MARKS off The Needles have once again produced some cracking action with a group fishing from the Lymington based boat "Challenger", skippered by Mike Cottingham, landing a number of double figure cod.

Cottingham also showed that he is pretty handy with a rod landing a superb bass which tipped the scales down to 14lb 4oz.

Simon Bransgrove, Mark Tuckey and Cliff Hathaway, who all work Shorefield, each used double squid baits presented on pennel rig to tempt cod between 17lb and 20lb.

While Cottingham, 56, who has been a Lymington skipper for a number of years, bagged the huge specimen bass along with a 50lb conger while using similar tactics.

Quality was the key during the Dave and Linda Classic Pegged Open held around the shorse of Poole Harbour where 87 competitors shared a slice of the action.

The £250 top prize was won by Colin Ross with a trio of flounders weighing 6lb 8oz, while Andy Pellatt from Fareham scooped the £100 runners-up prize, plus another £174 in pools for the heaviest fish.

He apprehended three flounders weighing 5lb 14.50oz with his best fish tipping the scales down to 2lb 13oz.

Neil Short came third, also with three flatties, weighing 5lb 13oz followed by Glyn Rigler 4lb 10.50oz, Kevin Poole 4lb 10oz and Alan Rogerson 3lb 14oz.

* The first Rovers Tackle mini midweek pegged openof the new season, held at Stokes Bay, produced a win for Mark Vinter from Fareham with 1lb 8oz catch of pouting.

Daniel Woodcock was the runner-up with 1lb 2.75oz which included a 1lb 0.50oz flounder which was the heaviest fish.

John Williams from Southampton and Steve Booth were equal third with 1lb 0.75oz.

Rovers stage another midweek pegged open on February 8 at Stokes Bay with fishing from 8pm to 11.30pm The event, which is strictly pre-book, only has a £5 price tag. Full details are available from Rovers Tackle on 01329-220354.

* With a £500 top prize on offer supported by cash prizes of £250 and £150, and a large prize table worth another £500, a bumper turn-out can be expected on Sunday when Fords Sports in conjunction with the Meon Valley Lions stage their charity open. There will be fishing in three zones from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

Tickets for the event, which is being sponsored by the Ford Branch of the Transport and General Workers Union, have been set at £8 for seniors and £3 for junior who have their own £100 prize table, there will also be zone pools.

The venue for the big event runs from the Rolling Mills through to Hamble excluding the Victoria Country Park. Booking in gets underway at the main Weston car park from 7.30am, there will be a special easy access section set aside for disabled anglers.

* Stamshaw Lake AC are organising an open boat competition to be held inside Portsmouth Harbour also this Sunday with fishing from 11am to 4pm.

Tickets have been set at £10 for adults and £5 for juniors plus a £2 pool. there will be a 100 per cent pay-out of all entry money. Full details from Allans Marine on 023 9267 1833.

* With the four-a-side Neptune League series completed, the powerful Boscombe & Southbourne SFC team comprising of Tony Ward, Reg Clough, Alan Jones and Chris Clark almost doubled the weight of their nearest rival with a 68lb 2.75oz haul bagged over the nine match series.

The runners-up were Wessex Angling with 36lb 6.75oz followed by Pro Tackle A 29lb 8.75oz, Bournemouth & District 21lb 3.75oz and Pro Tackle B 14lb 5.75oz.

* Yeovil & District SAC stage their first open shore competition of the season along the Ferrybridge section of Chesil on February 24 with fishing from 6pm to 11pm.

Tickets have been set at £10 which include pools, there will be no hidden extras. For details call 01935-850889.