After reading a few reports of good sized rudd being caught at Wistlandpound on Dry Fly Tactics I decided it was time to enjoy a short evening session. After a long dry spring and early summer the reservoir is now very low with a vast area of bank now fishable. Water clarity is still excellent with no signs of significant algal blooms.
The lake was mirror calm and a few fish were rising. I opted for an easy to see Dry Fly as the light values were already starting to drop. I started at the top end of the reservoir and soon connected with a trout of around 10oz. To my surprise it was rainbow trout that have not to my knowledge been stocked for around ten years. It is possible that it has been accidentally stocked with brown trout but as far as I know the lake is now promoted as an un-stocked wild fishery. This raises the interesting possibility that there is a breeding population of rainbows in the lake?
A few more missed takes followed before I connected with a lovely brown trout of 10″.
After adding another brown to my tally I set out to target the rudd and managed a brace of golden flanked rudd as the light begin to fade. Both fish succumbing to a small peter ross fished slowly through a large shoal. There are undoubtedly some big rudd to be caught but getting though the small fish is challenging. The large numbers of rudd fry will undoubtedly result in some good sport with wild browns during early autumn.
Daniel Welch has extended his lead in the Combe Martin SAC Lure competition after boating bass of 66cm and 62cm. His total for three bass now stands at 185.5cm.
In second place with a brace of bass for 122cm is James Corner and in third Wayne Thomas with 115cm
David Jenkins presently in forth with a brace of bass for 108cm
It was good to once again stand upon the pebbly foreshore at Beer with five fellow anglers awaiting the arrival of our skipper. It was 7.00am and we had all made an early start to reach this unique East Devon beach. This was my second boat fishing trip to Beer in search of Black Bream and I was looking forward to our day afloat.
I don’t think any of my fellow anglers had fished out of Beer before and I’m sure they all felt that sense of anticipation especially relishing the very special launching protocol on this steep beach. The boats are launched from the beach using a combination of tractors, wooden rollers (logs) winch wires and gravity!
I fished from Orca last October enjoying a fabulous day and was confident that Stuart Pike our skipper would find us a few fish and share a wealth of information gained during his many years at sea.
Stuart greeted us all warmly and helped us to load our abundance of gear onto the boat prior to launching. The morning sun was just rising over the white cliffs, a calm sea awaiting us. Those heat wave days already seemed a distant memory, I was sure I felt a slight chill in the morning air those golden days of autumn awaiting on life’s horizon.
We watched the boat and skipper crash into the calm waters before climbing aboard from the mobile pontoon.
First stop was to try and feather up a few fresh mackerel for bait. The mackerel proved hard to find with just a few succumbing from various marks despite good numbers showing on the fish finder.
We had plenty of frozen mackerel and squid for the bream fishing so Stuart suggested we get out on the bream grounds and catch the tide. The fishing grounds are not too far out and are reached in less than half an hour.
We all had light tackle set ups with only light leads required to send the baits down. Rigs were simple two hook paternoster rigs. I was using size 4 Sakuma Kong Hooks that are sharp, strong and reliable.
Stuart sent down a bait dropper of chum setting up a scent trail that would hopefully entice black bream to our baits. Bites came within minutes sharp rattles on the rod tips. That brought small pouting, scad, mackerel and bream to the boat. Keith was delighted to boat a grey gurnard his first of the species and another milestone in his quest to catch as many species as possible. This gurnard his 200th from fresh and salt-waters across the world.
Banter flowed freely between all on board as friends were re-united and new friendships forged. I had booked this trip last autumn and the final line up had changed several times over the months as potential participants drifted in and out of the plan. Fortunately, I have many angling friends keen to get afloat.
The cast for today’s adventure came from all over the South West. Keith Armishaw runs River Reads bookshop and River Reads Press with his wife Sandy https://www.riverreads.co.uk . Dr Mark Everard http://www.markeverard.uwclub.net is an author, scientist and broadcaster who has a deep passion for angling and the environment. Peter Robinson is a keen sea angler and fellow member of the Combe Martin Sea Angling Club. Mark Dean travelled down with Mark and is an all-round angler based in Somerset.
Bruce Elston is a keen all-round angler who renovates antique furniture from his work shop, Esox Antiques( The title gives a clue as to his favourite species of fish) in mid Devon.
Bruce Elston with his first black breamDr Mark Everard with a pleasing breamMark Dean with a specimen mackerel
Keith Armishaw is pleased with a black bream
The social aspect of charter boat fishing is a significant part of its charm. The bringing together of anglers into a small often cramped space is a recipe that encourages close cooperation as participants engage in the all to frequent game of knit one pearl one. Fine braided lines, hooks and traces entwining into occasionally challenging puzzles that often prove more fascinating than Rubik Cubes. This challenging team game is spiced up with the addition of twisting congers and a rocking boat. Fortunately, Stuart Pike our patient skipper is an expert in this pastime and assists frequently in addition to offering constant advice in reducing the frequency of the tangling game.
Stuart works hard at unhooking fish and untangling lines
Tangles are of course an inevitable occurrence made worse by our reluctance to fully focus upon one fish species. The fishing grounds host a wide variety of species in addition to the bream that we were targeting with our light tackle. Undulate ray, thornback ray, blonde ray, spotted ray and small eyed ray were all likely along with conger. A second heavier rod and line gave the chance of these larger species. We would of course have been better advised to focus on one rod and fish it well rather than fish two and compromise our chances.
