Bideford And District Angling Clubs Annual Fishing Festival over the Bank Holiday weekend attracted twenty-six anglers bringing fish back to the scales from all over the South West. Tarrant Wotton won the competition with a fine smoothound scaling 13lb 21/4oz. In second and third was Nathan Clements with hounds of 13lb 11/2oz and 12lb 43/4oz. Four other fish were recorded of over 100% with a club record sole to the rod of Dan Redmore weighing 1lb 14oz.
Jack Pike landed this stunning 52lb tope whilst fishing with his father Kevin who boated a 45lb 8oz that was reported on here yesterday. The fish sets a new boat record for Appledore Shipbuilders beating the old record of 46lb that was caught by the late Ralph Atkinson.
Alan Jump enjoyed a successful session at Stafford Moor landing this mirror carp of 23lb one of three fish he landed including another mirror of 20lb 1oz.
Alex Stevens and his son Cameron (6 years old) fished the Dam wall on Beatties lake. Cameron had a new personal best of 22lb they had a total of 12 fish to 24lb on Mainline cell boilies.
Mac McCarthy worked tirelessly for the River Taw Fishery Association and South Molton and District Angling Club his passing will sadden all who knew him in the local angling community. The above picture shows Mac beside Head Falls shortly after the project was completed making upstream access for salmon and sea trout much easier hopefully ensuring the long term survival of these enigmatic fish.
Mac McCarthy
It is with great sadness that I report the death of Mac McCarthy earlier in the week. As you will all know Mac loved the Taw. He was an active and successful fisherman and a stalwart of RTFA in his role as Treasurer over so many years. Our finances were kept in impeccable shape by Mac and his help was invaluable to me from the moment I became Chairman. This is particularly true in respect of the two fund-raisings for the Taw Access over Weirs Project and TRIP. He will also be missed more widely in the south west where he was well known by all the river associations from his time as Treasurer of the South West Rivers Association. Mac moved away from North Devon to Hampshire about two years ago.
Alex Gibson
Anglers in the North of England have landed several Pacific salmon I don’t thin any have been landed in local rivers but if you do catch one please ensure you notify the Environment Agency and of course North Devon Angling News. More info on below link.
http://anglingtrust-news.net/3XSU-99Q1-0F2NFPLC54/cr.aspx
The Taw and Torridge have both now dropped to a good level with every chance of salmon and sea trout from both rivers. As the sun shines each day will undoubtedly see prospects decrease. Several salmon have been hooked and lost at Little Warham on the river Torridge where one salmon and sea trout were landed. The best time for contacting salmon or sea trout is undoubtedly in the early evening. A sound plan would be to fish for brown trout through the day and then target the salmon and sea trout from late afternoon. Even if you do not catch the river in early September is a wonderful place to spend a day.
Kevin Pike fished Morte Bay in his own boat to land ten tope in three hours. All of the fish were tempted on pollock hook baits the biggest a fine hard fighting fish of 45lb 8oz.
Tope are still showing Off Ilfracombe as Cameron Mckenzie found out when he landed this fine tope of 40lb whilst fishing on ‘Bluefin’ Off Ilfracombe.
http://www.redgill.co.uk
This article appeared in Exmoor Magazine earlier this year but I think worth re-airing it here on North Devon Angling News.
WHAT SWIMS BENEATH
Stand high on the cliffs that border the waters of the Bristol Channel and gaze out over the perpetually moving waters. As an angler you will perhaps ponder upon what swims beneath the waves.
Lundy Island marks the entrance of the Bristol Channel and beyond Lundy the vast Atlantic Ocean. It is thought provoking to look back on the evidence of the past and at what previous generations hauled from the depths. This paints a picture of a sea of plenty and highlights what we have lost through years of overfishing and poor management of our waters.
A few years ago I purchased the book ‘Lynton and Lynmouth’ Glimpses of the past. Within its pages is a fascinating peek into a bygone age of angling.
“In 1908 a party of anglers at Lynmouth boarded the boat Kingfisher skippered by Cecil Bevan and returned to port later that day with a haul of 675lb comprising of 35 conger, two skate, four cod and a Pollock.” A huge haul but what stands out is the capture of the two skate. Whilst many varieties of ray are referred to as skate; true skate have not been landed from North Devon waters for many years. Further reading revealed that Cecil Bevan’s angling expeditions off Lynmouth resulted in skate to 196lb.
These huge barn door sized fish were apparently prolific in the waters of North Devon and must have proved a real challenge to anglers as they used their huge wings to kite in the strong tides that surge back and forth everyday. Remember also that the tackle they used was far less efficient than todays hi tech tackle that has both finesse and strength. There is no reason huge fish cannot reside within our waters today the habitat is still perfect it’s just that commercial fishing pressure wiped them out. There are still areas around the UK where skate are caught and returned by sport fishers to preserve the species.
Porbeagle shark still roam the seas off North Devon they are no longer abundant but can be caught. Back in the 1970’s the Appledore Shark Angling Club fished the waters of Bideford Bay and off Hartland Point. One old photo given to me by Dave Rogers shows a catch of shark made off Ilfracombe. Eighteen-porbeagle shark lined up with the triumphant anglers. Such a sight would be totally unacceptable today but in those days nobody considered it possible to impact upon fish stocks.
In addition to the well-documented porbeagle shark mentioned above I have also discovered pictures of shark caught off Combe Martin in the herring nets. These images discovered on the Combe Martin History Forums Facebook page are reproduced with kind permission of members of the group and show a porbeagle reputed to weigh around 500lb and eight foot long. William Watkins, Roy Watkins and G Mason caught the fish in herring nets off Heddon’s Mouth in 1951. It is unclear whether all the images on the forum are the same shark but it is clear that huge porbeagle hunted the herring shoals during the autumn months beyond the summer season normally associated with this fish.
