Angelers at Hampshire`s complain there's TOO MANY fish after 60,000 trout escape into river and make their hobby too easy!

They normally sit for hours on end, lines cast into the river as they wait for that thrilling bite while sipping a drink in the summer sun. 

But dedicated anglers' sport has been ruined after 60,000 farm trout escaped into one of Britain's best fishing rivers, making their hobby too easy.

Fishermen who have returned to the banks for the new season are reeling in so many trout in Hampshire's River Avon that they are unable to catch their targets.

Bait that is intended to outsmart wily coarse fish like chub and perch over several patient hours is being easily gobbled up by the gullible farmed trout.

One angler caught 52 of the farmed fish in a single morning, with 20 from consecutive casts.

The spotty trout are believed to have escaped from a local fish farm. Because they are a non-native species, anyone who catches one is not allowed to return it to the waterway so has to take it home. 

There are also ecological concerns as the trout is feasting on the small fry of coarse fish thus upsetting the future population of native species, especially roach which has been in perilous decline in the Avon. 

The Environment Agency says it is impossible to recover all the trout which have spread for several miles up and down the Avon at Fordingbridge.

Instead officials have advised members of Christchurch Angling Club to hook out as many trout as possible in a bid to resolve the problem before they can spawn next spring.

The agency is investigating where the fish have escaped from and have not ruled out prosecution.

Andy Walker, of the Christchurch Angling Club whose 900 members use the Avon, said: 'Anglers have been chomping at the bit to get back out on the river only to find it packed full with rainbow trout.

'They are a non-native species and must have escaped from a trout farm.

'There are so many of them that anglers can't get through to the traditional target species they want to catch like chub and barbel.

'A lot of fish these fish are quite wily and anglers enjoy trying to outsmart them to catch them whereas farmed fish like these trout have got no sense whatsoever and don't think twice about taking your bait. It is very frustrating.

'The pike are having a field day and I'm sure many anglers' freezers and those of their neighbours are full to the brim with rainbow trout because there is no limit on how many you can catch.

'But that is a very thin silver lining.