ELEVEN-year-old Sam Scott caught a 5lb 4oz beauty on his first mullet sortie - to leave dad Bill speechless.

The Dibden Purlieu youngster, who attends Noadswood senior school, found pestering for a trip paid off when his father took him to a mark along Southampton Water shore.

Ground baiting a small stretch, the duo set up a light 11ft feeder rod and a small fixed spool reel and a size eight hook baited with bread flake fished under float.

Scott suddenly realised that his float had disappeared and was soon battling with a real biggie for ten minutes before it eventually slid into the net.

After weighing and photographing, the specimen was returned alive.

The final round of the Hansfords Junior League along the Portchester Castle section found fish conspicuous by their absence with just three recorded.

Overall series winner was Aaron Hayter with 1080 points, followed by Ross Eggleton (971) and Robert Ford (875). The series attracted 34 youngster who all collected a prize.

Most consistent angler in the series was Macualey Pope.

Species category prizes - black bream: 20cm Ross Eggleton, bass: 46cm Robert Ford, mullet: 11cm Robert Ford, devil fish: 12cm Matthew Thomas, flounder: 34cm James Durkan, smoothhound: 58cm Ashley Caisley, silver eels: 73c, Michael Hibbard, thorneback ray: 22cm Liam Fitzgearld, whiting: 19cm Paul Shepperd.

This season has been the most successful in the history of a league aimed at helping youngsters with their fishing skills and encouraging new ones into the sport.

Adverse weather conditions meant the latest round of the ISAC Boat League had to be held within the confines of Langstone Harbour, where bass supplied limited action.

England international Ray Barron (Southampton) was on form despite the difficult conditions to finish with 45 points ahead of Tony Sherwood 39, Hoover Brown 27, Dave Oliver 25, Kim Bowden 15 and Gill Thompson 10.

The section between Avon Beach and Friars Cliff staged the seventh round of the four-a-side Neptune League where silver eels and pouting supplied the action and Bournemouth & District A had a clear victory with 7lb 13oz, including a cracking silver eel bagged by Brian Fisk.

Runners-up were Boscombe & Southbourne B, led by Edward Cherry (6lb 15oz), followed by Hamworthy RBL (3lb 5oz), Christchurch & District A (3lb 2oz), Boscombe & Southbourne A (2lb 13oz), Christchurch Shore A (1lb 15oz), Wessex Angling (1lb 5oz), Lymington & District (1lb 2oz), and Wessex Hawks (7oz).

Next round is along the Milford Shingle Bank on November 8 (fishing from 7.30pm to 10.30) when dogfish and pouting should dominate.

A wide variety of species were caught by 86 of 132 competitors in the Weymouth Angling Centre Open along the Ferry Bridge section of Chesil.

Dave Chidzoy collected the £500 top prize for winning A section with a 14lb 12oz catch of pout, whiting, dogfish and garfish.

David Blackwell collected £500 for winning B section with a mixed catch of 18lb 8oz, closely followed by Dave Lane with 18lb 5oz and Lee Cullen (Southampton) 18lb 4oz.

The prize for the heaviest fish went to Chris Ellias (4lb 13oz) with a smoothhound. The junior section was won by Sam Crammy-Evans (5lb 12oz). Christian Brazley had the best specimen (2lb whiting).

All eyes will be on the Milford Shingle Bank this weekend when the Lymington club stage their annual autumn open shore competition (£200 top prize).

Fishing is from 7pm-12pm with booking-in from 5pm at the Needles Eye Cafe. Senior tickets are £7 plus pools and a two-man team event. A separate match for juniors costs £3.

The event is expected to produce a wide range of species including nice small-eyed-rays and sole from the Hordle section while the Shingle Bank should produce doggies, pouting, some late smoothhound and the odd codling. To win you should need 12lb-plus.

For last-minute details contact Robin Lane (01590 676711) or Adrian Smith (01590 679793).