It was encouraging to note that 60 anglers turned out for one of the River Severn Opens last weekend. That’s a great attendance on running water these days and perhaps a sign that anglers are realising that commercials can be pretty tough going in winter.

At least on rivers you have great scenery to take in and if you are float fishing, something to keep you busy. Since moving on from Match Fishing magazine, Dave Harrell has been working on a new range of floats designed specifically for river fishing and these have now hit the market.

There are 12 patterns to choose from to suit all conditions including peacock wagglers, stick floats and bolo floats. They will be appearing in shops any day, or you can view the range online at www.daveharrellangling.com .