Below are a couple of pieces intended for the NDJ column that for some reason did not get printed.
Sea anglers have been enjoying some good sport with mackerel showing in good numbers from both boat and shore at Ilfracombe. After several poor years it is good to see mackerel feasting on shoals of sandeels.
Climate change is having a dramatic and at times catastrophic impact on the natural world. Salmon are an iconic species their survival threatened by rising water temperatures a fact that is slowly starting to reach the awareness of the wider public. Angling bodies have been campaigning against pollution from sewage and intensive farming for many years. It is good to see these important issues reaching the wider public agenda with the demise of West Country salmon featured on BBC spotlight.
Rising sea temperatures are a mixed blessing for sea anglers with long term threats to the marine eco systems balanced against short term opportunities to catch species that may visit our waters as result of a warmer climate.
It is amusing to read the annual sensational headlines about great white shark visiting UK waters. It is highly Likely that these majestic creatures do visit waters off the coasts of Devon and Cornwall there is after all nothing to prevent them and plenty of seals and other prey to hunt.
The Taw and Torridge estuary offer exciting opportunities to target bass and grey mullet using fly fishing tactics. All three species of grey mullet can be caught in the estuaries. Thick lipped grey mullet, Thin-lipped grey mullet and golden greys can all be targeted each requiring subtle modifications to tactics. The pursuit of mullet on the fly increased in popularity in recent seasons with a Facebook group; Mullet on the Fly having 10,000 members. Colin Macloud has done much to demystify the catching of mullet on the fly following the publication of his excellent book, Mullet On The Fly. I must confess that my own efforts to catch mullet on the fly have been enjoyable but generally unconnected to the wily target species.
North Devon Angler Kyle Bishop has enjoyed recent success with grey mullet on the fly catching several good fish from the Taw estuary.
