https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/forecast/gchfzyvpe#?date=2026-06-12
All looking good for Combe Martin SAC’s Putsborough Open. An excellent prize table from Sakuma and a Junior Prize from Barnstaple Bait and Tackle.
Weather forecast spot on ! Looking forward to seeing a few fish caught with ray and hounds likely to dominate.
Junior entry is £5. Juniors winners can select from prize table but cannot win cash prizes.
To mark World Oceans Day on June 8th, the Association of Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (AIFCA) is proud to launch its latest film, Conserve, showcasing how IFCAs work to protect sensitive species and habitats in England’s inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), while ensuring sustainable fisheries can thrive.
The film explores the role of IFCAs in managing fishing activity within inshore MPAs, ensuring that the conservation objectives of these important sites are achieved while enabling sustainable use of these areas.
Conserve highlights the principles that underpin the IFCAs’ approach to MPA management:
The film demonstrates how effective management of MPAs can support both thriving marine ecosystems and sustainable fisheries.
Produced by Mindfully Wired, Conserve follows the successful release of the Association’s previous films, Lead, Champion and Protect. Together, the four films provide an insight into the work of IFCA officers and members who are dedicated to protecting our coastline and fisheries.
As we celebrate World Oceans Day, Conserve highlights the important role Marine Protected Areas play in safeguarding healthy seas for future generations.
JUNIOR ENTRY £5.00 with Junior prize and choice from prize table.
Bideford Angling Clubs monthly sea rover was won by Paul Ackland with a fine specimen smoothound of 14lb 10oz. Robert Hancock was second and third with hounds of 13lb 3.5oz and 11lb 6.5oz. Stephen Found was fourth with a smoothound of 8lb 12oz.
Andrew Atkinson took first place in Appledore Shipbuilders June rover with a specimen smoothound of 12lb 1oz. Michael Hammett was second and third with a smoothound of 11lb 10.75oz and a bull huss of 8lb 14ozs.
Combe Martin SAC host their annual Putsborough Beach Open Match this Saturday with fishing commencing at 9:30pm and ending at 1:30pm. Booking in is from 8:00pm at the venues car park. The event is generously sponsored by Sakuma Tackle with the club providing a cash first prize of £100 with a runner up prize of £50.
ANGLING BRINGS CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD
One of anglings greatest gifts is the connection that participants enjoy with nature. As anglers we are privileged to witness many wonders of the natural world. Last week I spent a day fishing on Chew Valley Lake in Somerset. Our target species was pike that grow large in this vast rich lake. It was the hottest May Day on record and not the day we would have chosen but having booked a boat in advance we proceeded ensuring that we had plenty of water and sunscreen. The fishing proved hard going with just four small pike tempted by our large flies.
A highlight of the day was an encounter with a juvenile grass snake that was swimming across the lake. I lifted the snake from the water and admired it before slipping it back into the lake hoping it would survive as it seemed to be extremely vulnerable with so many potential predators in the vicinity. Dragonflies and damsel flies fluttered over the mirror calm lake and bird song filled the air.
Each day at the water’s edge has the potential to bring exciting encounters with the world around. I have witnessed whales, otters, kingfishers, foxes, osprey, deer, nightjar, eagles, crocodiles, scorpions, moose, witnessed lunar eclipses, comets in dark star studded skies, spectacular sunsets, misty dawns and many more phenomena. Not to mention the many fish that are the target of the day. Whilst I could have seen some of this without a rod and line it is for me the tactile connection with that unseen world beneath the surface that seals the deal.
It is for this reason that many anglers are passionate conservationists who get involved with campaigns for cleaner rivers and nature friendly farming practices.
Early tope are arriving off Ilfracombe. This fine fish was tempted on John Barbeary’s Bluefin.
The angling club year probably gets underway in late November of the previous year as we start to discuss the following years fixtures. This is to a large extent my job and to be honest its becoming increasingly difficult to fathom out what members want from the club.
This isn’t a criticism of members it’s just a reflection of changing times. Let’s face it I’ve been a club member since 1974 along with Nick our club secretary who probably joined the year before making him the clubs longest serving member of the committee.
As an angling club we are not alone in having an aging dynamic and I wish we had a younger generation eager to take the helm and bring the club up to date. Society has changed dramatically in recent times with social media, life style, cost of living and Covid all having impacts on the way we live.
The club has an increasingly small membership that ebbs and flows with the years with low points and high points as we occasionally get an influx of members. Many join keen to get involved but for whatever reason don’t join in. I get that; I join many clubs with great intentions and then lack the time to get to the water’s edge. And I’m supposedly retired with plenty of time on my hands.
Those dates in the clubs fixture list linger for ages before suddenly appearing in the rear view mirror as another year flashes past. Our first two boat trips fully subscribed only to be cancelled due to poor weather: grrr!
A social fish in May seemed a good idea back in December with plenty of smoothound in the estuary over recent seasons. Greysand’s seemed a good idea on a Sunday morning just a few hours fishing the flood tide. A bit of action and a chance for members to have a natter and swap notes. No competitive element just a relaxed catch up at the water’s edge.
And so it came to be; there I was waiting in the Greysands Car Park at Northam Burrows, running a little late at 9:05am. Where is Nick I thought? He is normally prompt. Ping goes the phone; “where are you? I’m in the car park?”. I message back; “ I’m here in the car park but I suspect it’s a different car park!”. “I’m near the Outdoor Centre. “ Reply’s Nick.
“Ah, See the Golf Course, well the Greysands car park is tuther side!”. I’ll send you what three words”. Lesson learnt explain where the meet up point is clearly using latest navigational technology.
Well it’s just the two of us assuming no one else turned up and failed to take on the social aspect. And so we trudged off to the fishing mark just a few hundred yards away. The hotspot was undoubtedly the point where numerous anglers were already fishing.
We set up half way along judging that being a neap tide we could negotiate the steep drop off without too much issue. Whilst preparation is the key to success I have to admit that my prep was rushed as ever and I had chucked the gear into my bag a week before as I had been fishing in deepest Wales over the previous days. A rushed trip to Sainsburys secured a bag of Finest Raw King Prawns complete with shells.
The sun was beating down, the water was crystal clear, I wasn’t sure if these would be good conditions for the hounds but it was pleasant enough. A couple of salmon leapt from the water giving hope for sport in the river when that summer spate arrives. I shared my prawns with Nick who hadn’t given too much thought to the smoothounds preferred menu.
After an hour my rod tip nodded vigorously and battle commenced. Hell! these hounds really do pull especially on a light bass rod and braided main line. I really should do this more often I thought. Over the next hour or so four more smoothound to 10lb 3oz were landed and several more lost as the hook hold gave, honing of bait presentation required I think.
The fishing was at times hectic with a hound on each rod at one point!
Frustratingly Nick who was fishing twenty yards to my left couldn’t get a bite despite using the bait I had supplied him. Perplexing this fishing game. Rigs, location’ luck?
So a social fish it was not. But it was an enjoyable morning with a good friend, maybe next year, maybe not….
We have our annual Putsborough Open on Saturday, June 13th. This event has become increasingly popular and is typically a highlight in the clubs calendar. Once again we have to thank Sakuma for their generous sponsorship and Putsborough Sands for allowing us access to the venue. We have the tides right, lets hope for good weather.
See you there I hope….
Dale Kiff was runner up with a smoothound of 9lb 15oz and Dale Kiff third with a smoothound of 9lb 6oz. Other fish registered included a smoothound scaling 9lb 1oz to the rod of Tony Gussin and a club record cuckoo ray of 2lb 13oz to Rob Hancock.
