Late summer sees the arrival of a wide variety of species with red mullet amongst the most colourful. Kevin Legge caught a brace of these handsome fish the largest of the two weighing 10.5oz won CMSAC’s latest club match. kevin hold the clubs club record for the species with a 1lb 10oz fish caught in 1989. The clubs specimen size is 1.25oz.
Boat anglers off Ilfracombe are enjoying some superb boat sport with bass and pollock caught over wrecks and reefs. Reel Deal Charters targeted bass with the anglers on board tempting numerous good fish topped by a 69cm specimen to the rod of Danny Watson of High Street Tackle. Danny has done a great deal to promote lure fishing in North Devon with his shop stocking a vast range of lures.
On the same day I was on board Predator 2 last Sunday on a trip with friends of the Skipper Dan Welch. We set out with the intention of fishing for shark but the conditions prevented us from reaching the prime sharking grounds. Fortunately we were able to shift our attention to other species and enjoyed great sport with bass and pollock. The best bass boated was a good fish of 67cm to the rod of Callum Gove.
Lure fishing is a growing sector of sea angling. This is in part I feel because it suits the modern sea anglers life style. The light tackle employed enables great sport with the bass, pollock and wrasse giving exciting accounts. There is no bait collection, no unpleasant odours and less pre trip preparation. Shore anglers can grab a rod reel and a bag of lures and enjoy a short session at the prime time.
Andrew Clements won Bideford Anglings Clubs August Rover with a specimen thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb 6oz. Dale Kiff was runner up with a bass of 5lb 4oz. Jenson Kiff was third with a smoothound of 7lb 6oz and Graham Snow forth with a thin lipped grey mullet of 2lb 14.5oz.
Josh Atkinson was first and second and third in Appledore Shipbuilders sea rover with black bream of 2lb 4.25oz and 2lb3.5oz. A ballan wrasse of 4lb 12.25oz completing his domination of the scoreboard.
Bruce Elston fished Anglers Paradises Eldorado Cat and Carp Lake 2 and found that the catfish were on the feed banking specimens of 25lb 7oz, 34lb 11oz and a personal best of 60lb.
A low water lure trip on Predator 2 resulted in some superb fishing with a variety of species including bass, wrasse, ling, pollack and pouting.
We were wandering around the Exford Show Last year when I came across Border Country Belts who produce high quality leather belts with unique brass buckles portraying aspects of country Life.
Chatting with Henry the stall holder I said it would be good if there was a fish emblem with perhaps a trout or salmon. I thought that there would be a place in the market for this and hopefully sowed a seed. Twelve months on and Border Belts are producing a limited number of brown trout inspired belts. The Exmoor wildbrown trout belts are hand stitched using oak bark tanned leather.
The buckles are always created as pairs – one is “heavy” with the design inset and the other is “light” with the design raised – this corresponds to a difference in weight, but not that you’d notice when wearing them. The buckles are cast in bronze – we have done a test casting, six of each to start with to see how they go. We will be doing an edition of 25 each in the autumn so they will be ready for Christmas. The belts are handstitched and available both in standard – small (24″-30″), medium (30″-36″) and large (36″-42″) and made-to-measure. Both options are the same price £160 (including delivery). We offer 10% off if you follow us on Instagram and they are normally 20% off at shows – such as the Mid Devon. Thanks for your interest in the belts – hope the fishing community approve!
