Combe Martin Sea Angling Club member David Brooke fished a North Devon rock mark to tempt a fine specimen conger scaling 26lb 10oz. Large conger are to be expected over the winter months and can turn up at many marks and are often the source of tales of the one that got away. Strong tackle is required to give a good chance of securing these powerful fish that often dwell in the snaggiest of lairs. Whilst conger of over forty pounds have been landed from the North Devon shoreline larger specimens of over fifty pounds undoubtedly exist and offer a significant challenge to the shore angler.
Anglers fishing during the winter months require top quality waterproof clothing to ensure that can enjoy their long vigils beside the murky surging waters of the Bristol Channel. Local company Chillcheaters based in Braunton provide outstanding quality clothing that I have been using for several seasons.
It’s great to get out on the winter shoreline and during these strange dark days its a welcome escape to normality for the familiar seascapes I have enjoyed throughout my life are reassuringly constant. It was also good to be on the rocks before darkness fell savouring the view of a porpoise hunting close to the shoreline.
The fishing has been hard going lately with large numbers of strap eels seizing the baits and today was little different with several small eels succumbing in the first hour of fishing. A spotted ray was a welcome catch as the tide started to flood though its pale colouring and lack of spots was a little unusual. Bites came steadily with a small huss, dogfish and more slightly bigger straps.
Todays match was the final round of the Championship and clubs calendar year held at Wooda Lakes near Holsworthy and with the draw being done on the Friday before the match, the banter was in full flow whilst tucking into the bacon baps that Stuart Sharp always has ready for us! The weather leading up to the match certainly hadn’t helped the fishing with lots of rain over the last 48 hours but still plenty of fish caught to make for a good match all round. Keith took top spot on the day with a winning weight of 55-03 from lake 4 peg 22. Keith caught at 16 meters on the pole to the island feeding 6mm pellets and fishing maggots or corn on the hook with the odd fish on the bomb when the wind got up. Nathans weight of 46-11 also from lake 4 on peg 16, was good enough to take second overall. Nath’ has caught mainly down the edge on corn with a few down the middle on paste. Toms weight of 41lb was good enough to take 3rd overall and the top weight from lake 3 on peg 12 and caught mainly down the left hand edge on corn over micros. Top weight on lake one was from Andy Gratton on peg 6 with 30-09 respectively! A tricky day for a few but plenty of bites all round and I think we got away with the weather all things considered.
The final standings of the Championship are as follows;
1st Tom Downing 240points
2nd Martin Turner 140 points
3rd Nathan Underwood 120 points
And there we have it, a bit of disruptive year with a few matches cancelled due to Covid but lets hope the next one is a little more back to ‘normal’ . Have a good Christmas, stay safe and see you in January!
Bull Huss are showing from marks along North Devon’s rocky coast. Dan Spearman caught a 10lb 10oz specimen and Ali Laird caught a 10lb 6oz specimen and Rob Scoines tempted a plump huss of 7lb 11oz.
SOUTH MOLTON ANGLERS ENJOY DOUBLES BONANZA AT BLAKEWELL
I joined several members of the South Molton Angling Club Blakewell Fishery. What a contrast in weather conditions compared to last weeks Christmas competition that saw anglers greeted by frost and mist rising from the water. This week was dark and overcast with occasional outbreaks of heavy rain.
The dark and gloomy conditions did little to dampen the enthusiasm and good humour of the South Molton anglers who were all pleased to be out in the fresh air casting a line.
I decided to head for the area that had been producing the previous week and started off with my favourite olive damsel nymph. After half an hour without a pull I decided to try a different pattern. I could see that other anglers were catching steadily so the trout were obviously feeding. I glimpsed a big rainbow cruising just a rod length that convinced me to stay put. A bead headed black lure soon brought a rainbow of around 1lb 8oz. A few casts later I glimpsed the large rainbow again this time converging on my lure! The mouth opened and the line drew tight, the rod hooped over and a few anxious moments followed, a big trout lunged to and fro before being coaxed over the rim of the net. At thirteen pound it was a fish to bring a broad smile and set the hands a tremble.
Amazingly twenty minutes later I caught sight of another big trout as it followed my lure nailing it just a few yards from the bank. This one pulled the scales to 11lb a very pleasing brace of trout for 24lb.
Shortly after this on the opposite bank Matt Kingdon was into another Blakewell beauty that pulled the scales to 14lb 6oz. After completing my own limit I wondered over to get a picture of Matts and found he had a fine rainbow of of 9lb 12oz to go with it.
Amazingly back on the bank where I had enjoyed success Jim Ricketts was battling a good fish and we all watched on as his good friend wielded a net that was slightly undersized. We all felt relieved for him when the 12lb 14oz rainbow was safely banked.
The club had enjoyed a great Sunday mornings sport despite the gloom laden sky. Six big rainbows were banked by lunchtime along with plenty of table sized fish.
