Many anglers consider the Bathampton AA-controlled stretches of the Kennett & Avon at Bath, Bathampton, and Claverton to be the best canal fishing in the country, regardless of weather conditions.

January and February have always been the worst months on the angler's calendar. Yet already, despite the continual low temperatures, both pleasure and match anglers who fish it regularly are taking good catches and specimen fish.

Top of this month's list, so far, is a superb pike weighing 19-8-0 caught by Bristol specimen hunter Richard Blinham while spinning a Mepps on a 12lb rated line.

He said: "The fish put up a tremendous fight. It was in excellent condition and swam away strongly after being weighed, photographed and witnessed by another angler."

Next month the canal hosts an Angling Times semi-final and, while practising for this event, the Sensas Bathampton Avon Aquatics team captain, Kevin Dicks, netted an 18-0-0 catch of bream, perch and skimmers from the Millbrook Swing bridge area at Claverton.

The Bristol-based angler poled punched bread over a liquidised bread feed at six metres centre and caught all his fish during a short three-hour session. This winter, has been harsh. Many of the lakes have been frozen solid for days on end, yet the recently restocked Newton Park Lake, near Bath, is now back on form and fishing superbly.

During Alan Gingell's recent trip to the prolifically-stocked stillwater he used waggler tactics to fish both imitation and real sweetcorn over a cooked, hemp base.

Within an hour, he started catching quality roach regularly. An hour later, a perfectly-conditioned 12lb common carp came to his bait followed by his best fish of the day – a 2lb roach.

One of the best carp caught during a difficult week weather-wise fell to Bristol carper Rob Delaney, who used CS1 boilies to tempt four double-figure carp – the biggest a 17-4-0 commom.

Membership of the Bathampton AA is open to all. Log on to www.bathampton.org or phone Malcolm Murfet 0117 9715003.