THERE was a healthy turn out to Gloucester Park’s latest open Sunday match and the lake fished very well.

Steve Marchant took first place with five carp for 51lb 4oz. Marchant fished a winning combination, comprising of the method with luncheon meat as hook bait.

Using the same tactics, Frank Vickers came in second with five carp for 41lb 14oz. In third place was Dennis Sweetman with five carp for 41lb 1oz and match organiser Alan Halsey found himself in fourth position with three carp for 28lb 12oz. All these weights came from fishing tight to the island on the cockle bank.

Still on Gloucester Park, Basildon angler Colt Spooner fished a 24-hour session with his friend Adam Scott and they landed 17 carp between them, these fish weighed between 9lb and 17lb 8oz of which 10 were double figures.

The pike fishing at Pitsea’s Northlands Park is starting to improve with quite a few mid-double fish gracing the banks.

Peter White fished the cafe lake and landed four pike on his dead bait rigs with three being between 15lb and 17lb 8oz.

Still on the cafe lake the small carp, along with the tench and bream, are still being caught, while over on the road lake London angler John Whitmore fished a day session and landed a 16lb common and a 19lb common. Whitmore’s successful method was casting hi viz “sticky baits” pop-ups to showing fish.

The matches continue this Sunday at Gloucester Park. Meet at 7am for a 7:30am draw with the match to start at 8:30am and finish at 2:30pm.

Prices are £12 all in which includes £5 day ticket and £7 pools.

There is also an optional £5 super pools. Two keepnets and an unhooking mat are required.