great Yarmouth enthusiast Brian Thrower, his first specimen over 30lb.

On the rivers and Broads the tidal stretches offer the best sport this week with recommended venues for roach and bream the River Yare at Bramerton, Surlingham and Postwick, the River Bure at Woodbastwick and Horning and the River Thurne between Potter Heigham and Martham.

The Environment Agency has unveiled a brand new fishing licence that comes into force next April.

The document will be issued in card form similar in size to the driving licence or phone card.

Unfortunately it will not carry essential details of fish size limits, catch limits or the close-season period which is now deemed to be necessary to inform newcomers to this country of fishery by-laws they have not been accustomed to.