Kevin Legge headed to the Somerset coast to land this fine small eyed ray of 8lb 15oz.
Rain brings promise.
I was passing the river today so I had to take a look the water was perfect the colour of real ale ideal for casting a Mepps down and across to twinkle and throb in the turbulent waters. Sadly there were no anglers cars in the car park a symptom of modern times I am afraid. The Lyn once had an impressive run of both salmon and sea trout and when the conditions were right anglers descended from miles around. Catch and release has never caught on on the Lyn which is a spinning and worming river not ideally suited to the fly angler.
The careful angler should be able to enjoy some fine sport on this beautiful river and if barbless singles are used on the spinners fish can be returned to continue their journey. The E.A have after careful consideration allowed the use of the worm after June 16th and provide anglers with the mandatory circle hooks to promote a high survival rate.
Permits for the Lyn can be purchased from Barbrook filling station that is Open seven days a week from 7.00am until 7.00pm
The weekends rain has also swollen the Taw and Torridge and this should encourage a few salmon up river over the next few days. I will report on NDAN as soon as I get news.
Variety on Reel Deal
Reel Deal has been making all the headlines with catches of porbeagle shark off the Cornish coast but when the weather doesn’t play ball there is plenty of variety fishing the grounds in the Bristol Channel. A recent session saw anglers land plenty of coalfish and pouting with some brightly coloured wrasse to put a smile on the anglers faces.
Huss time on the coast!
Spring time is the best time to head out and catch a big bull huss as Combe Martin SAC member Kevin Legge did recently catching this handsome huss of 10lb 1oz during one of his recent sessions.
Huss are a far more welcome catch than their relative the Lesser spotted dogfish that devour anglers baits spoiling the chance of something better. Huss can be tempted on a wide range of baits with big squid or mackerel baits favorite. In the murky waters along the Somerset coast near Porlock and Minehead these fish can be caught throughout the day. In North Devon’s clearer waters night time is undoubtedly best with rough ground more likely to bring results.
Rick Blackmore (Below) also targetted the species landing several in recent weeks topped by this specimen of 12lb 13oz.
Two Personal bests in one session!
Andy Stapleton who beat his personal best twice in one session. Andy was fishing up on the dam wall on lodge lake fishing with Sticky Baits Krill 16mm boilies. He had a new personal best of 20lb then smashed it again with a 24lb mirror.
Anglers Paradises Biggest catfish _ So far!
The latest big fish news supplied by Zenia and Anglers Paradise.
NEW CATFISH COMPLEX RECORD…73LBS 8OZ!!
Regular Sean Tacy, had the week of fishing dreams when he landed Anglers Paradise’s NEW CATFISH RECORD!!!
Sean landed a Monster 73lb 8oz Wels Catfish from the Main Lake, and had the shock of his life when he saw it!!
The previous Record was held by Adam May for 2 years running with a 70lb 12oz Catfish also from the Main, but that has now been beaten!!
Sean caught the Monster using 15mm Robin Red Pellet topped with half a Paradise Baits Original Raspberry pop up, served over a bed of mixed sizes robin red pellets. Fixed lead clear dark matter leader, size 6 korda kurv shank hook.
Sean’s Story –
“After trying for so many years to beat my PB Catfish which I achieved many years ago here at AP and failing to do so I decided it was time to have a go on the Specimen Cat Lake and drove down a day early, after losing a fish on there, I really was gutted, so headed straight to the Octopusy as soon as the welcoming party had finished!
It started off with a not so productive time and me playing about with baits that I was happy so along come the night out. Alarms buzzing, like an angry bee I stumbled out of my bivvy losing my head torch to god knows where and no shoes! At last it felt a monster, finally I thought this has to beat my PB for sure…but it was not meant to be! *play sad music* so unable to go on the Specimen Carp Lake, I decided to go on the Main Carp Lake putting out the same combo that had worked the night before up against the island.
I decided great really confident! But the day went on and nothing to come except a cracking Blue Orfe! Then BOOM!! Off goes the alarms again, jumping out of the bivvy this time with shoes, I hit into it! It felt a monster and a monster I couldn’t control!! To start it just went, I am sure the fish was playing me more than me playing it!
Eventually I managed to get my phone, so shouting to siri to call the old man to come help net this monster that I hadn’t even seen yet! He come and eventually managed to get it in close to see it but it just didn’t want to go in the net, almost deciding to jump in the water and picking it up finally it went in!! It was a beast for sure and one that I never thought I would be seeing!!! Truly a fish of a lifetime and one I am sure will be dam hard to beat!
So again AP has been another great holiday and really cracking fishing and people!”