Keith with the only ray of a day
In between marks Stuart spied a vast ball of whitebait breaking the calm sea. We motored over and drifted strings of shining feathers into a shimmering mass. It was mesmerizing to glimpse the tiny fish twisting and turning in the clear waters. The thousands of fry could be heard like rain beating upon the water. We knew that some predator was working below to create this mass. Whilst we suspected mackerel we failed to tempt any number. Stuart suggested that it could be the first tuna of the season and we had our cameras at the ready just in case.
The main mark for the day was a muddy depression set close to a reef. Fishing proved to be steady throughout the day. Bruce added several black bream to his first of the species caught during the morning of the trip. Big channel mackerel gave spirited battles on light tackle. Numerous scad were kept for use as winter pike baits. Conger were frequent visitors to the boat side tempted with large fresh fish baits intended for ray. Keith boated the days only ray a small well marked thornback. The unusual catch of coral frequently referred to as dead man’s fingers providing a glimpse at the wonders of the seabed far below.
The days fishing passed by all too quickly as fishing days tend to do. The sounds of gulls, the sights of soaring gannets. Boats viewed on distant horizons the dark outlines of of the Jurassic coast seemingly sketched as a break between land and sea.
A good at sea
Orca crashed into the shingle of busy Beer Beach. The hustle and bustle of beach life a contrast to the tranquillity of the day afloat. The boat was winched slowly up the steep beach to rest above the tide line. We offloaded and trudged over the pebbles to our cars.
The general vibe was that it had been a good day with all keen to do it again next year.
We assembled for a coffee in the Anchor Inn, a welcome shot of caffeine to keep us awake on the long drive home.
My wife and I attended the Woolsery Show at the end of July and came across a display of vintage Seagull Outboards. Chatting to the gentlemen who restores these outboards we discussed how times have changed. We reflected upon our youthful days beside the coast, messing about on the water. I am sure many sea anglers of a certain vintage will have fond memories of boating days. The Seagull outboard was undoubtedly basic but it was fundamentally sound British engineering and a relic from those days before we became refrained by a culture of fearful protection.
Reflecting upon those youthful days I sometimes wonder how we got through them for looking back we did some stupid things. My mate Graham had a boat that we had christened “Leaky Lil” for obvious reasons. An old wooden pram dingy that was probably less than eight foot long. I recall setting out for a days fishing from Combe Martin with my mates Graham, and Chunky. The sea was flat calm and we chugged up channel powered by our old faithful seagull outboard. We anchored off Heddon’s Mouth Beach and the tide rushed past at a rate of knots giving the effect of being anchored in a fast flowing river. With the three of us and all our fishing gear there was only a few inches freeboard. I don’t recall what we caught on that day or other days. But to be out in such a little boat with no lifejackets, flares, radio etc. was sheer stupidity. In addition to these foolish days at sea we climbed cliffs, explored caves and coves. We also searched for crabs on low water spring tides peering into those delightfully mysterious holes. Those summers of youth spent amongst barnacle encrusted rocks and salty kelp have I guess instilled a permanent love of the sea.
Above extract is from my book ” I Caught A Glimpse” published in 2019 by the the Little Egret Press.
Ian Laird and his thirteen year old son Ollie have been enjoying some superb gilt head bream sport in local estuaries. Their best so far this stunning gilt head of 4lb 1oz.
George King for beating his personal best by 11lbs with a new PB of 34lbs 11oz from Nirvana’s Kracking Carp Lake.
George shared –
“I was fishing on the Kracking carp in the heat wave, at 1.30am the alarm had a few beeps and suddenly tore off!! I got out of bed like Usain Bolt! After a fierce battle, it slid into the net, at which point I realised it was my new PB at 34lb 11oz, beating my previous PB by 11lb!!
I’m absolutely buzzing to be in the 30 club, I can’t wait to come back very soon!! Thank you for the advice Ashley Bunning Complex fishery bailiff .”
Mark Jones and Craig McClouglin of Braunton Baits have been targeting shark off the North Devon Coast using Marks Private boat. Mark hooked a fine porbeagle that was brought to the side of the boat where it was carefully measured using refined tactics that allow safe measuring before releasing the sharks. The recognised formula gave a weight of 226lb.
On the way to and from the shark grounds Mark and Craig tried out lures from the Braunton Bait Box to good effect.
Joe Dietrich fished Anglers Paradise’s Eldorado Catfish Lake to tempt 5 catfish the best scaling 63lb 9oz. The other cats weighed with a 47lb, 32lb, 27lb and 21lb along with 2 mid double carp! All from an overnight session on Eldorado Carp and Cat 2 (bottom lake) Best fish came at dusk and dawn.
I joined South Molton Angling Club for an evening at Instow where members tried their luck with both Fly and lure tactics. It was an enjoyable evening but no bass were tempted. Fortunately the Cricket Club gave a chance for members to discuss tactics for next time over a welcome pint.
The following night I headed out onto the coast where I enjoyed more success. Early into the session I tempted a small bass on a surface lure and went on to tempt four more after dark on a soft plastic. The best of these a nice fish of 64cm that will be enjoyed pan fried with just a sprinkling of pepper.
Combe Martin SAC Lure Competition – fish registered so far.
After reading a few reports of good sized rudd being caught at Wistlandpound on Dry Fly Tactics I decided it was time to enjoy a short evening session. After a long dry spring and early summer the reservoir is now very low with a vast area of bank now fishable. Water clarity is still excellent with no signs of significant algal blooms.