Combe Martin SAC member fished an up Channel mark for cod using a squid and lugworm cocktail and was rewarded with hard fighting conger scaling 23lb 2oz.
Stafford Moor continues to produce some stunning carp despite the cold winter conditions.
(Below) Darren Bakers fabulous 27lb 8oz ghostie caught from the beach swim on Beatties lake.
(Below) Mike Stemp who had 2 fish out from swim one up on lodge lake up to 29lb 8oz caught on Sticky bits krill boilies.
(Below) Chris Blythe fished on swim 15 (Albert square) up on lodge lake and banked this 28lb beauty out on Jh baits Klf and carbon baits mini seed mix.
(Below) Andy Barnes & Ian Kendall enjoyed success banking carp of 27lb 7oz and Andy had a 19lb 14oz mirror from swim 14 (beach 1 swim) up on lodge lake both caught on Sticky baits Manilla boilies and cloudy Manilla.
(Below) Jimmy Knight and Jordan Rowe who had 11 fish out including Jordan’s 33lb 12oz beauty from the beach swim on Beatties lake, all fish were caught on Sticky baits krill boilies.
All of South West Lakes’ rainbow trout fisheries will stay open until 24 December. Please see website for details on tickets and prices as well as the latest Covid19 advice and restrictions – www.swlakesfishing.co.uk. Note that tickets may only be purchased online or over the telephone on 01566 771930. Water temperatures have been falling over all of the sites and, with stocking continuing through the month, the fishing has continued to be good with the fish lying in deeper water as the month progressed.
At Kennick the boat anglers enjoyed the best sport. Mr. M.Ure netted 14 fish, while Andy Birkett from Plymouth caught a bag of 13 fish up to 2lb 12oz in one session while drifting off the East Wall, pulling small white fry patterns about six feet down, and 12 fish on another visit. Matt Baines caught the best fish of the month – a rainbow of 3lb 5oz. Kevin Primmer caught rainbows of 3lb 4oz and 3lb in a bag of four fish.
Burrator continued to produce consistent sport using deeper fished gold-head patterns (Blue-flash Damsels and Montanas) and sunk lures, with plenty of fish up to 2lb caught, as well as a good number of blue trout.
The fishing at Stithians showed a marked improvement, with a number of reasonable bags (John Henderson caught nine fish up to 2lbs+ using orange patterns) and plenty of fish around 2lb being caught, the best being 2lb 8oz, mainly on sunk nymphs and lures, although George Eustace did manage to pick up a rainbow on an Olive and Black Hopper.
Season Summary:
In spite of the Covid restrictions, and the ‘stop-start’ availability of fishing, the 2020 season produced some good fishing across the region, especially at Burrator, Kennick and Siblyback, while the fishing improved toward the end of the season at Stithians and Roadford produced some outstanding sport in the last few months.
The season started with the hugely successful Fly Fair at Roadford at the end of February, with many anglers in attendance, exhibits, trade stands and demonstrations. The Peninsula Classic Bank Competition at Kennick in October was won (for the fourth time) by Andy Gooding (from Liverton), catching five rainbows weighing in at 10lb 5oz, using Damsel Nymphs and a Black and Green Lure.
The new fishing club at Siblyback continued to build up numbers and hosted a number of events this season, including competitions, fly tying evenings and other social gatherings and are continuing to welcome new members (contact: derek.aungerbtinternet.com).
Dave Matthews – Siblyback Fly Fishers Association Competition
Fisheries Summary:
Siblyback: Best fish – 8lb 4oz rainbow, caught by George Hext; the best brown was a 4lb fish caught by Stephen Pearce. Fishery rod average 2.7 fish
Kennick: Best fish – 5lb 10z rainbow caught by Kevin Primmer. Fishery rod average 2.7 fish
Stithians: Best fish – 4lb 8oz rainbow caught by Roger Marks. Fishery rod average 1.4 fish
Burrator: Best fish – 5lb 8oz rainbow caught by Paul Lee; the best brown was a 4lb fish caught by Kevin Sellar. Fishery rod average 3.5 fish
Colliford: Best fish – 3lb brown trout caught by Dean Boucher. Fishery rod average 2.6 fish
Fernworthy: Rod average 2.7 fish, up to 2lb 4oz
Roadford: Best fish – 3lb 8oz brown trout caught by Duncan Kier; fishery rod average 4.4 fish
The season opening dates and prices for 2020 will be posted (along with other information) on the website and on the ‘Trout Fishing South West Lakes Trust’ Facebook page.
Combe Martin SAC members are venturing out in the cold to enjoy winter sport and compete in the clubs month long December competition.
Combe Martin SAC member Dan Welch caught this double figure specimen Bull Huss of 9lb 13oz. Fellow club member Mark Jones caught a thornback ray of 12lb 2oz to take the lead in the clubs December competition.
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