ANGLERS are greeting it with bated breath – and then with baited hooks.

The haddock, a fish usually found in the North Atlantic, has suddenly ventured into West Somerset waters in unusually large numbers.

And some enthusiasts are travelling up to 50 miles hoping to hook a prime specimen.

Charter-boat skippers from Minehead and Watchet reported this week that anglers expecting to fish for cod have been landing their first-ever haddock.

“We have occasionally seen a haddock in the cod season but not in these numbers for many years. Not only are they more numerous this winter but they are bigger,” said Steve Yeandle, skipper of the Watchet-based Scooby Doo Too.

“No-one knows why they have suddenly appeared in our waters in such numbers but fishing patterns are changing all the time, probably to do with water temperature and availability of food.”

Photos: Steve Yeandle