Martin Turner Reports :-
North Devon Match Group hosted the first leg of the annual inter-club competition on Clawford Fisheries using 3 lakes . Paul Ware landed a fine catch of carp on luncheon meat in the margins of peg 12 on JR,s for 98lb 4oz, 2nd also on JRs was Neilsen Jeffery similar tactics for a net of 87lb 2oz , 3rd place was taken on Edwards lake by Christopher Morris using pellets on the long-pole for a weight of 64lb 6oz , Default sections went to Mathew Sampson Kevin Shears and Paul Morris. NDMG take a good lead, of 220 points to 131 points, to the return leg on the canal in September. After a very warm thundery day, John and Wanda laid on a most welcome fine spread. Many thanks to all for making a memorable day.
The warm weather has seen sea anglers enjoying some fine sport from both beach and estuary with numerous specimen small eyed ray landed from marks in Somerset during daylight hours. In North Devon most ray are caught after dark as a result of water clarity. The waters East of Foreland Point are generally far more turbid encouraging fish to feed more readily in daylight.
The estuary is providing sport with bass and grey mullet. Recent years have seen gilthead bream caught on a regular basis a species that gives an awesome scrap when hooked on light tackle. Small crab and worm baits are favoured.
Dan Miles Redmore fished a Somerset beach to land four small eyed ray weighing 8lb,9lb 2oz,9lb 5oz 10lb 11oz( Pictured).
Cameron Atkinson landed a fine 4lb 5oz gilthead bream when he fished from a boat in the Taw and Torridge estuary.
The latest monthly report from Exe Valley where catch and release has proved a popular option.
Simon Curtis is a happy man after landing this 8lb Rainbow using a dry fly! Part of a 4 fish bag that totalled 20lb. Loads of fish rising at the moment with imitative flies catching plenty of fish.
Another month has passed far too quickly at Exe Valley with the first taste of summer now upon us. Although some inevitable weed has appeared during the hot spell Anchor Lake continues to provide excellent sport. The deep areas are looking in better condition than this time last year and up to today, 27th May 17, 147 anglers have caught 547 Trout for a very healthy rod average of 3.7 fish per person.
Another month has passed far too quickly at Exe Valley with the first taste of summer now upon us. Although some inevitable weed has appeared during the hot spell Anchor Lake continues to provide excellent sport. The deep areas are looking in better condition than this time last year and up to today, 27th May 17, 147 anglers have caught 547 Trout for a very healthy rod average of 3.7 fish per person.
Just this week I used imitative tactics while guiding Andy & Carl from the Birmingham area. We had to experiment with a couple of different fly patterns and in the end enjoyed some great sport using a washing line consisting of a Black Hopper Booby on the point and a simple Crank Shank Buzzer on the dropper. Fish fell to both patterns and the takes were fantastic; not to mention the fighting qualities of these fish!
If you are interested in improving your casting techniques please see Nicks website Nick Hart Fly Fishing
The hottest day of the year so far triggered frantic spawning of the carp at Lower Slade Reservoir an ideal time to get a look at the carp that live within a lake as they thrash about in the weed oblivious to all else around them.
Stafford Moors open match on Tanners lake with held in glorious weather. Nick Jones fished peg 35 to put together an impressive haul of 168lb 1oz using waggler tactics.
Bideford Angling Clubs midweek evening competition held on Tarka Swims was won by David Bailey with a weight of 8lb 4oz Liam Bailey took 2nd spot with 5lb 1oz Martin Turner 3rd on 3lb 1oz
Conditions were hot and still,many of the carp were basking near the surface and not interested in our baits.
Shore sport is starting to take off as summer sweeps in with the first really warm days of the year. Numerous smoothound have been caught from regular shore marks and from boats in Bideford Bay. Bideford Club members weighed some fine specimens into their 24 hour rover.
(Above) Smoothound 13lbs 1/2 oz caught from a boat by Jack Pike.
(Above) Ross Stanway and Lee Holden enjoyed sport at Ilfracombe landing a brace of spotted ray each along with the inevitable dogfish.
The coming week should see mackerel shoals all along the coast with big tides and improved water clarity. Mullet will be present in harbours and from rock marks. Bass will also be well worth targetting with both lures and bait. There is the chance of gilthead bream in the estuary with crab and lugworm the favoured baits. After dark the beaches will produce ray and the rock marks bull huss.
Many thanks to Ian Laird for allowing to post his images of a night on the beach.
It will be no surprise if an early tope shows up, a whole mackerel presented on a wire trace could well bring a screaming reel!
Anglers fishing on Reel Deal off Ilfracombe have enjoyed some top rate pollock sport.
(Above)Lily Hammond fished at Stafford Moor Fishery in Dolton with her dad Jason Hammond who fished up on lodge lake using Sticky Baits boilies this is one of Lily’s fish a fine 14lb mirror .
(Above)Darren Garlick caught 3 fish up to 23lb 15oz from the inlet swim on beatties lake using pepperami boilies .
(Above) Zenia Drury-Gregorek, 33, (-; I got a rare window to fish on my favourite lake, the picturesque Koi Lake and just before leaving to pick the kids up I caught this stunner, using a cocktail of maggots float fishing on the bottom. God I love fishing and it was so GREAT to be out there.I really hope to encourage more ladies to fish as it’s simply magical.
Gavin Simpson, 40 from Wellingborough caught an amazing Personal Best 6lb 12oz Golden Orfe from the Main Carp Lake which is just 1lb 9oz short of the British Record! After about 4 hours of fishing he had a great bite, and he knew this fish felt different straight away. Gavin Said – “As I played it towards the net I saw this huge orange flank and thought WOW! I put the net under it and couldn’t believe what I was seeing, the most enormous Golden Orfe I had ever seen, what an amazing fish! It weighed in at 6lb 12oz, I had to check what the British Record was as I was sure it couldn’t be a lot more. I was right, the current record is 8lb 5oz, this fish was just 1lb 9oz off of the British record!
What a great fish and what a great memory for a trip that was a present from my wife Kerry for my 40th Birthday. I am sure there is a British record to be had in that lake for someone. Get yourself to Anglers Paradise, buy yourself one of Zyggy’s magic hats or hoodies and get yourself in those record books! I’m ‘Orfe’ there again soon myself to try and catch a bigger one!”
Paul Shepperd from Southampton is now the NEW CATFISH COMPLEX RECORD HOLDER – with a 74lb 8oz Catfish from the Main Carp Lake beating Sean Tacy’s weight by exactly 1lb that was caught 2 weeks after!!!
Paul went from 8 years of trying to catch Cat with no success until last year when he caught his 1st to then catching this Monster! Paul baited his swim with 14ml pellets, soaked overnight in Korda halibut goo, using a nine inch hook link with a long hair, with a korda size 6 curved shank hook. Paul Said – “Thank you to my wife and all the lads who helped with netting and weighing this monster. Also, Joe, the estate manager, the rig clinic guru, said this cat only has to eat a 10lb carp to be 84lbs. So there’s the challenge ladies and gents, beat that!
Thank you to the Paradise family for making this dream come true. See you next May. Also just to add to this great weeks fishing, I also met my fishing hero’s Ali Hamidi and Dean Macey at Anglers Paradise. Certainly a Week to remember!”