Another shark that frequents the North Devon coast is the tope. On November 6th 2006 Kevin Legge hooked and landed a specimen of 66lb that set a new British Record. In an uncanny chain of event’s Kevin was to beat his own record four years later on the same date in November with a fish of 66lb 8oz.
There are of course even bigger beasts swimming beneath the surface with whale sightings not uncommon. In July 2011 a fin whale was washed up on Lynmouth foreshore. Scientists carried out extensive research on the huge mammal before it was removed in a costly waste disposal exercise.
The waters off Exmoor and the North Devon coast have indeed been the home of leviathans over the years. Perhaps as climate change takes hold other species will move into these waters. Large shoals of tuna have frequently been sighted off the Cornish coastline. Who knows what sometimes swims within our coastal waters? The mysteries of the sea have intrigued generations and will I hope continue to so. There are no barriers as such within the seas and oceans other than that of climate.
Anyone who lived in Combe Martin during the sixties and early seventies will remember the Fruit and tackle tackle shop owned by the late Johnny Somerville. I found this old picture of a large conger caught sometime during the seventies!
(Above) James Short AKA ‘Shorty’ landed six fish from the beach swim on Beattie’s lake using Sticky Baits Manilla boilies.
Matt Stephenson and his partner Emma Leaper(Above) enjoyed a session on the inlet swim on Beattie’s Lake landing several fine double figure carp .
(Above)Josh Vernon landed 4 fish from the Dam wall on Lodge lake using home made boilie’s. Josh was here with son Charlie.
General:
Although water temperatures dropped slightly (to around 18 ºc) in August, the reservoir fishing across the region proved challenging, particularly with Rainbows. Generally bag numbers and the size of fish caught were down on previous months, with Brown Trout, particularly in the evenings, providing the best sport. The Trout, particularly Rainbows, have been lethargic and not keen to feed, preferring to retire to the cooler, deeper waters of the fisheries. Water levels continue to drop, exposing fresh areas of bank.
Fishing:
Kennick – The Top End, Narrows and Boat Bay proved to be the most productive areas for both boat and bank anglers, with the best sport to be had in the mornings and evenings. The most popular fly patterns included Damsel Nymphs, Diawl Bachs and teams of Buzzers fished at varying depths, with deeper fish taking Boobies and Tadpoles. The occasional fish would rise to small midges and Black Gnats, particularly in the evenings. The best fish caught included a 3lb 12oz Rainbow, caught by Mr R Goss from Exeter, using a Booby and a 3lb 9oz Rainbow, caught by Phil Bryant from Ermington, using a Cruncher. Barry Ware from North Tawton caught a bag of 11 fish whilst fishing from the bank early in the month. The majority of fish stocked and caught during August were Brown Trout.
Siblyback – The majority of catches during August were taken either from Stocky Bay or Two Meadows, with late afternoons and evenings the best time to fish. Although few fish were feeding from the surface, the occasional fish could be tempted to rise to Hopper patterns, sub-surface Montanas and teams of Buzzers as well as deeper-fished weighted dark patterns (Black Tadpoles and Gold-head Nomads in particular) which proved to be the most successful method.
Burrator – The banks at Longstone Peninsula and the South Bank produced the best fishing over the month, with Bobs Bits, Buzzer Emergers and Black Gants all taking rising fish. The majority of fish, however, have again been caught on sub-surface nymphs (Damsel Nymphs, Montanas, Black Crunchers and Black and Peacock Spiders) fished on either sink-tip or intermediate lines, with more fish now being taken on dark lures (Boobies and Tadpoles) fished on sinking lines. Local angler Alan Lawson caught the best fish of the month, a 3lb 3oz Rainbow caught on a drowned Black Gnat.
Stithians – The presence of midges and beetles over the water meant that fish continued to look to the surface for food, with a variety of dry patterns, including Sedges, Hawthorns, various emergers patterns, Muddlers, F-Flies and Black and Peacock Spiders fished in the surface film, all producing results. The majority of fish, however, were taken on nymphs and wet patterns, particularly teams of Buzzers, Caddis pupa, Pheasant Tail Nymphs and Hares Ears. Fish were well spread out over the fishery, with the best locations including Pipe Bay, Sluice, Goonlaze Bank, Pub Bay, Carmenellis Bank and Yellowort Bay. Mr R Lambourne from Lanner caught a number of Rainbows of around 2lb using a dry Deerhair Sedge and Claret Emergers.
Roadford – With fish rising in the mornings and evenings, small dry patterns (Black Gnats and Black Spiders in the surface film) have been fishing well, particularly off the banks (Daveys and Gaddacombe). There are also large numbers of damsel and dragonfly nymphs present and Roadford’s Brown Trout are feasting on these. Damsel and large olive nymphs are producing good results. Boat anglers are enjoying success, either fishing nymphs into the banks or pulling muddlers and lures over the boils.
Colliford – Large Browns are chasing shoals of sticklebacks in the shallows near the dam – pulled lures and muddlers should produce some exciting sport.
Wistlandpound – Anglers averaged just under two fish per rod, with the best fishing in the deeper water by the dam and from the jetty, generally with small nymph patterns.
Chris Hall (August 2017)
Alex Hallett was delighted to land this awesome mirror carp known as Dropscale at a weight of 39lb 1oz from Furzebray a new personal best ! Alex also banked carp of 28lb and 27lb.
