14 Dec 2025

Bulldog Fisheries Christmas Fly Fishing Competition – Match Review

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TOM EARLY’S Match Review

Our annual Christmas fly fishing competition at Bulldog Fisheries proved to be another memorable day, even if the fish didn’t quite follow the usual Bulldog script.
The morning session started slower than expected, but it didn’t take long for the excitement to kick in. Colin Combe was well and truly put through his paces when an impressive 8.09lb tiger trout took him on a wild ride—charging into the neighbouring swim, burying itself deep in the weed, before finally surrendering to the net. Colin quickly followed this with another quality brown trout, and at that stage his day was shaping up very nicely.
As the morning progressed, bites came steadily if not spectacularly. Pegs 2 and 3, positioned near the main water inlet, proved to be the most productive areas, with fish coming to the net at a consistent rate.
By lunchtime, rods were down and spirits were high. Nigel did a fantastic job in the kitchen, serving up a full turkey roast dinner, complete with Christmas pudding for dessert. A festive nip (or two) of whisky followed—carefully monitored in the hope that nobody took an unexpected swim!
After a hearty feed, the peg redraw saw anglers return to the water for the afternoon session. This proved to be a testing few hours. Persistence paid off for some though, with several cracking spartics landed. The standout of the afternoon was a 5.15lb spartic landed by father & son team Dave and Freddy Chapman!
Results

1st – Roy Pink: 5 fish – 16.13lb

 2nd – Colin Combe: 3 fish – 16.02lb

 3rd – Dave & Freddy Chapman: 13.01lb

 Biggest Fish of the Day – Colin Combe: 8.09lb Tiger Trout

While the fish weren’t quite on form by usual Bulldog competition standards, plenty of fin-perfect trout were landed throughout the day, even the smaller rainbows gave a good account for themselves! This combined with excellent food, festive cheer, and great company, all added up to a thoroughly enjoyable Christmas competition.
A huge thank you to everyone involved, and we wish you all a very Merry Christmas! 🎄🎣
14 Dec 2025

Bideford and District Angling Club. Coarse section monthly and Christmas match

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Results:

1st Nathan Underwood 47lb 3oz

2nd John Lisle 25lb 14oz
3rd Martin Turner 18lb 6oz
4th. Keith Mountjoy 17lb 2oz
5th Stace N Dazza Polden 16lb 6oz
6th Steve Johnson 12lb
7th Colin OHagan 10lb 12oz.

19 members fished.

Although conditions were mild and dry, the fishing proved challenging for most, with the exception of Nathan ,our winner who found some willing feeders on peg 13. His net of carp and skimmers was taken at short range on maggots over groundbait.
John picked up second place on pole with bread and maggot on peg 19.
Martin finished 3rd off of peg 4 , on pole fished caster.
The league has proved very popular and Nathan secured a resounding win on 122 points, with Kevin Shears running in second with 105 points
Keith Mountjoy 3rd on 101. Craig Crash Lamey 4th on 93.
12 Dec 2025

Weekly ANGLING REPORT – December 11th 2025

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ANGLING REPORT

Sixty Pound Carp from Paradise

Jay Harper has banked what is believed to be the first carp over 60lb to be caught from Devon or Cornwall. The huge carp was tempted from Anglers Paradise’s Nirvana Syndicate Lake and tipped the scales at a fraction over 60lb. The fish was weighed and verified by fishery manager Joe Drury and sets the bar for anglers fishing the venue over the coming months. The carp was caught less than a month ago at a weight of 59lb 2oz and was believed to be Devon’s largest carp. Carp are very often at their top weights throughout the winter months and with  a seemingly milder climate expectations are that potential weights for carp and other fish will climb over the coming years.

Anglers Paradisehttp://www.anglers-paradise.co.uk

When I started fishing for carp back in the early 1980’s Winter fishing for the species was still looked upon as pioneering with the fish still regarded as a fish of the summer months. A combination of climate change and significant improvements in weather resistant bivvy’s and warm and waterproof clothing has revolutionised the sport. Anglers can now camp out in the wildest of weather with little discomfort. Modern effective self-hooking rigs mean that anglers can wait in comfort only dashing out when the bite alarm signals.

