Join us at our new premises on 15th March 2025, from 9:30 to 14:30, for an incredible day packed with, demonstrations, expert advice and exclusive open day deals.
We’ll have unbeatable prices not only for Snowbee fly fishing products but also some great deals on carp fishing, spinning, sea fishing, and coarse fishing.
Our carp fishing range includes bivvies, chairs, weigh slings, unhooking mats, and more, plus a huge selection of spinning rods and reels to keep you going. And of course, we have everything you need for fly fishing!
On the day, enjoy fly casting and fly tying demonstrations, get expert advice from our team, and don’t miss your chance to win a brand-new Snowbee Spectre Rod!
It’s December so it seems Ok to start talking Christmas. We are very fortunate in North Devon to have fishing tackle shops in all of our major towns and as local anglers we really need to support them. With Christmas just a couple of weeks away now is the time to buy that fishy present. It might be that you have to pay a little more as compared to the internet but there is no postage, a good after sales service, you get to see what you’re buying and you ensure that you have somewhere to buy fresh bait. Not to mention the vital social benefits of meeting fellow anglers whilst browsing those lines of tempting produce.
BARNSTAPLE
Barnstaple Bait and Tackle offers an excellent range of tackle for all disciplines and is convenienly located in Queen Street, close to the central Car Park and Bus Station. The shop is owned by Chris Connaughton a well known and respected local angler.
ILFRACOMBE
Danny Watson (Above right ) is a lure fishing fanatic a fact that is reflected when-ever you walk into his tackle shop in Ilfracombe High Street. Thousands of lures to tempt every angler and every fish. Danny supplies local charter boats with lures and tackle and has an extensive knowledge on how lures work and their design features. In addition to the vast array of lures the shop also carries an extensive range of sea tackle and coarse fishing essentials.
BIDEFORD
Anglers Heaven is owned by Tom Wade and has recently undergone a significant extension with a large retail area offering fishing tackle for all disciplines. Tom also stocks a range of shooting and country sports equipment.
BRAUNTON
The Braunton Bait Box is run by keen local angler Craig McCloughlin and offers a good range of sea angling tackle and quaility bait. The shop also has a range of coarse fishing tackle and is a stockist for Chillcheater clothing of Braunton.
Reed – Chillcheater is a North Devon Based company located in Braunton that offers a wide range of high quality outdoor clothing that has gained a reputation amongst local anglers for keeping them warm and dry in the worst of conditions.
EXMOOR
Lance Nicholson’s shop is located in the lively Exmoor town of Dulverton and offers a wide range of game fishing tackle and country clothing. It is also an excellent source on information on where to fish and what is happening across the Upper Exe and Barle catchments.
CORNWALL
The Arundell is a traditional country hotel on the Cornish Border that offers excellent river fishing throughout the year. The hotel has a tackle shop that stocks an excellent range of top end tackle from Orvis. This is undoubtedly the top venue for West Country winter grayling.
Many thanks to Zenia for a full report of the 10th AP Lure Fishing Weekend
The 10th Anniversary of the Anglers Paradise Lure Weekend 2024…
There were laughs, banter, memories made, personal bests, first ever fishes caught on a Lure, the list goes on…
In a nutshell – A MEMORABLE WEEKEND FOR SURE
A Friendly Fishing Competition does exist at Anglers Paradise, big or small love them all and remember sometimes we catch and sometimes we don’t…that’s why it’s called Fishing and not catching…blank days happen to us ALL…
STORM BERT…the most challenging conditions we’ve ever had for this competition that’s for sure!! But all anglers did awesome and we are proud of you all!!!
