GUITAR legend Peter Green spent a day aboard Phil White's Bradwell-based charter boat Chinook II to land a personal best 17lb smoothhound, one of the biggest reported in recent weeks.

The Fleetwood Mac star was fishing with Paul Hoenderkamp and Andy Hay, who both played in bands in their younger days, and former England international sea angler Mick Toomer.

Skipper White had taken the four anglers to an offshore mark where they fished squid and hermit crab baits to boat a mixed bag topped by Green's hound.

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PRIOR SCOOPS A TOP CATCH

THE varied weather suited Doggetts this week with float fishermen landing good bags from most parts. 

 

However, Thursday suddenly saw an improvement in the carp fishing as anglers adopted a stealthier approach by fishing the margins more.

Brian Thompson fished the south bank where keeping back from the bank and fishing his own bait saw him land a 22lb mirror only 3ft from the bank under a tree.

George Cronnan and Richard Cooper fished the long where they landed four fish to 17lbs and missed a few others.

Echo:

Dom Prior with his impressive catch

One mirror was taken from the reeds only a couple of feet from the swim.

And the others fell to floaters and bottom baits by the reeds.

Vic Watch landed a very scrappy mid double from the long arm while Mark Johnson and Glenn Burton banked three mid doubles from the south bank.

Dom Prior saw the advantages of keeping the bivvy out of the swim and not moving around while he fished a night on the north bank.

Fishing a new Nash bait, he was broken by one very good fish but managed to beat his Doggetts personal best when he landed a stunning 25lbs specimen.

Nearly all the carp anglers commented on the quality of the tench they landed and so did Collin Armitage who fished a day on the north bank.

Fishing an assortment of baits and pole tactics, he landed a stunning 17lbs tench.

Not one of his fish were under 3lb and the largest was 7lb.

Armitage also landed some stunning roach and rudd and it goes without saying numerous bream.

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SEA REPORT by GRAHAM BARRETT

l Southend Pier: Lee, from Southend Angling Centre, reports anglers landing school bass, mackerel and eels from the pier head. Flounders and eels are being landed on the stem. There are still lots of mullet to be had.

l River Roach: A few mullet have been reported, which is unusual for the river. Flounders and eels are also biting.

l Thorpe Bay slipway: Codling have been caught from the left-hand side on night tides.

l Shoebury: Mullet are being caught at low water on the ebb tide at Barge Pier, along with a few bass.

l Other Thames beaches: Very quiet at the moment, with occasional school bass being taken.

l Thamesmead: Eddie Sharp reports sizeable flounders and bass to 1.5lb.

l Erith: Bass to 3lb, flounders to 1.5lb and eels around the 2lb mark have been landed at Morrison's Jetty.

l Gravesend: Graham, from Dolphin Angling, reports flounders, eels, soles and bass being caught.

l Greenhithe: A bass of 6lb was caught at the weekend.

l River Crouch: Bass, eels, flounders have been providing sport, and there is the chance of a roker.

l Walton Pier: Robert Tuck reports codling and bass being landed. Robert had nine codling in a club match at the weekend on the pier.

l Clacton Pier: Bass and skate are being tempted by blueys.

l The Naze: Soles are being caught at Hipkins Beach. It is also the time of the year when there is the chance of a big bass for anglers who float fish.

l Jaywick: Eels, pouting, bass and a few codling are making up bags.

l Aldeburgh: Codling up to 2lb are being taken at both the town beach and the dirty wall.

l Shingle Street: The Suffolk hamlet is the hot spot at the moment, with lots of codling being taken. Anglers are averaging more than 10.