In this months Trout Fisherman mag (issue 490) John Gilmore took top spot in the Sept/Oct round of Troutmasters at Exe Valley with a fish of 10lb 6oz In second place was Dave Bull with an 8lb 14oz Rainbow while Keith Ratcliffe managed third with a fish of 6lb 10oz Well done to all the badge winners.
ANGLING HERITAGE NEWS FROM Keith Armishaw
The mailing systems between and Angling Heritage and River Reads have now been separated so we can now focus on AH individually, rather than on the back of the River Reads newsletter necessary to minimize the costs as we get established. The archive now generates sufficient funds required to move the Trust on to the next level.
Over the last month we have received a written piece by Hugh Miles about ‘Filming the Great and the Good’ which is free to view in the “Articles” section, together with a selection of photographs of him filming Peter Stone which can be seen in the ‘Photographs’ archive.
If you read Hugh’s notes, you will see that the series of films that he made whilst at college have sadly been disposed of. This is a tragedy for Hugh and for angling losing the film of these famous anglers. We don’t know if copies were ever made, and I have spoken to Barrie Welham and David Carl Forbes’ family without success, so if you know of it surviving anywhere, please let me know so that both Hugh and AH can get a copy.
This shows how badly needed the angling archive is to preserve any film for the future, and we are grateful for the donation of an old 8m cine film that is currently being digitised for the archive (and the donor gets DVD too). If you have any such film of footage, please loan them to us for preservation. We are not looking to keep it, merely to try to preserve it and return it to the owner (whose name is credited with the donation on the website too).
We have also added a video of over an hour in length of the interviews we made when supporting Hereford Museum on their River Life Project in 2013 which is accompanied by a series of photographs appropriate to the text. This shows how our work can be galvanised when working with other organisations; something we are looking to expand on in the future.
As ever, the Trust relies on you, in donations (financial and of material), archive loans, and also in paying to view the archive or becoming members, and we thank you for your growing support.
Keith has just returned from a fishing trip to Canada with renowned wildlife photographer Hugh Miles.
A couple of Autumn crackers at Furzebray for Ben May weighing 29lb 8oz and C scale at 28lb well done on two fine fish mate especially after it’s been fishing so slow. Not to be out done by Ben his brother Matt May also got in on the action landing Pearly at a new top weight of 28lb10oz and looking mint in her winter colours! Tony Kingdom “Well done chaps on a great bit of angling in tough conditions…”.
Tony informs all that Willow will close for a short while see below.
Willow Closure!!!
Willow will be closed from the 8th of November for a couple of weeks for netting we hope to reopen it time for the winter tickes to start at the beginning of December. If anyone is interested in winter tickets for willow please post below they will be £75 for 3 months.
Jennetts regular Bradley Laughton has been in the action again at the day ticket venue in Bideford, Devon. Brad along with friend Liam Parsons managed four fish to the low 20lb range on hinged stiff rigs with a Mainline IB pop up fished over a bed of CC Moore equinox boilies.
Wayne Thomas took top spot in Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs Fish of the Month Competition with a thick lipped grey mullet scaling 5lb 2oz.
In runner up spot was Daniel Welch with another thick lipped grey mullet of 5lb 1oz and in third Ross Stanway with a tope scaling 34lb 1oz.
November has already got a few good fish on the board and if weather permits I feel sure there will be some quality fish caught with November historically one of the best months of the year for specimen fish.
A few years ago Combe Martin SAC member John Shapland set out to catch fifty sea species in a season and succeeded. Knowing Johns keenness on species hunting I felt sure he would excel in a one day species competition and so it proved on Sunday November 6th. The bitterly cold North Wind that was forecast deterred the vast majority of club members who had shown an interest in the event with just four of us eventually venturing out. John elected to fish an estuary mark and Ilfracombe Pier and from the two venues caught an amazing eleven species including bass, sand goby, flounder, common blenny, scorpion fish, pollock, sand smelt, ballan wrasse, pouting, poor cod, rock goby and poor cod. His fishing partner for the day was Louis Rooke who managed four species;pollock, pouting, ballan wrasse and rockling.
I fished a mark in Combe Martin Bay with Rob Sciones where we landed 7 species between us, whiting,pollock, ballan wrasse,conger, corkwing wrasse, tub gurnard and a pleasing grey mullet to my rod that weighed 4lb 14oz.
Despite the icy wind Rob and I did manage to find a little shelter from the wind and was rewarded with the sight of a pod of porpoise showing a few hundred yards from the shoreline.
Here are the results from Stafford Moor’s Silver Manic Festival 2016. The winner was Mr Andy Griffiths with 10lb 5oz from peg 36 well done Andy ! Who picked up £1000.The competitors battled against a bitter cold wind throughout the day. The fishery had 3 x 1st in section winners who each won £200 and 3 x 2nd in section winners who all won £100 each these are:
1st Chris Davis
2nd Dave smith
1st Bradley Gibbons (MAVER)
2nd Chris Bailey
1st Peter Randle
2nd Mark Warren
North Devon Tackle AC held their latest match at Wooda Lakes Complex (match carp lake) on Sunday November 6th. Fishing was tough with cold weather overnight. Top weight went to Kevin Wilton with 51lb 13oz of carp on pole and feeder. Second was Peter Seaward with 40lb 11oz and third was Dion Martin with 31lb 15oz.
Kevin Wilton (Above)
(Above) Peter Seaward
(Above ) Dion Martin
Nick Hart at Exe Valley Fishery is pleased to announce that on Sat 10th December they are hosting a pre-Christmas bash on the renovated Anchor Lake.
Join Nick Hart & Pete Tyjas for interactive demos on tackle, casting & fishing techniques plus a chance to see what Grayling fishing is all about.
We will be available throughout the day to provide help & assistance with anything from tuning up a cast to fixing up a leader!
This special event is limited to 10 people, includes a 2 fish permit and unlimited catch & release. We might break out the fly tying vice and there will be cake!
The day will be £45 per person and
if you would like to register your interest please message or call 01398 323008.
More info will also be posted on www.exevalleyfishery.co.uk this week.
I have fond memories of Mill Pond near Berrynarbour as it was the venue from which I caught my first coarse fish over forty years ago. It is great to see the fishery returning to its former glory. I love the picture of Martins bulging net of silver among the carpet of crisp Autumn leaves. Well done Martin a great haul of silvers!
North Devon Match Groups Winter League No 1 at Mill Park
1st Martin Turner 28lb 5oz 2nd Nathan Underwood 16lb 14oz 3rd Pete Slade 14lb 1oz 4th Christopher Morris 12lb 8oz 5th Ben Hathaway 8lb 14oz
Martin’s Match Summary –
Fished a bit strange, the pegs on the road side were very tough , those of us on the boathouse area found some roach willing to feed.I caught some better quality roach on caster over hemp at 10 metres, Nathan had smaller roach over groundbait, whilst Pete had skimmers on soft pellet, and Chris fished a small cage feeder. The only carp caught was on bread by new member Ben Hathaway.
Members please do not forget AGM at The Barn Bickington on Thursday
