Anglers heading out to mid- channel wrecks continue to find some cracking fish with Chris Biddlecombe, a 56-year-old plumber's mate from Totton, the latest to sample the action.

Fishing from 'Sundance 11' skippered by Roger Bayzand out from Lymington, Biddlecombe used a super twintale lure, jigged on a short trace close to the bottom, to tempt a superb cod which thumped the scales down to 31lb 8oz. During an action-packed session he also went on to land a 25lb cod along with a number of quality pollack.

Members of the Red Deer SAC also sampled some excellent action while fishing from Sundance 11 with plenty of cod along with conger, ling and pollack recorded. Pete Stotesbury was the top performer with 196 points, his catch included six cod to 25lb along with a brace of ling to 15lb and a couple of pollack. The runner-up was Dave Havers with eight cod, which were worth 161 points, followed by Gary Johnson with seven cod for 140 points and Malcolm York with six cod worth 137 points

Some cracking specimens have also been taken from the beach with Mark Plowman, from Southampton, landing a huge conger from a Dorset rock mark during an all-night session. The huge specimen, which thumped the scales down to 41lb, was taken on a large mackerel bait, after which the mighty conger was returned alive to fight another day. Close to home, an 8lb 1oz mullet has been caught from Southampton water on float tactics, while Richard Beams, from the Waterside, landed a 12lb 8oz smoothhound from the deep water section at Magazine Lane. A number of other very big smoothhound have also been reported from the shores of the western Solent with a 23-pounder topping the list.

Not to be outdone, Eastleigh angler Trevor Naylor travelled to Hillhead where he found plenty of action. During an action-packed 50-minute spell he beached four smoothhound with the heaviest fish tipping the scales to 14lb 11oz. All the fish fell to a single 4/0 hook baited with a hard back crab fish over the high water period at night. Just for good measure, the 38-year-old fitter then went on to land a 6lb 13oz bass which again took a crab bait.

The action was pretty good during the Wessex Division of the National Federation of Sea Anglers Personal Members boat competition held out from Weymouth where a fair number of black bream, bullhuss, pout, pollack, wrasse, conger, garfish and smoothhound were landed. The overall top prize of a day's free fishing and a trophy donated by Colin Penny, the skipper of Falmer 11, was won by Colin Searles, who is a member of the Hamble club, with 115 points. He also collected a bottle of champagne along with £60 in pools for the most differing species.

Bobby King, fishing from Top Cat, was the runner-up with 97 points and then came Steph Baker who finished with 95 points while fishing from Flamer 11, followed by Ray Barron, Kim Bowden and Dave Oliver.

The Milford shingle bank was the setting for the third round of the four-a-side High Shore league where smoothhound, spotted rays, black bream and sole supplied the action. Lonis A came out on top with 7lb 8oz ahead of Lymington 5lb 9oz, Sway 1lb and Everton A with a 15oz sole. The top individual was Paul Dibben, representing Lymington, who landed a 3lb smoothhound along with four bream together weighing 5lb 9oz.

A trip to Totland Bay on the Isle of Wight produced a potential Island record smoothhound for Peter Burt from Newport. During an action-packed session he landed a huge female hound which thumped the scales down to 22lb 6.50oz. After weighing and photographing the huge specimen it was returned alive, much to the approval of a group of watching holidaymakers. Not content with one specimen, Burt went on to beach a nice 2lb 4oz which was also returned to the sea alive.

The Swanage Hospital Open, organised by the Swanage club, saw Craig Prewer collect the £50 top prize for the heaviest fish with a 1lb 1oz ballan wrasse. He also picked up the pools for the biggest bag, while the prize for the second heaviest fish went to D Cornick with a 12oz wrasse. The boat anglers found some far better specimens with Derrek Burridge coming out on top with a 2lb 13oz pouting followed by William Chellingworth with a 2lb 4oz pout and then Scott Titt with a 1lb 13oz pout.

The Ferry Bridge section of Chesil is the setting for eighth round of the Isac open pegged league on August 16, with fishing from 7pm to midnight. Tickets for the event, which also doubles up as a Penn point fixture, have been set at £15 inclusive of pools. A wide variety of species can be expected including scad, dogfish and garfish. Trevor Sutch will have all the details and pre-book facilities on 023 9220 1696.