A group of eight anglers from Plymouth enjoyed their Christmas Social event at Bulldog Fishery banking two carp over thirty pounds and ten over twenty pounds. Such a catch from this sometimes tricky venue during early December highlights just how productive winter carp fishing can be.

Combe Martin SAC’s Christmas Rover was won by David Brooke with a bass of 5lb 13oz. Kevin Legge was runner up with a smoothound of 6lb 15oz and myself third with a bull huss of 6lb 3oz. Members caught dogfish, spurdog and conger.

Michael Hammett secured top spot in Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover with a bull huss of 9lb 9.5oz. Josh Atkinson was second with a huss of 8lb 3oz and Chris Slade third with a huss of 8lb 2oz.

North Devon Match Group fished their latest Match at Stafford Moor where members combatted challenging conditions with strong winds and heavy rain. Paul Morris won the Willow Lake section with 89lb 7oz with Warren Thornton runner up with 69lb 7oz. Tom Downing won the Oak lake section with 62lb 10oz with Dave Wood taking runner up spot with 55lb 2oz.

 

South Molton Angling Club fished their latest Mac Trophy Competition at Bulldog Fishery where Edward Rands was first to bag up with six fish by 9:30am including the biggest fish for the day a fine brown trout of 4lb 8oz. Breakfast was served up at 10:00am by which time some members had already enjoyed excellent sport.

 

 

8 Dec 2025

Sea Angling News –

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Combe Martin SAC’s Christmas Rover was won by David Brooke with a bass of 5lb 13oz. Kevin Legge was runner up with a smoothound of 6lb 15oz and Wayne Thomas third with a bull huss of 6lb 3oz. Members caught dogfish, spurdog and conger.

Michael Hammett secured top spot in Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover with a bull huss of 9lb 9.5oz. Josh Atkinson was second with a huss of 8lb 3oz and Chris Slade third with a huss of 8lb 2oz.

 

 

8 Dec 2025

 The Torridge Rivers Association – Newsreel – Charles Inniss

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 The Torridge Rivers Association

Chairman: Paul Ashworth.                                                  Secretary: Charles Inniss.

                                                                Beeches Sheepwash Beaworthy Devon EX 21 5NW

                                                                        e-mail: [email protected]

                                                                        tel: 01409231237   (m)07464190944

The Salmon Hatchery: I am pleased to be able to report that the hatchery team have been able to trap the broodstock from the fish pass at Monkokehampton Weir. We have five hens (largest 11lb) and four cock fish. The first hen we trapped three weeks ago (a superb fish of 13lb) had to be returned: she was ripe and ready to be stripped of her eggs but at that time we only had two cocks and the EA are insistent that the eggs must be fertilised by three cocks for factorial mating. Hopefully within the next fortnight all the hens will be ready for stripping and we will have over 25,000 eggs laid out in the shallow egg-holding trays.

            One of our members recently gave me a copy of an article in the Daily Telegraph magazine which outlines the amazing work of Bob Kindness on the River Carron in Inverness Scotland. For thirty years he has run a hatchery very similar to ours and each spring releases the young salmon at the swim-up fry stage. He has a cylindrical trap set on a pontoon which each year catches the smolts migrating downstream. I quote: “when I look at a smolt caught in the trap, I can determine whether it is a wild fish or a hatchery fish and from which hatchery batch it came from”. Over the last twenty five years salmon stocks on the River Carron have increased dramatically. The amazing work of Bob Kindness has not only increased the numbers of adult salmon returning to spawn but has shown that artificial rearing and stocking retains the genetic quality of the Carron salmon. The editor of the Trout and Salmon magazine wrote: “the debate over the stocking of salmon rivers is hotly contested but the work of Bob Kindness proves that when done correctly artificial stocking can lead to successful and sustainable outcomes and could form a blueprint for artificial stocking as a viable tool for helping other rivers were salmon stocks are in decline”.

