A new Lake record carp for lodge lake at Stafford Moor. Steve Tancock caught this 43lb beauty using Mainline cell boilies , there were 4 other witnesses on the lake to verify the weight , Steve popped in the day before and said it was quiet up on the lake then had a few out including a 28lb, 32lb, 35lb then smashed it with this 43lb!
Having met Ashley Bunning while he was working at Anglers Paradise I feel sure he will promote angling across SWLT’s waters following on from the excellent work undertaken by Ben Smeeth in recent years.
September 2022
Hi all, I’m Ashley Bunning, the new Head of Angling at South West Lakes.
I am a keen angler who has fished the South West Lakes reservoirs all my life. I grew up in Holsworthy and when I finished school I moved away from home and studied Fishery Management and Aquaculture to a Bachelor of Science level at Sparsholt College in Winchester.
After completing my course, I worked at various fisheries around the country, then settled at Anglers Paradise in Devon for the last six years.
Over the years I have volunteered for South West Lakes and when the opportunity came about to have a role here as Head of Angling I jumped at the chance! I look forward to pushing fishing forward and improving the experience for anglers on our waters.
Small rises in the Taw and Torridge brought some hope of salmon with a few reported following the weekend. A twelve pound cock fish was caught by Barry Mills at Little Warham fishery on the River Torridge and two salmon were tempted on the Taw by Simon Hillcox.. It is likely that foul water following these small spates has deterred some fish from entering the rivers. A deluge of rain is required before the seasons end if good numbers of salmon are to be tempted from the rivers. There have been reports of fish leaping in the estuaries.
Combe Martin SAC member Daniel Welch is keen mullet angler and has enjoyed recent success tempting specimens of 5lb 1oz and 4lb. 
A mild and mellow early Autumn day as I cast a line across the familiar River Torridge. I had fished the beat three days previously and was optimistic that the turbidity would have dropped out but the water was still murkier than I would like. The water level had dropped back and was lower than ideal.
After such a long dry summer surely there was hope that a few salmon had forged up river on the small spate that had preceded my visit?
Hope is vital in fishing of course as in life. When we fail to catch a common phrase quoted is that if we caught fish every trip our hobby would be called catching instead of fishing.
Autumn was undoubtedly hanging in the air as I fished. A few trees were showing signs of the oncoming season and the occasional leaf drifted downriver. Blackberrys, mushrooms and hazelnuts all indications of the transitioning of the season. Grey Squirrels were busy leaping in the branches high above another subtle sign of the season.
The recent passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth has enveloped the nation in a melancholic mood that I have perhaps brought to the river. I cannot help but think that if this was just ten years ago salmon would at least be showing. The decline of salmon is a great concern and I am sure I am not alone in fearing the demise of these iconic fish within a relatively short time.
As always the casting of a fly and drifting it across the current was therapeutic and despite my pessimism I remained hopeful. The continuity of the flowing river is always reassuring and the pull of life from a plump wild brownie was welcomed.
After several difficult years of political turmoil, pandemic, war and the rising cost of living it is easy to be despondent. Life goes on like the river, a new King takes the reign politics will rumble along as always. England will win the cricket and just maybe things will take a turn for the better.
There are just three weeks left of the season and we can only hope for more rain and a big spate to bring those silver bars into the river. They have been seen leaping in the estuary so that hope of success remains.
I joined South Molton Angling Club for a trip out of Ilfracombe aboard Bluefins skippered by John Barbeary. On assembling on the boat we discussed our options for the day. We could head out to Lundy and target tope and pollock or perhaps fish closer to our own coast targeting bass, tope, huss and conger. It was one of the biggest tides of the year and the big tides had coloured the water raising a question mark over the likelihood of good lure fishing for bass,
After a short discussion we decided to fish closer inshore hoping for tope in Woolacombe Bay followed by a session after bass over a reef and then to anchor at various marks for some general bottom fishing.
It was one the club members first boat fishing trips so even a dogfish brought a broad smile to the face of George Belcher-Truss as he swung it aboard. A few huss followed with Andy Gray and Ed Rands boating huss of close to 10lb.
As the tide eased away we moved a couple of times and at each mark enjoyed sport with huss and small conger.
A move to fish a reef saw several scad brought to the boat but no bass. The scad were welcome as fresh bait to tempt tope on our next session at anchor.
The next mark at anchor saw Richard Power boat a pleasing tope of around 25lb that gave a good account of itself. Several other fish were hooked at this mark but managed to shake the hook free.
As the tide pull increased John suggested a quick drift over a wreck where he had received reports of pollock. This proved to be unproductive.
John was undoubtedly frustrated at the lack of fish in numbers and tried several marks in an attempt to locate feeding fish.A few more huss were tempted over rough ground close to the rugged and spectacular More Point.
With warm sunshine and a calming sea it was good to be afloat off the spectacular North Devon Coast, a Coast that can at times be challenging with fish hard to find. Fishing is often unpredictable with each season different. I chatted with John about this summers season and John told of a good summer with large numbers of mackerel in June and July bringing back memories of the good old days. The next couple of month offer the chance of good tope, bass and constant good numbers of Bull Huss.
The Combe Martin SAC Lure Fishing Competition is free to all paid up members and is sponsored by High Street Tackle. Wayne Thomas has extended his lead in the competition catching a bass of 74.5cm and another of 68.5cm to give a total of three bass for 212cm. Both fish were tempted after dark using Megabass Spindle Worms.
Results so far :-
1st – Wayne Thomas – three bass – 74.5cm 68.5 cm 69 cm Total 212cm
2nd – Daniel Welch – three bass – 68cm 66cm 61cm Total 195cm
3rd – Solly Welch – Three bass – 58cm 58cm 57cm Total 173cm
4th – James Corner – two bass 62cm and 60cm Total 122cm
Biggest Bass – Wayne Thomas 74.5cm, 69cm and 68.5cm Daniel Welch – 68cm
