When a big fish was spotted floating on the surface of Powdermill Reservoir by the bailiff Vic Partridge, he thought it was one of the large rainbows he had stocked.

But in fact it proved to be a huge rudd.

The fish, which weighed 5lb, would have beaten the British record which has held for 68 years by 8oz.

The fish looked as though it was spawn bound and this is what probably caused its death.

Hastings Flyfishers control the water and it is only fished for coarse fish during the winter by members of Clive Vale Angling Club.

Many anglers thought the rudd record would never be broken but some are now wondering whether there are any more record breakers in this unique trout fishery.

Carp to 15lb have been caught at Passies Ponds main lake on luncheon meat and pellets in the margins.

There were also plenty of chub taken either up in the water on the float or on the bottom on the feeder. Best bait has been maggots which has also taken roach, skimmers, rudd, a few perch to 1lb and the odd tench.

At Ardingly Reservoir the tench are starting to show but, strangely enough, the biggest so far which weighed 6lb 8oz, 6lb 5oz and 6lb 4oz were all males.

However, with males of this size in the water anglers can look forward to some large female catches. Females grow considerably bigger than males.

The best swims are Stumps, Bird Hide Bay and peg 88, while anglers looking for the bream should try the front by the lodge, Digbies, the Point and Hammer Straight where they average between 3lb and 4lb.

A perch of 2lb 1oz was taken by the lodge by Paul Harmer on a worm.

On the small ponds at Alderwood Ponds a carp of 21lb 12oz was caught on a single grain of sweetcorn from an angler from West Sussex. Tench to 3lb have also been showing on this water to float fished worm.

On the Island Pond mid-water and the margins have been the best places to try with Adam Hutley fishing with strawberry home made boilies hooking several carp including a mirror of 23lb and a common of 22lb. He also landed a ghost carp of 11lb during an afternoon and evening session.

The fishery record at Southbourne Lake at Eastbourne now stands at 20lb 12oz after local angler Ray Baynes fished with boilies and a PVA bag to catch the specimen. Also from Eastbourne, Nick Davies fished with mainline boilies for a mirror carp of 20lb 3oz.

Anglers are reminded that the closing date for entries for the 99th International Sea Angling Festival at Hastings is June 9. The event takes place from June 15 to 17 with 30 trophies up for grabs.

The 11 members of Queens Head who went to Goring beach were rewarded with a fair amount of action.

Rob Mason swept the board with his eight eels (best 2lb 4 1/4oz) and flounder (1lb 4oz) for 6lb 14 1/2oz, taking both pools and overall best. He was baited with peeler crab.

Geoff Burgess had three eels and a dogfish for 3lb 10 1/2oz, Gordon Welfare five eels and a lesser spotted dogfish for 2lb 8 1/2oz, Steve Bantock four eels and a rockling for 2lb 2 1/4oz and Andy Ford had 2lb.

Shoreham's four hour midweek match on the beach had only six with Nigel Thorns winning with eight fish (flounder, bass, eels) for 233 centimetres.

Tony Scarfe had two eels and a flounder for 84 and Kevin Henshaw two bass and a flounder for 81.