Josh Atkinson took the top two places in Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover with a fine brace of black bream scaling 3lb 13/4oz and 2lb 123/4oz. In third place was James Atkinson with a black bream of 2lb 51/8oz. The two anglers landed the bream after travelling to a shore mark in Dorset.
BIDEFORD ANGLING CLUB MONTHLY ROVER RESULT
Graham Snow continues his success with Bideford Angling Club winning their latest Monthly rover with a grey mullet scaling 3lb 61/2oz. Nathan Clements took second and third places with a bull huss of 7lb 31/2oz and a dogfish of 1lb 141/2oz.
Stefan Jones reports on a hard days weather was great but fishing slow, mackerel didn’t play the game so frozen Ammo Baits was first choice, with spider crab collected last month to tempt a hound or huss . Managed to make a day in the end , roll on the next trip !
Dan Hawkins took a party of anglers shark fishing off Ilfracombe aboard Reel Deal and they successfully caught three shark to 55lb.
Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs annual fun fishing event on Ilfracombe Pier always brings plenty of smiles and this year was no exception. The title of the event explains what the day is all about nothing too serious just a few hours fishing with the chance to meet fellow anglers and special guests. The event focuses on young anglers so the competition is geared towards under 16’s accompanied by a responsible adult.
This years guests included Dominic Garnett who writes a regular column for the Angling Times and works with the Angling Trust to promote angling. https://dgfishing.co.uk/
(Above) Dominick Garnett gets involved coaching young anglers
Steve Dawe is an all round angler who has a particular interest in species fishing and is raising funds for the Stroke Association.
In January last year he started a fund raising challenge to catch 52 species of fish in a year and has surpassed this already landing his 64th species during this years event, a rock goby.(Below)
(Below)The Coastguard raised awareness of the need to take care at the waters edge offering advice to all who attended.
(Below)Ilfracombe Aquarium were at hand to identify any rare species caught and also hope to obtain specimens for the aquarium.
This years event was once again a success with a really friendly atmosphere and plenty of fish caught to give the young participants encouragement. One of the events main targets is to introduce young people to a pastime that can provide a lifelong interaction with the environment as Dominick said to me if we recruit one young person into a life of fishing we have been successful.
The below pictures give a view of the event that is made successful by those who take part.
(Above) Winning angler Effie Welch aged 7(Above) Dan Welch with one of several garfish caught.(Above)Charlie Stanway with a wrasse(Above)Lyn Wilson with the only mackerel caught(Above) Lyn Wilson won the longest fish and heaviest fish category with a garfish of 9oz.(Above) Lyn Welch with a rock goby and a pollock(Above)Steve Dawe and family(Above) Danny Watson chats with Lawrence from Ilfracombe Aquarium(Above) Joshua Jeffery with a garfish(Above) Ben Clarke with one of several blenny he caught.(Above)Dominick Garnett, Danny Watson and Pauline Chard of High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe.Ross Stanway receives his signed copy of Crooked Lines from Author Dominick Garnett
(Above)Paulina Garnett with a poor cod(Above)Solomon Welch with a wrasse(Above)Ross Stanway with wrasse(Above) Jordan Choules with a wrasse(Above) Sea Ilfracombe Pirate checks on proceedings(Above)Harbour Master Georgina meets with the local coastguard
First day of autumn probably the finest season for angling. One more try for a bass in Combe Martin SAC’s lure competition.
As I walk to the shore a few family’s are enjoying time beside the sea as summer fades. Its a balmy air as I make my way across the familiar boulder strewn foreshore. I arrive perspiring just before low water and make my way out onto a favorite rocky promontory. The sea is calm, clarity good and I feel confident as I clip on a patchinko surface lure and launch it 40 yards or so out onto the water. After searching the water for ten minutes or so without any swirls behind the lure I clip on my favourite candy coloured shallow diver. After two casts I feel that electrifying jolt through the thin braid as a bass slams into the lure. The rod pulses in my hands as a bass of a couple of pounds fights for freedom. I relish the sight of the bass as it swims on a tight line in the clear water.
A couple more casts and a repeat performance as bass number two hits the lure.
As the tide pushes in I hop off the rock before getting trapped by the rising water and move fishing from boulders flicking a surface lure into the shallow water. There is a swirl behind the lure and I pause momentarily before twitching the lure and get an immediate response as a small bass nails the lure hard. I lift the bass from the water and on grabbing the fish impale my finger on a flying treble hook. Bass on one hook finger past the barb on the other; Ouch!!! I really should carry a small first aid kit..
A wash off in salty water and its time to resume fishing. I search the shoreline finding three more bass as I relish the calm water and the splendid scenery. I love fishing these shallow boulder strewn shorelines and the exciting encounters as the bass appear in the clear water sometimes smashing the lure just a few feet from the edge.
I end the session as the evening sun illuminates the steep cliffs pausing as I walk back to enjoy a hot coffee from my new drink pod.
