3 Jun 2018

Bratton Water – Rainbow boost

by | posted in: Game Fishing, Sidebar, Uncategorised | 0

Bratton Water has a well deserved reputation for its quality brown trout fishing with fish to double figures banked in recent seasons. The best in recent weeks has a been a fine brown of 5lb 2oz to the rod of T.Evans of Barnstaple. The brown trout are however often hard to tempt and the hordes of small rudd often intercept the small imitative patterns before the browns get there. Mike has recently stocked a few rainbows that are being caught on a variety of patterns. The more aggressive rainbows are also feeding on the rudd fry in the margins giving an opportunity for the angler to stalk these fish. Mike informs me that the fishery is presently weed free despite the warm weather. The rudd whilst a nuisance at times will in the longer term lead to some big brown trout as they wax fat on the abundant food supply.

2 Jun 2018

Sea Angling sport update

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Sea anglers are enjoying mixed sport along the coast with bass, mullet and smoothound. It is also good to hear reports of  a few mackerel and herring from the boats.

(Below)Nick Job enjoyed a good night fishing with his mate Ian Hooper targetting smoothound they landed several hounds the best this fine specimen of 12lb 4oz. Ian landed hounds to 8lb 13oz.

 

(Below) Nick Phillips was targetting grey mullet when this 7lb 12oz bass seized his bread hook bait.

(Above) Nathan Clements caught this fine grey mullet on his first attempt after the species this season.

Daniel Welch took his daughter Effie fishing for grey mullet and they both enjoyed success with Dan landing the above mullet of 4lb 4oz whilst his daughter enjoyed success with a nice mullet of 3lb 3oz.

 

30 May 2018

Stafford Moor – Carp Catches

by | posted in: Carp Fishing, Sidebar | 0

(Above)Ryan Turner banked six fish out up to 27lb from the beach swim on Beatties lake this weekend, all caught on Sticky Baits Krill and bloodworm boilies, Ryan was using KD rigs and fished out in the open water.

(Above)Lee Jordan banked five fish  from swim 6 (the outlet swim) on lodge lake all caught on Sticky baits krill boilies and pva bags with crushed boilies.

29 May 2018

North Devon’s Jon Patten selected to fish for Team GB in World Gig Game Championship

by | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0
(Above) Jon Patten with a huge 64KG GT caught in Africa

Globe Trotting North Devon angler Jon Patten has been selected by the Angling Trust to represent Team GB within a team of four anglers fishing in the World Big Game Championship’s. They will be fishing in Frontignan, Southern France against 28 teams from around the globe targeting Bluefin tuna and broadbill. Shimano, Sea-Power UK Costa, Reeds Chill-Cheaters, Jims Lures and Veal’s Mail Order sponsor Jon who fishes worldwide. Jon’s wide experience of angling for big game fish will be be a valuable asset for the team. The competitors will be fishing using a technique known as chunking using sardine and herring baits.

 

 

 

29 May 2018

Two Counties Festival 2018 Sponsored by Sensas & Matchcraft Tackle. UPPER TAMAR

by | posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Two Counties Festival 2018
Sponsored by Sensas & Matchcraft Tackle.

Many thanks to Simon Poynter for the below results, report and fabulous images.
RESULTS
Day 1
(A) Section winner – Gavin Butler 33-5
(B) Section winner – Michael Buchwalder 37-1
(C) Section winner – Nick Jones 32-12
(D) Section winner – Vince Brown 46-4
(E) Section winner – Steve Clarke 36-5
(F) Section winner – Scott Russell 33-9
(G) Section winner – Tim Bruce 22-8
(H) Section winner – Christopher Morris 12-10
Day 2
(A) Section winner – Steve Cable 19-11
(B) Section winner – Tim Bruce 32-11
(C) Section winner – Richard Chave 33-3
(D) Section winner – Hadrian Whittle 38-12
(E) Section winner – Alex Murray 24-9
(F) Section winner – Gazza Thornton 30-0
(G) Section winner – Michael Buchwalder 35-5
(H) Section winner – Carl Steffen 39-3
Day 3
(A) Section winner – John Price 33-3
(B) Section winner – Gavin Butler 37-11
(C) Section winner – Michael Buchwalder 30-6
(D) Section winner – Chris Morris 34-8
(E) Section winner – Graham West 30-9
(F) Section winner – Rory Jones 27-4
(G) Section winner – Richard Chave 20-6
(H) Section winner – Zac Newton 29-2
Matchcraft 4 rod holder winners:
Vince Brown, Carl Steffen & Gavin Butler
Biggest Perch:
Vince Brown 3-15
Best Match Weight in Festival:
Vince Brown 46-4
Mystery Weight Prize (18lb 13oz)
Boz Phillips 18-12

Two Counties Festival 2018
Sponsored by Sensas & Matchcraft Tackle.