            Graham Dunn, one of the hatchery team, has completed some essential health and safety improvements. The bridge over the mill leat at the entrance has been strengthened with new handrails and a safety rail has been erected by the leat next to the egg trays. 

The Fishing Season: yet another season dominated by hot dry weather and low river levels. The salmon season got off to a wonderful start with a 13lb fish caught at Madeira in the first week of the season: but sadly only a handful of springers were caught in March and April and the salmon anglers had to wait until the last fortnight of the season when after a welcome rise in river levels several salmon were caught mostly from the middle river beats. Rod catches for the season totalled somewhere between 15 and 20: very similar to recent years. The sea trout run was again disappointing, but a spate in June encouraged a run of fish and several were caught again mostly from the middle river beats. As in recent years the saving grace has been the excellent brown trout fishing with several fish over 2lb being caught.

The Annual Egg Box Dinner and Raffle: over 40 members and their guests enjoyed another wonderful evening at The Half Moon with good company and an excellent meal. Sam Fenner, our fishery protection officer, joined us for the evening. The raffle was done online this year to save the cost of printing tickets and postage. It worked very well and raised over £900 to help with the costs of running the hatchery. Thank you for your support. Prize winners: 1st: Chris Payne: £100 Sportfish voucher. 2nd Graham Henderson: case of wine voucher. 3rd Ron Burton: £50 Half Moon voucher 4th Adam Barron: a days fishing at Brightlea. 5th Andy Wadham: teacloth painting of Mill Leat.

The 2026 AGM: will be held at The Half Moon on Friday 27th March. Please make a note in your diary and make every effort to attend.

My best Xmas wishes to you all. Winter well. Charles.

4 Dec 2025

ANGLING REPORT – December 4th – 2025

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ANGLERS RAISE OVER £1200 FOR

CHILDRENS HOSPICE SOUTH WEST

The flounder fishing season is in full swing with last weekend’s BBT Dan Miles Redmore Open attracting over one hundred competitors who raised over £1200 for Children’s Hospice South West. The competition was won by Mario Manley with a fine flounder of 1lb 15oz. David Atkinson was runner up with a flounder of 1lb 14oz and David Jenkins third with a flounder of 1lb 10.5oz. The best brace was caught by David Atkinson with two for 3lb. olive Atkinson was top junior with a flounder of 1lb 5oz with AJ Woodger runner up with a flounder of 1lb 4.5oz.

Bulldog Fisheries November Trout Fishing Competition was won by Ian Conabear with six rainbow trout for a total bag weight of 15lb. Aiden Revie was runner up with six for 14lb 15oz and Nick Tamlin fourth with six for 14lb. The biggest fish of the day was a fine tiger trout of 6lb 14oz to Aiden Revie.

 

Bulldogs monthly trout competitions are very much a social occasion with plenty of coffee, biscuits, bacon rolls to start the day with burgers and chips for midday lunch. The events are limited to twelve anglers and generally sell out quickly. Novembers competition was blessed with sunshine and light winds which may not have been ideal for the trout but were certainly perfect for the competitors.

Bideford Angling Clubs latest Rod and Reel Match on their home water Tarka swims was won by Colin O Hagan with 39lb 2oz. Runner up was Ian Sedgewick with 24lb 9oz and third Keith Copland with 23lb 15oz.

Anglers Paradises Lure Fishing weekend was hotly contested with a wide range of species tempted from the complex. Sixteen year old Harrison Woodham was the weekends champion landing seven different species including pike, rudd, common carp, mirror carp, perch, brown trout and rainbow trout. Runner up was Scott Way with five species. The biggest pike of the weekend was caught by Nikki Williams and measured 89cm. The biggest perch of 35cm was caught by Matthew Colegate. Nat Worsfold banked the biggest catfish at 78cm.  Thomas Wilson caught the first chub to be tempted during the lure fishing competition. Fox Rage were the winning team with nine species. The event was generously sponsored by Capital Angling, Rapala, Fortis Eyewear, Fox Rage, Okuma Europe, Devon Baits and Okuma Freshwater UK.

