The stocking of trout in Weir Wood Reservoir, has finally got underway after a delay caused by the foot and mouth restrictions.

Stocking has now taken place, but with a lesser number than originally planned, again because of foot and mouth restrictions.

However, rainbows in the 1lb 8oz-5lb class have gone in and stocking will continue on a regular basis.

The coarse fishing on this water has been best from the north bank where catches of perch, skimmers and roach were taken on the feeder. One angler from Crowborough caught 62 bream from 10-14oz and a 7lb carp. A bigger carp of 19lb was also landed by another angler.

From the boats two pike of 12lb were caught by anglers trolling dead baits.

All of the lakes at Frant Lakes Fishery have been fishing well with many double figure carp having been taken from lake 7.

The best catch on the water was made by Eastbourne angler Andrew Edwards who fished with boilies to catch 30 carp of which nine were doubles. His haul included a mirror of 25lb. Catches have also included tench, roach, rudd and bream.

The fishery carp record was broken at Southbourne Lake in Eastbourne where two upper doubles were caught last week. An angler whose name is not known to the owners, fished the east bank with his back to the railway line and landed a mirror carp of 19lb. Another angler fishing the water caught 11 carp, most of which were doubles with a largest of 18lb 7oz.

All of the fish appeared to have put on weight and must have been feeding heavily during the winter when the water was closed. The roach have also been doing well and a number were caught in the 12oz-1lb class. Pike were also among the catches and were caught to 8lb.

According to a news letter sent to members of the Ouse Angling Preservation Society, 54 sea trout were caught from the river Ouse last season in the Barcombe area. This is one less than last year, but it was pointed out that their leading sea trout angler, Gordon Vinell, did not fish and had he done so the figure would have been much higher. Rarely, if ever, did he catch less than ten fish in a season.

The biggest sea trout caught by a Mr Brooks weighed 10lb 12oz. It came from the Cowlease stretch of the river and was witnessed by the secretary John Goodrick.

From the same stretch of river a 4lb perch was caught, while the biggest barbel scaled 6lb 8oz and the best pike 24lb 4oz. Andrews Stream produced a grayling of 1lb 4oz and carp were caught from the main river to 18lb and along with tench to 6lb.

At Bewl Water Trout Fishery, fishing became noticeably harder in the cold conditions that brought yet more rain and sleet but fish still remained well distributed around the lake and close to the margins.

Better bank area included the Chingley corner of the dam while Rosemary Lake also yielded fish as the water cleared.

Pheasant Tail nymph, Diawl Bach and Buzzers enjoyed success and Cats Whisker and Orange & White Lures attracted in gloomier conditions.

Best fish of the week was Bewl regular John Ashdown's 9lb 8oz rainbow taken from a boat, while J. Spencer landed a brown of 5lb 10oz.

The top 25 fish all weighed four points and over, while 83 per cent of fish caught weighed 2lb and over.