RESULTS

Day 1

(A) Section winner – Gavin Butler 33-5
(B) Section winner – Michael Buchwalder 37-1
(C) Section winner – Nick Jones 32-12
(D) Section winner – Vince Brown 46-4

(E) Section winner – Steve Clarke 36-5
(F) Section winner – Scott Russell 33-9
(G) Section winner – Tim Bruce 22-8
(H) Section winner – Christopher Morris 12-10

Day 2

(A) Section winner – Steve Cable 19-11
(B) Section winner – Tim Bruce 32-11
(C) Section winner – Richard Chave 33-3
(D) Section winner – Hadrian Whittle 38-12

(E) Section winner – Alex Murray 24-9
(F) Section winner – Gazza Thornton 30-0
(G) Section winner – Michael Buchwalder 35-5
(H) Section winner – Carl Steffen 39-3

Day 3

(A) Section winner – John Price 33-3
(B) Section winner – Gavin Butler 37-11
(C) Section winner – Michael Buchwalder 30-6
(D) Section winner – Chris Morris 34-8

(E) Section winner – Graham West 30-9
(F) Section winner – Rory Jones 27-4
(G) Section winner – Richard Chave 20-6
(H) Section winner – Zac Newton 29-2

Matchcraft 4 rod holder winners:
Vince Brown, Carl Steffen & Gavin Butler

Biggest Perch:
Vince Brown 3-15

Best Match Weight in Festival:
Vince Brown 46-4

Mystery Weight Prize (18lb 13oz)
Boz Phillips 18-12

Best Match Weight in Festival:
Vince Brown 46-4

Mystery Weight Prize (18lb 13oz)
Boz Phillips 18-12

OVERALL POSITIONS:

1st Michael Buchwalder 3pts (102-12)

2nd Gavin Butler 4pts (98-7)
3rd Tim Bruce 4pts (76-4)
4th Chris Morris 4pts (72-1)

5th Hadrian Whittle 5pts (98-14)
6th Carl Steffen 5pts (98-11)
7th Graham West 5pts (88-1)
8th Richard Chave 5pts (71-00)

9th Steve Cable 6pts (59-10)

10th Rory Jones 7pts (69-1)
11th Alex Bates 7pts (65-15)

12th Mark Charnell 8pts (66-15)

13th Nick Jones 9pts (77-5)
14th Scott Russell 9pts (74-8)
15th Ben Lawrence 9pts (70-7)
16th Josh Pace 9pts (67-1)
17th Zac Newton 9pts (63-6)
18th John Waples 9pts (46-9)

19th Vince Brown 10pts (81-10)
20th Keith Gooderham 10pts (60-14)
21st Duncan Hill 10pts (59-13)

22nd Nigel Garrett 11pts (64-15)
23rd John Price 11pts (61-4)
24th Darren Lawrence 11pts (54-2)

25th Steven Lipsy Hughes 12pts (62-15)
26th Rob Chambers 12pts (56-14)
27th Steve Lovell 12pts (51-1)
28th Peter Thomas 12pts (47-1)

29th Steve Clarke 13pts (68-12)
30th Jim Lawrie 13pts (62-6)
31st Gazza Thornton 13pts (60-9)
32nd Rob Fuller 13pts (52-2)
33rd Boz Phillips 13pts (48-4)

34th Alex Bradley 14pts (54-0)
35th Trevor Vernalls 14pts (52-15)
36th Rob Hewison 14pts (51-12)
37th Peter Wills 14pts (48-3)

38th Dave Walton 15pts (51-2)
39th Norman Martin 15pts (39-9)

40th Scott Puddy 16pts (50-5)
41st Matt Rowntree 16pts (47-3)

42nd Trevor Stacey 17pts (34-15)
43rd Adrian Ball 17pts (34-0)
44th Pete Patton 17pts (33-4)

45th Ricky Knott 18pts (36-0)
46th Mick Lane 18pts (34-11)

47th Alan Keleher 19pts (30-11)

Anglers placed 48th to 56th did not finish.

Massive congratulations to Preston Innovations backed Michael Buchwalder who showed his true class to win the 2018 Two Counties Festival on his first visit to the venue.
Michael recorded 3 section wins & had over 100lb of silvers along the way.

A few “thanks”…

Many thanks to Ben and the S.W.L.T staff (Bob the boatman & Gary) without them there would not be a festival.

