4 Feb 2019

FROZEN WATERS

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North Devon Match Group are generally a robust bunch fishing through the worst of the weather each month. Last Sunday they were however beaten buy a thick coating of ice when they turned up to fish at Oaktree Fishery forcing them two cancel.

Furzebray Carp Lakes were also frozen over at the weekend. A return to milder weather today should see all lakes fishable agin and after a few days I am sure the fish will respond by feeding hard. It would be good to get that picture of a carp in the snow here on North Devon Angling News. I hope  for the sake of all businesses relying upon angling for their income that we do not not get another Beast from the East this year.

4 Feb 2019

Sea Angling Competition Results

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The weekend proved challenging for sea anglers with the first half blighted by a bitter North East wind that chilled to the bone with temperatures overnight rumoured to drop to minus ten.

Shore fishing was generally hard going with deep water less impacted upon by the low temperatures most productive. I will post a full write later on a my trip on Bluefin with South Molton Angling Club.

COMBE MARTIN SAC Winter Rover Results

Kevin Legge took top spot in Combe Martin SAC’s Winter Rover landing specimen spurdog scaling 12lb 7oz. In runner up spot was Wayne Thomas ( Myself) with a boat caught conger of 30lb boated on John Barbeary’s boat bluefin off Ilfracombe. Kevin also secured third place with a spurdog of 9lb 8oz.

Bideford Angling Club – February Rover Result

Dick Talbot won Bidefords Monthly Rover with a three beard rockling if 1lb 3oz. In runner spot was Dan Walbridge with a rockling of 1lb 2oz and third Dick Talbot with another rockling off 1lb 1.5oz. Terry Dymond took third place with a flounder of 1lb 67/8oz. Fifth was Stephen Found with a dogfish of 2lb 1.25oz.

The end of season result was first and second Dick Talbot with his rockling of 1lb 3oz and 1lb 1.5oz

APPLEDORE SHIPBUILDERS Monthly Rover

David John Langbridge took first and second places In Appledore Shipbuilders Rover landing flounder of 1lb 91/8oz and 1lb 71/8oz. Terry Dymond was third with a flounder of 1lb 67/8oz.

 

 

2 Feb 2019

Travelling for the elusive cod

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Whilst winter has always been synonymous with cod and codling these fish have been scarce on the North Devon Coast with those hoping to catch these fish having to travel to the the North Devon coast for a  good chance. Why the cod and codling have become scarce on the North Devon Coast is open to debate!

Combe Martin SAC member Stuart Taylor 5lb 4oz codling caught on a Somerset reef last week. Weather was not very pleasant and very windy and this was the only bite.

1 Feb 2019

Winter Trout at Blakewell

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On a cold winters day rainbow trout can provide some exciting sport! With only a month to go until the start of the salmon season why not get a bit of casting practice in, an appetiser for the main course ahead…

Some very nice, hard fighting Rainbows coming out at the moment, all methods are taking fish but surprisingly they are still up in the top couple of feet so floating lines still working, but bigger flies and lures seem favourite, like the black or viva woolly bugger…

31 Jan 2019

The Heart of Devon

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The Heart of Devon

Game Fishing

The River Torridge starts its journey at Meddon near Hartland surprisingly close to the source of the Tamar that in contrast journeys to Devon’s South Coast flowing into the English Channel at Plymouth. The Torridge flows through the heart of Devon’s rural interior. Rolling hills, lush green fields and abundant woodland it is famed for its association with Tarka the Otter. Otters are fortunately still a common site for anglers as they cast their lines for salmon and sea trout on the many miles of water that are available to fish.

The Torridge is a smaller river than its sister river the Taw and is perhaps less daunting to fish with plenty of excellent fly water. Day Tickets for salmon, sea trout and brown trout are available from the Half Moon Inn at Sheepwash that boasts a rich fishing pedigree with several beats available throughout the river. The Little Warham Fishery also offers excellent fishing opportunities for salmon, sea trout and wild brown trout.

LITTLE WARHAM FISHERY

 

Whilst many focus on the Torridge as a salmon and sea trout river its dry fly fishing for brown trout can be superb with great sport to be enjoyed on both the main river and its many tributaries.

The West-Country Angling passport scheme offers a wealth of opportunities.

 

Coarse Fishing

There are plenty of opportunities for the coarse and carp angler in this heart of rural Devon with a variety of waters. The famous Anglers Paradise complex owned by the notorious Zyg Gregorek and family offers a vast range of opportunity with everything from gudgeon to huge carp, catfish, pike and trout. Whilst renowned for its holiday complex the venue also boasts some superb day ticket fishing with Anglers Nirvana and Eldorado home to catfish over 60lb and carp in excess of fifty pounds.

