Michael Blake won Stafford Moor’s Christmas Match with 91lb 13oz with Nathan Underwood taking the runner up spot with 81lb and Rich Dennis third with 38lb 12oz.
Dark winter nights are made for reading and dreaming and the latest edition of Fly Culture delivers plenty of fuel to inspire. The editor in Chief of this quality read is local Fly Fishing enthusiast Pete Tyjas who was an inspiring Fly Fishing Guide at the Fox and Hounds, Eggesford.
My own book on fishing in North Devon entitled “I Caught A Glimpse” is available from https://thelittleegretpress.co.uk/product-category/author/wayne-thomas/
Furzebray Carp Fishery continues to produce some very big fish despite the colder conditions. Andy White banked the mirror carp known as three scales at 36lb. Chris Connaughton banked fish of 32lb 27lb and 21lb. Graham Kelly banked the huge carp Blackspot at 45lb 8oz (Above) along with other carp of 33lb, 27lb and 21lb. The carp of Furzebray always seem to feed well during stormy conditions.
(Above) Graham Kelly with carp of 33lb and 27lb.
1st Neilsen Jeffery 87lb 2oz
2nd Jim Grogan 34lb 7oz
3rd Bruce Hunt 33lb 15oz
4th Craig Crash Lamey 29lb 3oz
5th Martin Turner 24lb 3oz
6th Kevin Shears 20lb 7oz
7th Paul Elworthy 19lb 13oz.
8th Stuart BUrridge 17lb 8oz .
21 fished. Today’s competition was fished in cold squally conditions . Nieilsen Jeffery rounded off a very successful campaign with a comprehensive victory on peg 16 on the top pond , he has caught 15 carp on pole fished corn. James Grogan has landed some large carp on the adjoining peg for second spot. Bruce Hunt also fished the top lake and landed a mixed bag on maggots on the pole for 3rd overall. Craig was 4th overall and top wieght on the bottom pond , taken on a small method feeder with maggot.
Kevin Legge secured top spot In Combe Sea Angling Clubs Christmas Competition with a fine specimen bull huss scaling 11lb 12oz. Members endured some stormy conditions during the competition with a heavy swell battering the coast. Mark Jones was runner up with a small eyed ray of 9lb 6oz.
Third – Alex Mcleish – bull huss 6lb 3oz
Forth Dan Welch – small eyed ray – 6lb
Fifth – Dan Welch – dogfish – 1lb 12oz
Sixth – Ross Stanway – dogfish – 1lb 10oz.
Julien Stainer secured first place in Bideford Angling Clubs Twenty Four Hour Rover landing bull huss of 8lb 15.5oz.
Cameron Atkinson won Appledore Shipbuilders Wintere League Rover with a whiting of 1lb 4oz.
Seven members fished in the clubs Christmas Competition at Blakewell where all members caught their three fish bags of hard fighting rainbows. The fish were caught on a variety of flies mostly small imitative patterns with the water clarity good. The lake was well sheltered from the gale force winds that were beating in from the North-West.
1st – Paul Grisley – 3 Trout – 6lb 11oz
2nd – Dave Eldred – 3 Trout – 5lb 11oz
3rd – Dave Mock – 3 Trout – 5lb 8oz
4th – Wayne Thomas – 3 Trout – 5lb 5oz
5th – Nigel Bird – 3 Trout – 5lb
6th – Colin Combe – 3 Trout – 4lb 11oz
7th – Andre Muxworthy = 3 trout – 4lb 1oz