FLY FISHING - BRISTOL Water Fisheries report another mostly wet and windy week with brisk south-westerly winds, heavy showers, and air temperatures up to around 18C.

BRISTOL Water Fisheries report another mostly wet and windy week with brisk south-westerly winds, heavy showers, and air temperatures up to around 18?C.

These conditions have kept the water temperature at 17?C. The water quality remains good, and although some algae is present everywhere, it has not adversely affected the fish. There is still heavy weed around some of the marginal areas of Blagdon and across the shallower parts of Chew.

Bank anglers at Chew Valley have caught well at times from Woodford and Walley banks. Early morning is still best, though there have also been a few moving fish in the evening.

Any methods that keeps the flies near to or in the surface seem to work: red and claret dries and the washing line technique with Diawl Bachs suspended between brightly coloured Boobies are proving effective at present.

The Lexus National final was held during last week, taking up almost all the available boats on Chew. The previous week's bonanza of large bags of recently stocked fish rapidly petered out, and many of the competitors really struggled to catch anywhere but around the cages in Villice.

There were 10 teams of six on each of three days, with practice days in between. On the first day the rod average was 2.58 and the top team was Blagdon FF Bristol Water with 37 fish for 54lb 15oz.

The second day saw an average of 1.45 per rod, as competitors struggled in gusty winds and heavy rain. Top local team, in second place, was Tightlines with 10 fish.

On the third day, in slightly better conditions, some bigger fish were located by some rods across the False Island. The rod average was 1.58 and two more local teams went through to the international final, BRFFA Orvis were third with 11 fish, and BRFFA Park Retail fifth with nine fish.

The good fishing enjoyed by the boats at Blagdon has continued, mainly at the Top End, but with a few more fish coming from other parts of the lake. The long row up to Wood Bay and Rugmoor can be worthwhile, as there have been good catches in this area.

Most boats have been fishing at anchor with buzzers and nymphs, but the water is fairly shallow here so be careful not to fish too far down or with fast sinking lines. A few fish have begun to come to boats in front of the lodge and off Polish Water.

Bank fishermen have been finding much of the south shore difficult to fish because of the extensive weed beds, but the Rangers have been cutting weed in the Green Lawn and Long Bay areas, so these can be worth a cast now. If the wind allows, the North Bank, Pegs Point, Ash Trees and Rugmoor are well worth a try. Mr D.K. Richardson took a 7lb 2oz rainbow from a boat.

A fairly disappointing week at Barrow with not many good catches. All three tanks are fishable, but few fish are being taken during the day except deep down, though there is usually some evening and morning activity.

The lower lake at Litton seems to be the best at present despite lots of weed. Most of the fish have come from the deeper end of the lake and often on sunken nymphs and gold heads. There has been little in the way of hatches or rising fish.