FROM relative obscurity to becoming one of the region's most talked-about species, the gilt-head bream gained the interest of the commercial sector notably in the Salcombe estuary, this having a huge impact on recreational fishing.

However, fewer numbers have now made the species less viable in value terms, giving this very handsome semi-tropical species a level of protection.

A total ban in this area on its capture from boats would give it a real future and an issue such as this could be addressed by the Angling Trust. It has the opportunity to do so through its incoming regional development officer, and success would be highly popular.

Shore anglers have had a fair level of success and, following a number of recordings, Brixham SAC has a new record for a super specimen of 5lb 6oz 2dr set by Neil Burnell. With such a benchmark established all fish of lesser weight can now be released by club members.

The current hot weather could bring the first of the season's Couch's bream on to the north Cornwall reefs. Last year, nine to a top weight of 5lb 12oz were recorded by the Cornish Federation and recently two examples of the red bream, now a rare species, were caught.

A beach in the South Hams yielded the best specimen recorded in the first heat of the 2009 Plymouth & District Shore League that has 20 teams taking part.

Lee Cruse, fishing for Malborough Construction, took the outstanding plaice of 4-7-0 (221.87 per cent) that at this early stage is a very strong contender for the competition's Best Specimen Trophy (pictured).

Big garfish were recorded, the heaviest a fish of 1-11-0 by Mike O'Donnell of Stonehouse, helping the team to take the leading position in Division One. The only bull huss recorded weighed 10-7-8 for Neil Hargraves of Kingsbridge SAC and the best of the grey mullet was a fish of 4-6-8 by Alan Hobbs of Roving Rods A.

Salcombe & District SAA's news-letter records the death of long-serving member Brian Cater. In 1990 he set a British record with a long-finned Tunny of 4lb 12oz taken at the famous sand bar. It remains a unique catch.

Cater was a long term member of the Salcombe Life-boat, culminating in his final post as Coxswain. He was an elite member of the angling fraternity, and a bass angler of considerable talent.

Yet another massive brown trout has come out of Chew Valley. Weighing 13lb 7oz, it took a coral booby fished on the surface in Villice Bay by Gary Morris. This is the fourth brownie weighing over 10lb to be caught during the past two weeks. Another of note weighed 7lb 14oz and rainbows to 7lb have also been caught. An 8 lb 4 oz example was taken from the bank at Blagdon and others over 6lb took a variety of fly types.

The Chew Valley rod average was a high 4.3 and 1,254 fish were taken in the week. The Blagdon figure was 819, the average slightly lower at 3.1.

Carp anglers have taken full advantage of the good weather to record a host of heavy commons and mirrors, most notably a mirror of 27lb 15oz at Creedy Manor. Taunton's Glen Cornish legered boilie in shallow water at the top end of the right-hand bank and the session produced a total of nine fish of which seven were doubles to 20lb 12oz.

A catch of eight was made by Exeter's Roger Bowskill, the best a 23lb mirror and a common of 21lb 8oz.

Newton Abbot's Dave O'Brien found it slow going at the swim he had initially chosen so moved to the shelf on the far bank which yielded a common of 26lb.

Tim Woodbridge, who had the fishery's biggest carp in 2008, is already building a satisfactory log of catches and his latest session produced a common of 24lb 10oz. A green tench of 7lb 11oz fell to Alex Meek from Scarborough, but he will consider a personal best common of 23lb 11oz the better catch.

A magnificent aggregate of 270lb was achieved by Crediton ace Mike Izzard. It was made up of 21 commons to 23lb 11oz and a single mirror of 14lb 8oz.

At Paignton's Town Parks, peg nine provided Dan Marshall with a remarkable session during which he improved his personal best three times. Fishing very light gear in the margins he had four carp to 21lb 1 oz and he lost a further five.

This fishery is noted for its beautifully conditioned mirrors and the week's best was an 18 lb 3 oz example taken at peg eight by Lee Nicholson.