Roy WebsterGreat expectations that the excellent opening day sport enjoyed in the new coarse season on the rivers and Broads would continue into the weekend became wonderful reality when massive bream and roach catches were reeled in from the majority of the popular venues.Roy Webster

Great expectations that the excellent opening day sport enjoyed in the new coarse season on the rivers and Broads would continue into the weekend became wonderful reality when massive bream and roach catches were reeled in from the majority of the popular venues.

As it turned out keen match anglers at Keith Ford's second promotion of the new season on the tidal River Yare at Beauchamp Arms were faced with a chilly North wind combined with a fairly fierce tide tossed inland by an angry North Sea.

But despite the adverse conditions Robert Hubbard presented a masterclass of feeder fishing from fancied peg 22, ending his session with a mixed bag totaling 46lb 14oz.

The Daiwia Angling Direct ace doubled the catch of his nearest challenger Adie Hindry (Angling Direct Suffolk) with 20lbs 13oz followed by Mick Bartrum (DAD) with 19lb 6oz.

At the NDAA stretch at the River Bure at St Benets Abbey spectacular roach ranging to 1lbs 12oz featured in club matches along with skimmer bream to 3lbs. These species kept the Dukes club members busy, Shaun James the winner with 25lb 9oz.

The resident bream below the mouth of Candle Dyke on the river Thurne at Martham was the hotspot for local club man Mark Colby who on Sunday morning reeled in a pleasure catch of more than 50lb of mainly bream to 6lb.

On Hickling Broad a spokesman at the Whispering Reeds Boatyard reported superb catches of bream, many around 3lb with bonus fish on 7lb.

On the commercial lakes Cobble Acre's two-day festival was a massive success with mixed catches of carp and silver fish for the leading contenders lined up on Amy's and Adam's lakes.

Wayne Anderson (Angling Direct) must have rated himself as the most unlucky angler in the line-up. For on day one he headed the card on Amy's lake with 37lb 12oz and followed up with a 35lb 9oz winner on Adam's. On the points system he would have carried off top honors with a maximum score.

Unfortunately for him the result was decided on aggregate weight and the overall winner was Lee Coomber (Angling Direct) whose third place 35lb 10oz on day one and 45lb 10oz on day two gave him the vital edge with an overall aggregate of 81lb 4oz while Anderson failed to make the top three.

Elsewhere on the match lakes Barford produced spectacular three figure catches last Thursday featuring Alan Hilton (Long Stratton) 139lb 11oz, Paul Ashford (Barford Tackle) 134lb 7oz and Paul Gardiner (Oddfellows)126lb 6oz.

Alan Ling topped the City Works card at Barford with 124lb 4oz while at Cobble Acre David Jones reeled 33lb 4oz of pristine rudd to win the Stalham event.

On the carp waters the leviathans of the deeps were not co-operative and the top fish at Swangey fell the Dereham's Pete Martins with four mirrors scaling 29lb 4oz, 28lb, 25lb 4oz and 21lb 14oz.

Other successes were Simon Constable of Thetford, Matt Wiles, Old Buckingham, Luke Mattin of Blofield, Tony Keeler of Norwich and Amy Harris of Dickleburgh all with mirror and common carp in the low to high twenties.

Top fish at Taswood was a 28lb mirror carp for Alex Moyes of Long Stratton with other specimens in the low to mid twenties for Norwich regulars Chris Donovan, Adam Bessy, Troy Burden and Geoff Greenaway of Hempnall, Andrews Leaks of Tharston and James Wright, Suffolk.

The first round of the Norwich and District League for teams of four sponsored this season by Latham's Fishing.co.uk starts on Sunday morning on the tidal rivers Bure and Thurne.

This week it was a sellout but any quartet wishing to enter should check for any withdrawals on 01603 400973.