Anglers Paradisehttp://www.anglers-paradise.co.uk
1 Dec 2025

A Danglers Diary – November 2025

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November can be a great month for angling full of opportunity. But as is often the case these days I struggle to get out to the waters edge as often as I would like.

Late afternoon flooding tide.

Mullet fishing in late Autumn and at night would once have been unthinkable.

Not that mullet always take the bait.

A big Spring tide and a full moon casts its light across Lynmouth Bay. Its sights like these that make it worth getting out there.

Out with Kevin and the big rods… dogfish, small conger and hopefully one of those nights something better…

An afternoon on the rocks where once there were cod…..

A trout competition at Bulldog Fishery to end the month….

BULLDOG FISHERIES – NOVEMBER COMPETITION

 

1 Dec 2025

BBT Dan Miles Redmore Memorial Flounder competition 2025

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The  local angling community came together to create another great annual BBT Dan Miles Redmore Memorial Flounder competition.

 Over 120 entrants
 Stacks of fish caught
 Over £1200 raised for Children’s Hospice South West.
Barnstaple Bait & Tackle give huge thank you to all who took part, everyone that turned up on the day to help out, David Jenkins for all of his hard work and organisational skills, all of the local businesses that donated raffle prizes and of course The Ebberley Arms for their hospitality!!
All images from BBT

Adults
1st Mario Manley 1.15lb
2nd David Atkinson 1.14lb
3rd David Jenkins 1.101/2lb
4th Mark Hancock 1.91/2lb
5th Shaun Passmore 1.09lb
6th Kev Hancock 1.081/2lb
7th Nick Braunton 1.08lb
8th Dick Talbot 1.07lb
9th Steve Baker 1.061/2lb
10th Marcus Horrell 1.061/2
Ladies
1st Nikki Atkinson 1.071/2lb
2nd Samantha Ackland 1.06lb
Juniors
1st Olive Atkinson 1.05lb
2nd AJ Woodger 1.041/2lb
3rd Bella Mitchell 1.031/2lb
4th Riley Donnie 1.031/4lb
5th Jude Seels 1.931/4lb
6th Noah Mcluskey 1.93lb
7th Tyler Mckeowen 1.023/4lb
Brace
1st David Stkinson 3lb
2nd David Jenkins/Mario Manley 2.14lb

Here’s to next year, 4th October 2026…..pop it in your diaries!!

 

30 Nov 2025

BULLDOG FISHERIES – NOVEMBER COMPETITION

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Bulldog Fisheries November Trout Fishing Competition was won by Ian Conabear with six rainbow trout for a total bag weight of 15lb. Aidan Revie was runner up with six for 14lb 15oz and Nick Tamlin fourth with six for 14lb. The biggest fish of the day was a fine tiger trout of 6lb 14oz to Aidan Revie.

The winners with their well earned prizes

Bulldogs monthly trout competitions are very much a social occasion with plenty of coffee, biscuits, bacon rolls to start the day and burgers and chips for midday lunch. The events are limited to twelve anglers and generally sell out quickly. Novembers competition was blessed with sunshine and light winds which may not have been ideal for the trout were certainly perfect for the competitors. Heavy rain showers had hit hard the previous day and weather warnings were in place for the following day.

The competition got underway shortly after 9.00am and the trout were obliging for the first hour with most anglers catching a brace or two with lures working well.

My own morning session resulted in four rainbow trout to 3lb 12oz all tempted on my favourite olive damsel. I enjoyed an hour chatting with fellow anglers and capturing a few images of this last day of Autumn.

The afternoon session proved hard going with just a few trout tempted a fact that proved frustrating for Tom and Nigel who had recently stocked some very large brown trout, spartics and tigers. These large fish will undoubtedly succumb to anglers over the coming weeks or maybe at the Christmas Competition on December 14th.