A massive thank you to all the sponsors for the AMAZING PRIZES
@rapalaeurope
@okumaeurope @okumafreshwateruk
@fox_rage_fishing @fox_international
@rozemeijerfishing @rozemeijer_uk
Voodoo Traces
@drennantackle @espcarpgear
@fortiseyewear @fortiseyeweareurope
@outlaw_pro @outlaw_pro_predator
@capitalangling
Devon Baits
Also thank you to Paul and his helper Grace for all the yummy food, all the adjudicators – Colin Beetz, Paul Tegg, Russell Irving, Duncan Smith, Joe Dietrich, and Toby Cryer. To our 4 fantastic Team Captains – Dave Drake, Ben Humber, Nathan Edgell and Ian Jones – for all doing a great job Also thank you to the Bar staff, Jason Barnes and Emma Knight. Also a special mention to Joe Drury who has put in a tremendous amount of work…day and night to make this event happen! THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU
We can’t wait to show you the results with all the Winners but with 100’s of pictures taken, we are currently in editing mode and will gradually share them with you.
To all that took part – we hope you enjoyed yourselves and hope to greet you again one day.
Well done to all the Winners who all went home with lots of awesome prizes from our great Sponsors!!
Izaak Walton wrote in 1653: ‘He that hopes to be a good angler must not only bring an inquiring, searching, observing wit; but he must also bring a large measure of hope and patience.’
Well everyone who braved ‘Storm Bert’ down in Devon certainly were ‘good anglers’ as they persevered through those awful conditions displaying the very best example of ‘hope and patience’.
So a huge well done to all the friendly companions and competitors who took part in the 10th Anniversary Lure Weekend at Anglers Paradise.
Congratulations to Ian Jones on the win captaining his team to achieve 9 lure caught species which was an amazing result and my fellow captains Ben Humber and Dave Drake.
Massive thanks to my sponsors Rozemeijer UK and Rozemeijer and Robert Lawrie from Voodoo Traces for such generous and quality prizes. It’s an honor and a privilege to attend an event like this on your behalf so thank you again.
Finally special thanks to all at AP especially Joe Drury & Zenia Drury-Gregorek for everything they do for us lure anglers and anglers in general. The whole concept, venue and people make this event truly one of a kind and I’m very grateful to be able to attend it. The lure weekend always reaffirms to me that fishing is so much more than just fish and I like that.
WINNER OF THE BIGGEST PERCH OF THE 2024 LURE WEEKEND
Dan Wahid who was our youngest participant aged 13, who caught a very credible 29cm Perch from the Kracking Carp Lake.
This was Dan’s 1st ever Lure Weekend and we are so, so happy for him on winning this category! Despite the horrendous storm, Dan fished his socks off and did not give up at any point, he showed 100% dedication and truly deserved this win!!
WINNER OF THE BIGGEST CATFISH OF THE 2024 LURE WEEKEND
Nicole Williams who caught a 75.5cm Wels Catfish from the Easy Cat Lake!
This was also Nicole’s 1st ever Catfish and to catch her first on a lure is pretty impressive!!
Nicole showed 100% dedication, she listened to advice from the Adjudicators and her Captain, and after persevering cast after cast…SHE CAUGHT HER CATFISH!!
WINNER OF THE BIGGEST TROUT OF THE 2024 LURE WEEKEND
A TIE between Nigel Kingston and Darren Higby who both caught a 68cm Rainbow Trout from the Trout Lake!
WINNER OF THE BIGGEST PIKE (caught by a participant) OF THE 2024 LURE WEEKEND
Elliot Mason with a 62cm Pike from Valhalla
Congratulations Elliot, in tough conditions, you still managed to catch a Pike, great angling and another well deserved win!
A fun and informative family day out with activities such as fly tying and casting demonstrations, trade stands, expert advice from trout, sea and coarse fly fishers and food and drink available from Roadford Lake Café (don’t forget season permit holders get a 10% discount in the café too)!
Tickets are available now, so book online to benefit from;
£7 advanced ticket price (tickets will be £10 on the door, free entry for under 18s)
Free parking
Exclusive 10% discount on next year’s trout season permits, available to Fly Fair attendees only
Anglers Heaven in Bideford has had a significant extension with a vast range of products from top brands now available for anglers of all disciplines. I called into the shop last week with my wife Pauline and was very impressed. in addition to top quailty tackle Tom Wade also keeps a good supply of fresh live and frozen bait.
