6 Jan 2020

North Devon Match Group – Morchard Road

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Winter league No 4 today at Morchard Road, 21 fished which I think we came to the conclusion was a few to many with some poor areas having to be in the bag, however it was nice to fish in relatively dry conditions with little wind for a change.
A big well done to Chris Morris  who comfortably won with 58lb 2oz,  Chris  drew the car park point and made the most of it with about 30 small carp.
After Chris it was all very tight and Stephen Craker had the edge with 31lb 8oz from just past the left point, and 3rd place went to Stuart Burridge with 29lb from next to Chris Morris.
Also rans and those in the points were as follows,
4th Neilsen Jeffery  26lb 10oz
5th John Lisle 24lb 8oz
6th Martin Crouch 20lb 8oz
7th Damian Lawrence  19lb 8oz
8th Dave Downton 17lb 10oz.

6 Jan 2020

SEA ANGLING ROUND UP

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Sea anglers have been having a difficult time recently with specimen fish hard to find despite good conditions. There has been a good bit of variety however with bass, codling and ray amongst catches. One of Sea Anglings greatest attributes is undoubtedly the unknown highlighted by the 3lb 2.5oz ling caught by Jon Stevens in Bideford Angling Clubs Rover

Bideford Angling Club – January Rover Results

1st Terry Dymond Flounder 1lb 10oz 1/4 82.031%

2nd Antony Smith Thornback Ray 6lb 9oz 72.916%

3rd Jon Stevens ling 3lb 2 1/2oz 70.138%

4th Nathan Clements Thornback Ray 5lb 15 1/2oz 66.319%

Appledore Shipbuilders January Rover Results

1st – Andrew Atkinson Flounder 2lb 5 1/2oz
2nd – Josh Atkinson Flounder 2lb 2 1/4oz
3rd – Graham Fisher Flounder 1lb 15 1/2oz

 

Combe Martin SAC members have been out chasing those winter fish. Lure fishing enthusiast Mark Jones has sett himself a challenge to catch bass in every month of the year and has got off to a great start tempting these two bass to tick off January.
( Below) Ross Stanway enjoyed winter success of a more traditional type landing this plump codling.

 

4 Jan 2020

Combe Martin SAC – Boat Trip

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Combe Martin SAC Boat Trip

Many thanks to Matt Jeffery for his report on CMSAC’s latest boat trip out of Minehead.

Osprey trip..30/12/19

Spirits were high as we pulled out of the harbour today with Steve Webber at the helm , all of us busily making our rigs and hoping to trick that big one into snaffling it up off the sea bed .

I for one was very pleased to be greeted by a calm morning as we pulled out of the harbour, and i wondered to myself was today the day ?.

with the usual teas and coffees made by young William Webber and also the cooking of bacon and sausages by Steve Webber it was a pleasent day

Unfortunately it wasnt to be today and it wasnt for the lack of trying either might i add ….

a few decent fish were caught through the masses of conger eels to 15lb…….

Louis Rooke managed a nice blonde

Peter Robinson had a spotted ray of 3lb 2oz

many thanks to Steve Webber for trying his best to get us on the fish ,and good on the club members for never giving up with those big cod baits ……

4 Jan 2020

Trusty Waters have much to offer – Upper Tamar and Melbury producing some stunners.

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It’s been a relatively mild winter so far and this has ensured consistent action with the regions carp. South West Lakes Trust waters have much to offer the keen angler who relishes the slightly wilder feel of these waters that hold some stunning carp. In contrast to many of the smaller commercial lakes anglers have the opportunity to choose their swims and fish without the competition for swims often experienced on popular heavily stocked commercials.

Ryan Willshire banked this 20lb14oz mirror from Upper Tamar in the last 24 hours. Great way to start 2020! Mainline Baits IB boilie over monster particle was the successful combination.

(Below) Lee Watts sent us in this catch report from the last couple of days: ‘Great session on Melbury with Aaron Jones nice way to finish the year with a few crackers, great to see Arron using a new cog lead to great affect at 180 yards! I also managed catching on a new test bait. My two mirrors were 24lb and 19lb and Aaron had 5 fish with 4 low double commons and cracking 13lb mirror!

3 Jan 2020

Salmon – journeys end

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I was sent this picture of dead salmon seen on the banks of the Torridge Estuary. Such a sight is not uncommon at this time of year. The majority of salmon will have spawned on the redds high up on the rivers headwaters and many die of exhaustion after ensuring the ongoing survival of the species. This salmon was estimated at 8lb to 10lb and was a cock fish judging by its prominent kype.

I always welcome any fish related news, comment and pictures from North Devon.

It is less that two months until the start of the salmon fishing season on our local rivers. Last season was blighted by low flows throughout a large portion of the season. Rumours are that this has been a reasonable spawning season on our local rivers so we must hope that this is true. Salmon numbers have been in decline for decades and every effort must be made to ensure that these iconic fish continue to forge up our rivers each year.

1 Jan 2020

Stafford Moor – Winter Carp Catches

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Dean Guppy banked four carp to 24lb from Beatties lake up to 24lb all caught on Sticky baits krill boilies.

(Below) Chris Blythe who had 4 fish out from Beatties lake all caught on J H baits , B4 bottom Baits.

(Below) Matt Saint caught a new  personal best of 27lb 3oz from swim 14 on lodge lake  caught on CC Moore live system boilies.

31 Dec 2019

Stafford Moor Open Match

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The latest Open Match on Tanners & Woodpecker lakes saw some good weights despite the time of year.

Chris Davis had 122lb 5oz from Woodpecker to win the match convincingly.

In second place was Ryan Shipp who bagged himself 113lb 6oz from  Tanners Lake

In third place was James Cooper bagged 73lb 9oz from  on Woodpecker Lake

31 Dec 2019

Off Shore Sport On Bluefin

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Calm weather has enabled John Barbeary to take anglers off Ilfracombe to enjoy some frantic sport with spurdog and bull huss. Each winter huge packs of spurdog prowl the Bristol Channel hunting for whiting, herring and sprats. The commercial ban on fishing for these members of the shark family has resulted in a population explosion that is generally welcomed by anglers who return the fish to the water.