Graham Snow secured top spot in Bideford Angling Clubs Sea Angling Festival landing a specimen thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb 113/4oz. In runner up spot was Tarrant Wotton with a bull huss of 11lb 43/4oz and in third Stephen Found with a thick lipped mullet of 4lb 8oz.
I enjoyed a couple of hours wondering a rocky North Devon shore line with the lures. The windy conditions proving a good test for my recently acquired Snowbee Raptor rod and reel. I had loaded the reel with Sufix Braid that has a breaking strain of 26lb and diameter of 10lb b.s. I had also purchased a couple of Patchinko surface lures and had decided I would give these a fair trial.
The trek to the mark was punctuated with fishing chat with my fishing buddy Rob Scoines who had also been tempted by the Patchinko‘s at High Street Tackle. On arrival at the first section of coast we were met with a very strong westerly breeze. The water however looked perfect with good clarity and a little fizz created by the strong wind. On went the lures and out into the head wind. The Patchinko sailed out surprisingly well with the thin braid cutting through the wind. On the second cast the water erupted as a bass slashed at the lure. No contact this time but the next cast brought a repeat performance and this time a small bass of close to a pound.
Twenty five yards away I heard an excited call from Rob who had also missed a bass. The next twenty minutes saw a few missed takes but no hook ups. With the wind strength climbing we decided to head for a more sheltered area. Hopping across the boulders casting here and there we made our way along the shoreline. I clambered up on a high boulder flicked the lure and started an erratic retrieve. A big swirl behind the lure first cast. Next cast another swirl; third cast and wallop a good solid take and a good scrap as a bass of between three and four pound battled for freedom. After a quick picture I slipped the silver prize back into her home.
The next stop casting out around forty yards Rob and I caught a steady succession of school bass to just over a pound. All on the Patchinko.
Before coming out I had carried out an experiment showing Pauline a Patchinko and a cheaper copy. “Which one would you take if you were a bass” I asked? Obviously sharing the bass’s expensive taste Pauline selected the genuine article at close to £20 instead of the £5.99 alternative.
(Above)Gillian Lowrie, 39 from Scotland decided to give Anglers Eldorado a go in search of a UK personal best and that she certainly did!! She only went and caught the biggest Cat of the year from the Bottom Cat and Carp Lake recorded this year at 40lbs 13oz!
Gillian caught the Wels Catfish on double 21mm halibut pellets.
PERSONAL BEST KOI MAKES 1 HAPPY HAPPY ANGLER!!
Andy Nettleton joined us for his 1st ever Anglers Paradise Holiday and couldn’t wait to fish the Famous Koi Lake!
It wasn’t long before he started catching plenty including this beauty and Andy’s new personal best at 10lbs 6oz!!
Andy Shared –
‘I was surface fishing on the Koi Lake. I had a great take which lead me a song and dance around my peg. When it finally submitted and went in the net i was surprised. After weighing the Koi the scales went 10lb 6oz a new PB Koi for me!!’
After a prolonged drought; the most significant since 1976 there has been some welcome rain though not enough. Local rivers have only risen slightly with each spell of rain and have dropped back quickly. Reports of any salmon and sea trout are scarce with a couple caught on the Lyn last week. If you have any news of fish from the Taw or Torridge please let me know.
I ventured onto a Middle Torridge beat in the middle of last week and found the river extremely low despite it having risen 18″ two days before my visit.
It was good to be back on the river however and I was initially hopeful that a few fish may have moved up with the rise in water. After a couple of hours without seeing a fish move I began to have concerns that the river was devoid of life. As I stepped into the river at the top of the beat I caught a fleeting glimpse of electric blue as a kingfisher flashed past. Following its flight up river I admired the view as evening sunlight broke through illuminating the trees.
I fished my way downriver searching the lies and noting the contours that were exposed by the low river. I would hopefully retain some of this info later in the season when the river is once again running at more healthy level. A savage pull on the line yielded a pleasing brown trout of close to a pound.
Its not been a good season for the salmon angler with no water equaling no fish. A few signs of autumn brought a slightly melancholic atmosphere to the session as I wondered slowly back to car in the fading light.
Clive Ashford Key and his son Charlie fished up on Swim 13 on the spit on Lodge lake. Clive & Charlie banked fourteen fish in total up yo 20lb 4oz. Clive was using blow back k-d rigs, Urban nutcracker/Sticky baits Manilla & Bloodworm boilies, some caught on Wafters snowman style. Charlie had a new personal best of 14lb 8oz fishing with Manilla tipped with corn and Manilla wafters.
(Below) Adam Barnett
(Below)Paul Blake enjoyed a great day fishing Lodge lake at Stafford Moor, caught 2 mirrors, 14lb 9oz and 17lb 14oz.
Some anglers take their dogs with them to the waters edge. Richard Mason brings his pet owl with him on carp fishing excursions to Stafford Moor.
Angling Heritage are delighted to announce that Mr Torridge, Charles Inniss, author of the classic book Torridge Reflections is giving a talk about the River Torridge and its history, his life on the river and thoughts on the future at Torrington Museum (in the middle of Torrington) on Thursday 23rd August at 2.30pm. Entry is FREE, refreshments are provided so make sure that don’t miss this opportunity to meet the man and learn about the River Torridge.
Adrian Morgan and Neil Merriman have been having plenty of fish from Jennetts recently topped off with a 24lb 10oz common for Adrian. Majority of fish have been between 15-20lbs.
Tarka Swims Monthly Comp.
1st Steve Bailey 42lb 5oz
2nd Colin Gorman 34lb 15oz
3rd Tyler Scott 20lb 4oz
4th Martin Rushton 18lb 7oz
5th Martin Turner 15lb 2oz
Silver winner Richard Jefferies 8lb 8oz .
Todays match was fished by 15 competitors, in heavy rain showers, Steve drew on peg P. ,which was the golden peg on the day and therefore added a bonus £50 to his winnings. He fished into the dense weedbed and managed to extract some big carp on the pole on pellets and corn. Colin Gorman who finished in second spot, drew on the opposite corner on peg L, he has fished a method feeder with banded robin red pellets for 7 good carp, Junior member Tyler Scott who drew on peg K did very well to land 2 large carp on the pole for third place, Martin Turner fished the straight lead to land 4 carp on peg I for fourth place. The Silvers prize went to Richard Jefferies with a feeder caught net of skimmer bream from peg R. The overall standings with 4 matches remaining Martin Tuner 88 John Lisle 70 Steve Bailey 59
Darracott Reservoir Results 12/08/18
Winner on the day was Norman Martin
Norman fished a combination of the method feeder & the whip for a total of 31lb 7oz which included a 14lb 3oz carp.
2nd was day from the shallow end was Dean Vickery who put 200+ small roach / rudd on the scales for a 18lb 1oz total.
3rd was Peter Seward who had a 15lb 7oz mixed bag.
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