Massive thank you to Bram Brandwijk at Matchcraft Tackle over in Holland, for his kind sponsorship of this years event, moving forward Bram has (today) agreed to sponsor the 2019 event which is great news!

Thanks to Sensas UK & M5 Angling for sponsoring fantastic Sensas prizes Simon Hebditch I will be in touch ref next year!!

Thank you to Steven Lipsy Hughes for keeping us all entertained one way or another over the three days, thanks also for doing a “whip round” for me, feeling humbled as a result mate – your really shouldn’t have, but thank you.

Above all thank you to you guys (the anglers on the festival) who make it what it is, a pleasure to run & I am sure a pleasure to fish!

 

28 May 2018

Sea Angling Sport – Exceptionally good!

by | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Sea angling sport really seems to be taking off at the moment with a wide range of species being caught by anglers along the coast from both boat and shore. Shore anglers are enjoying some exceptional sport with smoothound and even a few early tope. Float-fishing is producing garfish and the occasional mackerel from marks in the Ilfracombe area along with some quality pollock. Several bass have been tempted by lure anglers who are relishing the clear water opportunities. Thin Lipped grey mullet are present in the estuary’s.

(Above)Cameron Atkinson enjoyed a great day afloat on a Private boat catching plenty of small bass and some decent pollock with the best one falling to Cameron weighing 7lb to set a new personal best for the species.

(above) 5lb 14oz bass tempted by Ross Stanway

28 May 2018

NDMG v Bude Canal Anglers

by | posted in: Coarse Fishing, Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Many thanks for the below report from Martin Turner

NDMG v Bude Canal Anglers

. Individual Results

1st Simon John Allen 34lb 4oz

2nd Andy Gray 29lb 6oz

3rd Kevin Shears 27lb 4oz

4th Paul Morris  26lb 14oz

5th Paul Ware  26lb 10oz .

North Devon Match Group hosted the first leg of our annual inter club event on Killock Lakes , the 12 a side match was fished in hot humid conditions which led to a close match. Pole fishing dominated with Simon John Allen coming out on top for Bude Anglers, but this sterling performance by their captain was not enough to prevent NDMG from winning on the day 164 points to 136 , over 350lb of fish were landed, and we all look forward to the return leg in September, thanks to all competitors and Killock Farm Shop for breakfasts and after match snack.

 

 

27 May 2018

Ray and Hounds off Minehead for CMSAC

by | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Six members of Combe Martin SAC enjoyed a boat trip off Minehead on board Osprey Skippered by Steve Webber. The day started off with a cool North East breeze that made for an uncomfortable lop on the water. Despite this fish came steadily to the boat all day with smoothound the dominant species at our first mark in Porlock Bay. The biggest of the hounds was a low double. A range of baits worked for the hounds with crab, prawn and squid all tempting these hard fighting members of the shark family.

As is always the case banter flowed freely throughout the day that kept spirits up when heavy rain fell for a short while and grey skies shrouded the hills. John Shapland boated a fine huss of 11lb 8oz. (Below)

After a couple of hours targetting the hounds Steve suggested a move to the sandbanks to try for a few ray.

It wasn’t long at our new mark before we found a few ray with small- eyed ray, thornback and spotted ray finding our baits.

(Below)The best specimen of the day turned out to be a fine small eyed ray that gave a spirited tussle before reaching the net that was expertly wielded by Skipper Steve Webber,

 

As the tide flooded we made a couple more moves before anchoring off Dunster to try for the hounds again. The hounds here in the murkier water were very light in colour and whilst not so numerous appeared to be a slightly bigger stamp of fish.

As the day started to drift towards its conclusion the sun eventually started to break through and enable us to peel off some of the layers. Nick and his son Jack were not up until now enjoying good sport and seemed to have a knack of finding the dogfish that punctuated every ones day as always. Fortunately persistence eventually paid off  and something bigger nailed Nick’s bluey hook-bait.

After several minutes of tension there was some disappointment when the hard fighting fish turned out to be conger of perhaps 10lb.

Everyone on the boat by now really wanted Jack to catch a decent fish and Steve baited Jack’s hook with a generously donated helping of peeler crab. After a few minutes Jacks rod was bouncing on the gunnels and at last Jack enjoyed a bending rod as a hound fought strongly before reaching the boat.

Shortly after this it was time to head back to Minehead with its tourists crabbing down the harbour wall and devouring ice creams in the hot sun. We couldn’t help but wish it had been this calm and still all day. We ended the day with a flourish as several hounds came to the boat with John Shapland having an uncanny knack of finding the hounds.