Close to Holsworthy are Thornbury Fishing Lakes that offer carp to double figures along with tench, bream and other coarse fish. Day tickets are available for the two lakes that are set in a tranquil rural setting.

Stafford Moor Fishery close to Dolton has a well deserved reputation for its prolific carp fishing and match fishing. The lakes are well established and run by the Combe family who have invested much time, effort and money to build upon the sound foundations laid by the previous owner Andy Seery. The Match lakes regularly produce ton up bags of carp with Open events held on a regular basis throughout the year.

Carp anglers have the choice of two lakes Beatties and Lodge Lake both of which contain carp to over thirty pounds with twenty pound fish frequently gracing the bank.

The lakes also hold a variety of other species to specimen size including perch, eels and a few surprises.

 

 

Reservoirs

Melbury, Jennets, Darracott, Upper and Lower Tamar are all controlled by South West Lakes Trust and all hold some impressive stocks of coarse fish. Specimen Carp are caught in all of the venues with multiple catches of double figure fish common. These waters tend to offer more of a challenge than the heavily stocked commercial venues and are often less crowded as a result. Though this is not always the case at weekends when news has spread regarding good catches.

Carp are not the only specimens to dwell within these waters with some huge perch to over five-pound present in several of the lakes. These long-established waters are also home to some huge eels that offer a serious target for the dedicated eel angler.

Lower Tamar also holds a good head of bream to double figures.

Match fishing on the reservoirs brings bulging nets of silver fish with Upper Tamar considered one of the best venues for silver fish in the West Country.

 

 

29 Jan 2019

Fishing around Ilfracombe

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CASTING ABOUT IN NORTH DEVON – WHERE TO FISH

FOCUS ON ILFRACOMBE

Ilfracombe is a town with a Victorian heritage located on the North Devon coast that has a wealth of opportunities for the angler. Sea Anglers are well catered for and there are several Coarse Fishing lakes within the surrounding area. The town has plenty of facilities for visitors which makes it a good base to explore North Devon with plenty of scope for family fishing and for more serious angling excursions.

Anglers visiting the town can benefit by calling into the towns only tackle Shop – High Street Tackle. The shop carries a wide range of sea angling tackle for both boat and shore along with essential items for the coarse angler. Owner Danny Watson is an enthusiastic lure angler and ensures the shop has all the latest lures to tempt both angler and fish. The area has plenty of opportunities for the bass angler with lure fishing productive from mid April until December depending upon sea conditions.

SEA ANGLING

SHORE FISHING

The Pier

The Pier is Ilfracombe’s most accessible shore venue and has provided a fishing platform since Victorian Times.  The original structure was demolished at the end of the last century and landing platforms built to enable boats to land at various states of the tide. The famous Damien Hurst Statue Verity has raised the profile of Ilfracombe and its Pier in recent years and is a stop off point for hoards of tourists who debate its merits.

These landing platforms provide easy access fishing for anglers of all abilities. The venue is one of very few places in North Devon with good disabled access.

The Lower landings can be safely fished 2.5 hours either side of low water in settled weather. The right-hand side by the Stone bench can be fished over High Water but only allows casting access to the less productive harbour area.

Anglers must be aware of boat traffic at all times and ensure they take care when casting and always retrieve lines as boats approach.

There is a vast array of species caught from the pier each year with target species varying throughout the seasons. Standard beach casting tackle can be used to catch dogfish, conger, ray, bass, flatfish, Pollock, pouting, whiting and codling.

Float-fishing tactics will bring mackerel, garfish and Pollock.

The pier is a popular venue for species hunting with many mini species caught. LRF tactics are at times very productive with blennies, dragonets, wrasse and clingfish amongst catches.

Grey mullet can be tempted using light freshwater tactics with bread flake the number one bait.

There is ample parking adjacent to the pier and the Aquarium located at the rear of the Pier car park is well worth a visit.

ROCK FISHING

There are plenty of rock marks close to Ilfracombe that provide access to a wide variety of sea bed ranging from sand to rock and kelp. Capstone Point is a popular mark that gives access to deep water with a strong tide run. Great care needs to be taken here as the point is exposed to treacherous swells that have swept anglers into the deep water. The rocks here are also very slippery ensuring the need for studded boots especially if attempting to net fish.