The next few months are an exciting prospect for the angler with bass, mullet and tope on the sea angling agenda.
Bideford Angler Ian Hooper has been enjoying success on recent trips to the estuary and coast demonstrating the variety of fishing that is in offer at this time of year.
Jon Patten was targetting bass with half mackerel baits when a pack of tope swam past! As Jon placed his rod in the rest after casting, his second rod bounced in the rest and the reel screamed its warning. Hastily grabbing the second rod he failed to give full attention to slackening the clutch on the recently cast out rod. As battle commenced with the fish on rod two; Jon watched in despair as his recently cast rod was catapulted from the rest to disappear into the dark night sea. After a spirited tussle a fine tope of 38lb 6oz was brought ashore for a quick photo. Jon was using size 8/0 hooks to 40lb b.s Seagar Fluorocarbon hook lengths.
This is not first rod to be lost as big fish seize the bait and head out to sea its important to always fish with a loose clutch but its easy to get distracted and the cost can be high!
Tarrant Wotton was fishing with Jon on the same session and also enjoyed success landing this splendid huss.
John Shapland caught this stunning thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb 1oz after enduring several blank trips. These hard fighting fish can provide exciting sport and the next three months are the best time to target them.
Craig McLoughlin who runs Braunton Baits enjoyed an action packed session at a local beach with his friends.
“Well what can I say about last night?”
It was especially Awesome!
A very very last minute fishing session with Mark Jones and Mark LaMude down the local beach, ended up with a fish a cast for me eleven ray landed five being blonde ray to 12lb and six small eyed ray to 9lb
Between us we had over 27 ray all on the braunton bait box Sandeel.
Graham Snow secured top spot in Bideford Angling Clubs Sea Angling Festival landing a specimen thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb 113/4oz. In runner up spot was Tarrant Wotton with a bull huss of 11lb 43/4oz and in third Stephen Found with a thick lipped mullet of 4lb 8oz.
I enjoyed a couple of hours wondering a rocky North Devon shore line with the lures. The windy conditions proving a good test for my recently acquired Snowbee Raptor rod and reel. I had loaded the reel with Sufix Braid that has a breaking strain of 26lb and diameter of 10lb b.s. I had also purchased a couple of Patchinko surface lures and had decided I would give these a fair trial.
The trek to the mark was punctuated with fishing chat with my fishing buddy Rob Scoines who had also been tempted by the Patchinko‘s at High Street Tackle. On arrival at the first section of coast we were met with a very strong westerly breeze. The water however looked perfect with good clarity and a little fizz created by the strong wind. On went the lures and out into the head wind. The Patchinko sailed out surprisingly well with the thin braid cutting through the wind. On the second cast the water erupted as a bass slashed at the lure. No contact this time but the next cast brought a repeat performance and this time a small bass of close to a pound.
Twenty five yards away I heard an excited call from Rob who had also missed a bass. The next twenty minutes saw a few missed takes but no hook ups. With the wind strength climbing we decided to head for a more sheltered area. Hopping across the boulders casting here and there we made our way along the shoreline. I clambered up on a high boulder flicked the lure and started an erratic retrieve. A big swirl behind the lure first cast. Next cast another swirl; third cast and wallop a good solid take and a good scrap as a bass of between three and four pound battled for freedom. After a quick picture I slipped the silver prize back into her home.
The next stop casting out around forty yards Rob and I caught a steady succession of school bass to just over a pound. All on the Patchinko.
Before coming out I had carried out an experiment showing Pauline a Patchinko and a cheaper copy. “Which one would you take if you were a bass” I asked? Obviously sharing the bass’s expensive taste Pauline selected the genuine article at close to £20 instead of the £5.99 alternative.
The recent change in the weather could bring a few opportunities for bait fishers in particular as the water colours up following a couple of months of calm hot weather. Several reports of mackerel from marks along the coast. A big mackerel bait will often sort out that monster bass with the next couple of months the prime time to get that double figure specimen. Bideford Angling Clubs Festival next weekend see poster below.
Bideford Angling Club 24 hour results
Graham Snow took the top two spots in Bideford Angling Clubs twenty four hour rover
1st Graham Snow mullet thick 3 lb 9 1/2oz
2nd Graham snow mullet thick 3 lb 2 1/2oz
3rd kyle Blackmore dogfish 1lb 14oz
(Below)Daniel Welch enjoyed an excellent evening session at a local harbour landing nine mullet to 4lb 15oz.
(Below)Stefan Jones spotted a window in the weather and decided to venture out on his boat. With a lively swell and big tide options were limited but a sheltered venue produced several smoothound, a bass of around 5lb, plenty of mackerel and a fine tope of close to 38lb.
Combe Martin SAC Member Kody Chugg landed this fine bull huss of 10lb 9oz during a session at a local rock mark.