GRAND OPENING/BLACK FRIDAY SALE Friday 29th/Saturday 30th November
Join Tom Wade and family for the new shop extension party.
Reece Woolgar has won Combe Martin SAC’s club members annual Lure fishing league for the second consecutive year with a five bass total of 334.5cm. Reece was presented with £100 tackle voucher by Danny Watson at High Street Tackle. The club hopes to run the event to the same format next year. It is hoped that more lure anglers will join the club and take part in this event that is free to club members.
I asked Reece about his go to lures and two of his top three are pictured below.
The megabass Dark sleeper and Megabass AYU 5″ Spindleworms certainly deserve a place in any keen lure fishers lure box.
Lure fishing is certainly a fascinating branch of angling with many thousands of lures available. Danny stocks an impressive range of lures to cover every aspect and species within the UK and beyond.
The biggest bass caught during the league was this fine bass of 75cm to the rod of Wayne Thomas using a megabits AYU 5″ Spindleworm
Runner up in the lure competition was Wayne Thomas with five bass for 310 cm, Ross Stanway with five for 293cm and Dan Welch with five for 270cm.
Ross Stanway with a boat caught bass.Dan Welch with a fine shore caught bass
The first weekend of November brought the 2024 season to a close for most Charter boats operating out of Ilfracombe. The calm weather resulted in a good end to the season. Last weekend Bluefin Charters, Predator 2 and Carrick Lee all had successful trips with tope to 42lb boated with several large fish lost. Bass, bull huss, pollock, scad, conger, wrasse, whiting and dogfish were caught and the trips were even more made memorable with sightings of porpoise, seal and tuna.
South Molton Angling Club – Bluefin
A quick report from Edward Rands on the clubs last sea trip of the season from Ilfracombe.
We set sail from the harbour at 07:30, early enough for me!, but the days are shorter now.
Our destination was Lundy, about 90 minutes later we were there jigging feathers and retrieving all sorts of plastic lures and began catching mainly pollack with a few wrasse now and again. Although the weather was overcast we were on the west side in some shelter from the easterly wind.
We drifted various marks and then decided to anchor for a while to finish the day off where we caught a little conger, some bull huss and a couple of scad which were used as bait and helped Chris Allin catch a 42lb tope which will take the Tope cup.
The shout was reel in and we headed home with a bucket full of pollack fillets which we shared around. The journey home was quite lumpy with wind against tide but everyone managed and no motion sickness occurred.
The list was
40 pollack to 5lb
6 ballan wrasse
3 scad
4 pouting
10 huss to 10lb
1 strap conger
1 tope 42lb
A very enjoyable day out with plenty of fish, good company and good banter.
Thanks to John and Ted for looking after us again on “Bluefin” and everyone else for supporting the cause.
PREDATOR 2
I enjoyed the last trip of the season on a mates trip on Predator 2 skippered by Dan Welch relishing a last chance to explore the reefs and deep channels West of Ilfracombe.
Big tope and big bass were on our agenda though it was good to be out fishing once again whatever we managed to catch.
The sea was calm as we left Ilfracombe just a light Easterly blowing down the channel. The grey November sky was mirrored by the sea the North Devon cliffs dark and sombre as we watched familiar landmarks pass by.
We explored close to the rocky shore at first casting lures to be rewarded with a few hard fighting pollock and wrasse.
Robin Bond with a good pollock
With the tide easing Dan suggested we get out and drop the anchor in hope of a big late season tope or ray.
We soon reached our intended mark and a variety of baits were sent down onto the sandy ridges that have a reputation for tope and ray.
