3 May 2021

CORNISH WRASSE ADVENTURE

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Many thanks to Kody Chugg and Ollie Passmore for sending me this account of their recent trip to Cornwall in search of wrasse.

Got up early hours of the morning, and set off down to Cornwall. Sun shining and a favoured wind in search of a big ballan wrasse. Several marks ventured, fishing crystal clear water. Lots of little taps with baits getting stripped by little wrasse. Last mark we went to we were fishing over low. Missing some really good runs from hook pulls. We both managed to catch a good few fish together.

Fish care with wrasse is vital. These are fragile fish that need to be taken care of, unhooking carefully and resting in pools. Wrasse definitely are in decline compared to years gone by, due to commercial fishing, and taken to Scottish salmon farms. Wrasse are so valuable for the seas Eco system and keeping reefs and corals etc healthy. Great fun fishing and each one being so different and remarkable colours. Crab and hermits doing the business. All on running ledger rigs with 1/0 circle hooks. All in all a great day fishing!

Footnote :- Reading Ollie and Kody’s article takes me back to a trip I enjoyed to the South Cornish coast almost forty years ago with Combe Martin SAC secretary Nick Phillips. A couple of days were spent exploring the rugged coastline where we landed several specimen wrasse the best If my memory serves me correct pulled the scales to 6lb 8oz a fish that is still my PB. Wrasse of over 5lb were comparatively common back then both in Cornwall and along the North Devon coast where I landed fish to 5lb 15oz. I mention this as it highlights how fishing for wrasse has declined over four decades.

3 May 2021

North Devon Match Group Result -Oaktree

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North Devon Match Group fished Oaktree Lakes at South Molton with both top and bottom lakes in. Thanks to club secretary John Forster for his report.
Top Lake
1st Tom Downing 52lb5oz
2nd Peter Horton West 41lb 15oz
3rd Les Polden 30lb 1 oz
sorry no photos of this lake as no one sent me any and my phone had given up working lol
Bottom Lake
1st Chris Morris 66lb 06oz
2nd John Lisle 39lb 04oz
3rd Kevin Shears 29lb 09oz
A good Win For Chris and a pleasant day all round
Next ione up is the 16th May at the brilliant Goodiford Mill
3 May 2021

BRAUNTON BAIT BOX LAUNCH MONTHLY COMPETITION

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The Braunton Bait Box
25 April at 21:34 
Right guys and girls
Starting from next month (MAY) we will be running a
Fish Of The Month Competition
May and June – the species will be biggest Ray or Smooth Hound
July and August – the species will be Bass and Gilthead Bream
Rules
*You must pop in the shop to register
*bait must be bought from us, the bait packets will have a different sticker on each month
*you must send in a photo of you holding the fish along with a photo of the scales weight and the bait sticker
*have a great time
*please pick up your litter
Happy fishing
3 May 2021

CARP CATCHES FROM SWLT Waters

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Mark Gibson and Mark Eager fished Lower Tamar Lake banking eleven carp including eight over twenty pounds the best 27lb.

(Below) Ian Knowles had these two from Upper Tamar recently. 19lb 5oz and 12lb 4oz.

(Below) John Deprieellee had a cracking day at Jennets yesterday and sent this report in for us:
‘I spent the day fishing a combination of adjustable zigs and surface baits at range. The fish certainly werent in a big feeding mode and the key was to feed small amounts of bait every 5 mins. I literally didnt stop casting from start to finish and it took 4 hours to get the first bite which came off at the net. It was then a case of persistance and changing hook baits and trying to deal with the easterly cross wind which made for a challenging session. Eventually I found the bait they would take and caught 9 fish plus a handful of bream. Most of the carp were mid to high doubles but the best 3 went 22, 24,8 and 27,8. plus a few more that came off.
2 May 2021

Bratton Water – South Molton Anglers

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I joined a dozen or so members of South Molton Angling Club at the tranquil Bratton Water Trout Fishery for a mornings fishing and chat. This was very much a social event with an opportunity for a mornings fishing. Conditions were perfect for enjoying the scenery and catching up with fellow members but far from ideal for catching trout. The water was crystal clear and the margins alive with tadpoles a fact that encouraged a few members to try small black tadpole type flies.

I had brought along my 10ft 5wt rod and matched it with a floating line and a long leader of 6.5lb fluorocarbon. A small bead head pheasant tail on the point and a black n’ peacock on a dropper. This was cast out and allowed to sink before retrieving very slowly watching the line intently for any twitches. I missed a few but caught my bag of 3 rainbows within two hours then proceeded to chat for a while with fellow members about things country and fishy.

 

Strange how you perceive that you have found the right method to find that other have caught using a totally different fly and retrieve.

Rob Kingdon with pleasing bag of Bratton Water Trout

 

It was time to head home and cook up a Sunday dinner of fresh trout!

 

1 May 2021

SPECIMEN CAT LAKE JUST KEEPS PRODUCING THE BIG CATS! 

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(Above) Tony Trenary, 65 a retired Stripper/Chippendale joined us at Nirvana’s Day ticket Specimen Cat Lake and caught a 48lb 8oz Wels Catfish on a 18mm krill active and 15mm scopex squid.
(Above) Head baliff Ashley Bunning had a session on Nirvana’s Specimen Cat Lake targeting the Carp but instead catches one of the big girls – a Catfish of 64lbs!
Caught on a single Citruz pop up!
Anglers Paradise