WOW!! HUGE CONGRATS SEAN – AMAZING FISH, AMAZING CAPTURE AND NOW YOU ARE THE CURRENT CATFISH RECORD HOLDER!!
**CONGRATULATIONS!!!**
2017 Putsborough Open May 6th
Saturday May 6th Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs annual open fishing competition at Putsborough Beach. If recent catches are anything to go by we should see plenty of ray caught. As always the weather is the deciding factor so fingers crossed that its good conditions.
Combe Martin Sea Angling Club
Putsborough Sands
Open Fishing Competition 2017
Saturday May 6th
Fishing From 9.30pm to 1.30am
Book In From 8.00pm to 9.00pm
Weigh In By 2.00am
Cash Prizes Of £100 & £50
Sakuma, High Street Tackle & Veals MO
And Many Other Donated Prizes
2 Rods, 4 Hooks, Specimen Sizes
Entry £5 plus £1 Pool Best Brace
Phone Nick 814703 Or Wayne 850586
For More Details Please Check www.cmsac.co.uk Or Our Facebook Page
Please Respect Putsborough & Remove All Litter
Upper Tamar Twenties
Leanne Rule and Jason Mc Evoy have had a really good session at Upper Tamar with a five fish catch including three over 20lbs. Leanne had a cracking 22.14 common. All the fish were taken on Future Baits boilies on a snowman rig with a Curve shank Mugga hook.
SAVING FRESHWATER MUSSELS ON THE TORRIDGE
At the end of March I attended the Torridge Fishery AGM where we were given a fascinating presentation by Izzy Moser of the Devon Wildlife Trust. I spoke with Izzy the following day at the Riverfly training event when she kindly offered to share information on the efforts to restore freshwater mussels. I have thrown together a few information leaflets and some of Izzy’s notes from the slide show to give an overview of the project and the fascinating life cycle of the mussel. The project is supported by Blakewell Fishery.
This project has been set up in north Devon’s river Torridge
The aim of the project is to protect and restore FPM populations, and with this, to improve water quality for all users of the river.
Broader water quality issues – for example, pollution (soil, nutrients, pesticides), acidification, heavy metal inputs… and how we can improve these.
Partner project – Biffa funded etc.
Margitifera Margatifera – latin name
Freshwater Pearl Mussels are filter feeding bivalves from the group mollusc. They are one of the longest living invertebrates known (they can live over 100 years) and they inhabit the beds of rivers in the UK. According to the documentation, the require clean, well oxygenated, fast flowing waters
Filter 50 litres of water /day. In large numbers they can help to improve water quality through filtration.
Part of their life cycle is spent attached to the gills of salmonids (brown trout and Atlantic salmon, so good populations are vital to the survival of juvenile mussels.
Currently most of the populations are in Scotland but FPM were once widespread across the UK and could be found in the Tamar, Exe, Dart, Teign, Taw and Torridge. Currently, the only know populations are in the Taw and Torridge and these are relatively low numbers.
On the Torridge there estimated to be around 2000 individuals and this makes up the 4th largest colony in the UK.
However, these mussels are not thought to have breed successfully since the 1960’s, and are therefore aging significantly.
FPM critically endangered and nationally protected.
Genetically different from populations in northern England.
Thriving mussels populations can help to improve water through filtering
Thriving mussel populations are a sign of healthy rivers.
Anglers Paradise – Young Anglers Catches
Its always great to see young anglers enjoying success and at Anglers Paradise there are plenty of fish to target. This is the latest report from Zenia who give the youngsters plenty of encouragement.
Charlie Grant, 10 from Reading was certainly one very happy boy after catching a Personal Best 14lb Mirror and also a 15lb Wels Catfish from the Easy Access Lake both on Boilies. Charlie also Won Fish Of The Week with his PB Mirror, Charlie has also set a New Record in being the 1st Person to win Fish Of The Week 3 times!! Great to see Kids loving the sport so much, and this young man certainly does!
( Below)Here is the Charming Reilly Mulrooney, aged 4 from Bagworth, Leicester with just one of his many catches from Anglers Paradise and this Common from the Magic Lake was the 1st ever Carp he’s ever caught! Reilly came to us last year with Mum and Dad when he was 3 and caught his first ever fish, a Goldfish from the Float Lake and now he continues to fish with his Dad and he loves it!! We encourage all Parents to take their kids fishing, teach them all about fish care, how to look after the fish and start that fishing passion the right way so their future in angling will be bright! Look after the fish and they will look after us – to keep them healthy and let us catch them again one day!! We all remember our 1st and who got us into Fishing, so lets all carry that on and share our passion of the sport with our younger ones. Kids are the Future generation, and we love seeing them all start their Fishing Journey and certainly feel very privileged when it starts at Anglers Paradise!