I had baited with a mackerel head and guts impaled on a 6/0 Sakuma Kong Hook with heavy wire trace. To my surprise after just a few minutes I felt a savage tug. I let out a few yards of slack and waited until the rod tip pulled over before leaning back into the fish. The rod hooped over and line was ripped from a moderately tight drag. I held on relishing the battle confident in my tackle as whatever had taken the bait started to accelerate away. Suddenly without warning the rod tip sprang back and I felt deflated knowing that I had lost contact with something special. I reeled in to find that the fish undoubtedly a big tope had come off.
Heartened by this we all fished on expectantly catching a succession of small huss and dogfish before the tide eased.
Dan suggested moving further out into faster tide to fish a channel between rocky reefs.
The anchor went down once again and fresh baits were sent down. For the next two hours a steady stream of decent huss and conger ensured regularly bent rods typical of Bristol Channel reef fishing. I also lost a large fish after a very brief connection.
Jonathon Stanway with a conger
Ross Stanway with a huss
Skipper Dan Welch with a well bent rodA well marked huss of close to 10lb Skipper Dan Welch with typical Bristol Channel huss and conger
When the tide strength demanded close to 2lb of lead to hold bottom we headed back close inshore to search a tide rip for bass. Here we enjoyed an hours great sport with bass, pollock and wrasse falling to lures the black fiiish minnows bringing most success.
We headed back to Ilfracombe against a lively sea driven by the East breeze. Pollock were filleted along with a couple of good table sized bass. We all chatted about more trips next year with plenty of excursions planned for 2025.
Reece Woolgar has taken a commanding lead in Combe Martin SAC’s Lure Fishing League sponsored by High Street Tackle. Reece banked a fine brace of bass measuring 66cm and 65cm to push his combined total for five bass to 321 cm. Wayne Thomas is in runner up spot with 310cm. The league closes on October 31st with the prizes presented at High Street Tackle.
Many thanks to Daniel Welch of Predator 2 for this excellent report on the second heat of their species competition.
We left harbour at 0800 with a group of friends on board for a species hunt, on this occasion we headed down channel fishing various reefs, banks and deeper water marks. The intention was to move around a lot and fish both at anchor and on the drift. The target was to try and beat the previous species day total of 16.
Various tactics were used including floats, lures, and different types of bottom rigs running ledgers and patenosters. Tactics also included different coloured beads and weights various sized hooks and baits.
Baits used during the day included squid, harbour rag, lug, mackerel, scad, prawns, spider crabs, shore crabs and small fresh bait fish caught during the day.
It was a very close run competition with Ross Stanway taking an early lead but everyone was in with a chance to take the win. With an hour to go Ross and Toby were tied at the top on with the lead changing regularly until they got to 20 points with 30 minutes to go. Both had very realistic target species to take the win. However by observing successful tactics of others Toby changed baits and took the win by catching two black bream sneaking ahead of Ross for the win and a £70 voucher for future use on predator.
During the day we caught a respectable 20 different species Toby Basset won the day with a total of 23 points consisting of 13 different species, Ross Stanway came a close second place with 20 points but actually had 14 different species.
The 20 different species landed on the boat during the day were tub gurnard, mackerel, pollack, scad, Bull Huss, tope, conger, black bream, smooth hound, ballan wrasse, goldsinny wrasse, corkwing wrasse, blond ray, smalleye ray, dragonet, bass, pouting, poor cod,dogfish and Tom pot blenny.
A great day was had by all this is not something we usually do but it makes a nice change especially with the friendly competitive banter all day.
Reece Woolgar caught a fine bass of 68cm to put him just 5 cm behind leading club member Wayne Thomas in Combe Martin SAC’s members lure fishing league. The league is sponsored by High Street Tackle
Present standings are five bass total length –
Wayne Thomas – 75, 60, 60, 58, 57. = 310
Reece Woolgar – 68, 62, 59, 58, 58 = 305
Ross Stanway – 67, 58, 56, 56, 56 = 293
Daniel Welch – 63, 55, 54, 50, 48 = 270
There is stiil over a month remaining in the league with every chance of the biggest bass of the season showing.
