Local carp specialist Andrew Shellard thought his birthday and Christ-mas had arrived early when he slipped his net under a 41lb common carp – and the following day netted a 42.8.0 mirror from the same local pit.

Besides the two 40’s, Andrew also had a 33.12.0 common, all his fish falling to Carp Company Icelandic red with cranberry and caviar 12mm pop-ups over a bed of freebies.

Meanwhile, Linear’s ‘The Starburst Mirror’ carp has been landed from St John’s Lake at the Stanton Harcourt complex by Dan Wildborne.

It weighed in at 38.6.0.

Dan targeted a spot 100 yards out and also had a 30.4.0 common.

He used Korda hybrid soft 20lb hooklink tied to a size 8 Korda curved shank hook and CC Moore 10mm boilies, feeding a mix of broken and whole boilies.

AN Oxfordshire gravel pit has produced a 14.2.0 bream to Northampton Specimen Group member Gavin Walding.

When Gavin arrived at the water he spotted several bream and tench rolling across a large gravel bar.

He set about catching them by fishing a trimmed down Mainline pineapple pop-up boilie and a method feeder and after catching several smaller fish, he tempted the big one at dusk.

REGULAR visitor to Orchid’s Club Lake at Dorchester, Paul Scarrott, has broken the venue catfish record by catching a monster 51.5.0 specimen.

The huge moggy was fooled by a size 3/0 Owner hook loaded with 20 lobworms and attached to a 45lb Quicksilver hooklink.

IF you have any news, views or photos, or just want to have a chat, you can contact me on 01865 or email andrew@ webber01865.fsnet.co.uk YOU have been warned!

The Environment Agency recently prosecuted 11 anglers at Banbury Magistrates Court for not having a rod licence.

The offenders came from various areas across the county and were fined a total of £1,785 for separate incidents between September 2008 and January 2009.

If the EA catch you without a licence they will prosecute and you don’t have an excuse, because I have told you, the weekly angling papers have told you and the EA have also told you.

They cost £26, with concessions for OAPs and youngsters, and are available from Post Offices and online.