One of the most impressive catches of tench this year has been taken from the Old Stables Fishery near North Walsham.Taverham permit holder Gordon Dixon bagged 35 of them to 6lb 3oz apiece, tempted into his bank side swim by a constant trickle of stewed wheat.

One of the most impressive catches of tench this year has been taken from the Old Stables Fishery near North Walsham.

Taverham permit holder Gordon Dixon bagged 35 of them to 6lb 3oz apiece, tempted into his bank side swim by a constant trickle of stewed wheat.

In addition he netted 36 small carp for an estimated day's aggregate of more than 200lb of fighting fit fish that left his right arm aching from the strain of landing them.

'I've been coarse fishing all my life and this is the best catch of tench I've ever made,' recalled the 72-year-old who fishes with the traditional rod and line method.

Fishery boss Keith Wagstaffe said it was the best tench catch he'd seen on hisfishery which he took over running eight years ago.

Permits to fish the Old Stables, where the best tench ever caught came in at 11lb 4oz, are strictly limited to five anglers per day at �5 for one rod and �7.50 for two per person. Bookings are by telephone only (01692 406697).

Huge carp have also featured on local waters and the best recorded was a 40lb 5oz common winched out of the Lyng Kingfisher Lake by Buxton's Lee Maunders.

On the opening week of the Taswood Fishery Jack Thompson, of Horning, banked a new record common for the Heron Lake at 35lb 15oz while Stalham's Geoff Benson netted one of 31lb 10oz.

Match result: Stalham AC (Colton Lake): Roger Farmer 66lb 6oz, Dave Gipson 61lb 15oz, Alec Watson 43lb.