Local charter boats heading to marks just off the Needles have certainly been making the news during the past few weeks with a string of hefty cod being heaved over the gunnels including a superb specimen bagged by Mark Knight from Southampton, which thumped the scales down to 31lb.

The 31-year-old builder was fishing from the Keyhaven-based boat Seaquest, skippered by Tim Doswell, when he caught the huge specimen from a mark just one mile to the south of the light.

Knight, who was fishing with members from the Bitterne RBL Angling Club, used a double squid bait presented on a 6/0 pennel rig to tempt the huge monster.

During the same trip five other hefty cod were also taken by fellow club members along with a decent bass.

Pete Orchard, the postman from Christchurch who is one of the country's top specimen hunters, has again been hitting the headlines. Just a few days after banking a 26lb pike for the river Avon he paid a visit to Chesil beach where he apprehended an excellent bass which tipped the scales down to 10lb 12oz.

Orchard used a single squid mounted on a 6-0 pennel rig to tempt the specimen; he also lost a huge cod, which made mincemeat of his 28lb hook length.

The Weston shore section lying along the eastern flank of Southampton water is a noted flounder venue but when Norman Mason, who is a member of the Hop Inn SAC situated in Southampton, paid a visit to the venue he had the surprise of his life when a new Wessex area record tub gurnard weighing 2lb 4oz snapped up his ragworm bait presented on a size 1 hook cast just 70 yards out. The specimen was weighed and verified at South Coast Tackle.

Competitors sampled some good mixed sport during the Rovers final mini midweek pegged measure & return open of the season held at Stokes where Chris Clark from Lymington romped to victory after landing 23 fish worth 550 points.

Clark was followed by two England youth team members, Lee Cullen from Southampton and Daniel Mogridge from Fareham with 471 & 413 points respectively.

The pool for the longest fish went to John Williams from Southampton with a 42cm bass followed by Tony Methyn with a 32cm whiting and Dave Jones with a 32cm tub gurnard.

Eighteen-year-old Lee Cullen, pictured right, from Southampton once again struck lucky when he landed a 15oz pollack during the Hamworthy RBL pegged evening open at Baiter to collect £80 in pools for the heaviest round fish.

The event attracted 56 competitors with 23 returning fish to the scales. The pool for the heaviest flatfish was won by Phil Bowering with a 2lb 9.75oz specimen flounder. The overall winner was local flounder expert Alan Rogerson with four flatties weighing 4lb 7.50oz to nudge out Simon Barber 3lb 5oz and Phil Bowering 3lb 3oz. The top two in each of the three sections also collected a cash prize.

Results: A Zone 1st Ian Golds 2lb 11.75oz, 2nd Andy Robins 1lb 13oz. B Zone 1st Roy Lockyer 2lb 11.75oz, 2nd Martin Cobb 2lb 8oz. C Zone 1st Tony Wright 2lb 15.75oz, 2nd Pete Christopher 1lb 12.50oz.

The penultimate round of the Bass High Shore league was held along the Whitehouse section at Milford where pout, dabs, whiting and doggies supplied the action.

The top team on the night was Sportsman's A with 3lb 11oz followed by Sportsman's B 2lb 8oz, Lymington B 2lb 5oz and Everton B 1lb 6oz.

Individuals: 1st Colin Chappel 2lb 14oz, 2nd Paul Dibben 2lb 5oz, 3rd Ryan Hood 1lb 8oz, 4th Pete Snow 1lb 6oz, 5th Rory Lancaster 1lb.

The final match in the series will be held along the Pennington sea wall when flounders and pout are expected to supply most of the action.

Despite wet and windy conditions, the latest round of the ABU Garcia-backed Wessex Junior Flounder League, held around the shores of Poole harbour, saw a good turnout with seven-year-old Sophie Fisk mastering the conditions better than most to land five flatties weighing 3lb 3oz to leave the red-faced lads in her wake.

Others: 2nd Nick Cobb 1lb 15oz, 3rd George Carter 1lb 2oz, 4th Matthew Kelly 12oz, 5th Josh Rushton 9oz, =6th Luke Woods & Marcus Christopher 5oz.

The national one day cod festival held out from Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight attracted just over 160 competitors with Adrian Hart collecting the £500 top prize with a cod weighing 18lb 8oz. The runner-up, with a cod of 17lb 10oz, was Ray Hazelden followed by Eddie Kingwells from the Island with a cod of 16lb 10oz.

Of the 160 hopefuls who went afloat, only 13 managed to land 15 cod, which is fairly poor compared to recent years.

Others: 4th E Davidson 15lb 7.75oz, 5th Dean Asken 13lb 13.75oz, 6th K Basham 13lb 7.50oz, R Barron 12lb 14.75oz and J Richards 12lb 2oz.

Flounders are expected to supply some lively action when the Lymington club stage their Xmas Fayre open shore competition on Sunday in three zones along the Lymington & Pennington sea wall with fishing from 10am to 3pm.

Tickets have been set at £6, plus pools and a two-man team competition. There will be a separate event for juniors costing just £3. Booking in gets underway from the Lymington clubhouse situated at Bath Road car park at 8am. The top prize is a bumper hamper. There will also be numerous other Christmas goodies on offer. For last-minute details contact Robin Lane on 01590 676711.

Western Wight AC also stage their Christmas open on Sunday, including a junior event with fishing from 10am to 4pm. The weigh-in will be held at Southern Vectis club from 4.30pm, full details and tickets will be available from local Island tackle shops.