There are also various marks between the pier and Capstone including Cheyne Beach and Salty Dog that can yield a variety of species.

Six miles East of Ilfracombe is the village of Combe Martin that has a sandy beach that is seldom fished but has in the past rewarded anglers with bass, flounder and the occasional conger.

There are several rock marks between Ilfracombe and Combe Martin most of which are on Private property where a permit is required. Broadsand’s Beach and the rocks to the East of the beach can be productive but care must be taken not to get cut off by the rising tide. Fishing is possible over low water with a variety of species available.

Boat Fishing

There is a small fleet of Charter Boats operating out of Ilfracombe giving access to a wide range of species throughout the year. Recent years have seen several boats venturing to new ground with porbeagle, blue shark and thresher shark brought to the boat.

The summer months give the opportunity for anglers to catch mackerel, pollock, bass, ray, tope and many other species. The winter months see spurdog, conger and bull huss dominate catches with the occasional cod.

Coarse Fishing

Lower Slade Reservoir is run by South West Lakes Trust and boasts an impressive range of specimen fish including carp to 25lb, pike to 25lb, bream to 7lb, perch to 5lb and large numbers of roach. The six-acre reservoir with depths of up to 25ft is set in a tranquil valley that was once adjacent to the Ilfracombe to Barnstaple railway.

 

Mill Park Campsite is home to an attractive former Mill Pool that teams with quality roach offering some of Devon’s best silver fish sport. The lake also holds carp and bream.

Mill Park – Stunning nets of silver from tranquil waters

 

 

28 Jan 2019

Latest Carp catches at Stafford Moor

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Jamie Everard  fished up on Stafford Moors Lodge lake and banked ten carp all caught on Bait-works Atlantic heat & small scent from heaven pop ups on top as a snowman fishing tight to the spit.

(Below) Adam Atkins fished on swim 1 with his dad John up on lodge lake and had 3 fish out all caught on Sticky Baits buchenberry pop ups on a Ronnie rig.

(Below) Dean Goodwill and friend Steve  had several carp from lodge lake and Beatties, Dean was using Himders Walters dipped in Betalin and Steve was fishing with Sticky baits krill & pink pop ups.

(Below)Graham Beer who had one out today in a day session up on lodge lake on swim 2 caught on Sticky Baits Manilla boilies.

 

28 Jan 2019

Carping in Paradise – 1ST 40 OF THE YEAR FROM KRACKING!

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1ST 40 OF THE YEAR FROM KRACKING!

He’s only gone and done it again! Steve Elsbury came back to Nirvana’s Kracking Carp Lake after taking a year’s break and caught Parrot the Mirror at 45lbs making it the first Kracking catch of 2019 and the first 40 from the whole complex this year!

Steve shared –

‘After a year away from the Kracking Carp Lake in Devon I thought it was time for another visit. With the drop in pressure and the conditions looking bang on I couldn’t resist it, and I was rewarded with this chunk of a Mirror known as “Parrot” weighing in at bang on 45lb.

I fished a CR1 wafter topped with fake corn over a large bed of crushed CR1 boilie, pellet, and corn, finished off with some CR1 syrup. Hybrid armo-hawk curves doing the business.’

WELL DONE STEVE AND CONGRATULATIONS ON CATCHING THE BIGGEST CARP FROM ANGLERS PARADISE THIS YEAR!

Anglers Paradise
27 Jan 2019

Big carp in stormy weather

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Its would seem that big carp like stormy weather as anglers who brave conditions have discovered at carp lakes across North Devon this weekend.

 

(Below)Joe Buckingham made his first trip to Simpsons, who braved the high winds on Mallard and managed to bag a new personal best  in the shape of the big girl at 34lb15oz.

Despite losing one earlier in the evening and his brolly turning inside out around midnight. Joe tempted her on a chopped down tiger nut fished over partical tight to the margins.

(Below) Big carp on stormy night at Furzebary for Graham Kelley who caught Clover a weight of 43lb 12oz.

 

26 Jan 2019

Ian proves to be dab hand

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Ian Hooper persisted during a recent shore session suffering countless dogfish before a pleasing dab grabbed his bait. These sweet tasting flatfish are a welcome reward during the tail end of winter and far more could be caught from marks along the North Devon coast if anglers scaled down their tackle to find a wider range of fish instead of sitting it out for those outsize specimens.

One great advantage with the humble dab is that they seem to relish slightly iffy worms making them ideal candidates to use up left over bait converting into a sweet tasting starter.