THE float fishermen are still landing good mixed bags at Doggetts, with the better tench being found by those using the cover of the back pool to the best advantage.

Tony Mills landed seven tench from three to seven pounds on float-fished corn from the back of the short arm just three feet from the bank.

Friends Ryan Whiting and Jack Harris fished a session on the short arm using popped-up maize and fishmeal boilies. The two Leigh lads’ final bag consisted of 30 tench to six pounds plus a mirror of 13lb and a 15lb common.

As is often the case, the bag would have been larger had a bigger carp stayed on the hook.

Also enjoying sport at the Rochford water, James Edmunds and Edward Gosling landed 10 scrappy tench, bream plus a bonus 13lb mirror.

There were plenty of low double carp landed this week with none of the larger specimens showing. This may be due to some fish showing signs of spawning, the change in weather or the number of bigger fish that were hooked and not stopped.

Peter Downs from Southend had a 17lb common from the north bank on pellets, whileDavis Timms landed an 18lb mirror from the road bank on floaters.

Matt Hayes fished a couple hours with floaters from the North Bank and promptly had a fish bury itself in the reeds. A quick phone call saw a Doggetts bailiff free the trapped mirror, allowing it to be landed weighed and carefully returned.

It was not huge at 1lb, but it pleased Matt as he has struggled to land his first Doggetts carp this year.