16 Jul 2017

Big Ballan

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Ross Stanway landed a fine ballan wrasse of 4lb 14oz from a North Devon Rock mark when he made an early start attempting to add new species in the clubs Species Hunt. Big ballan wrasse have been scarce over recent seasons with very few caught near the local specimen rating of 5lb.

It is unclear whether numbers have declined significantly or if less are caught because less anglers target them? In the clearer waters of Cornwall , South Devon and the Isle of Scilly large numbers of wrasse are tempted using soft plastic lures. It may well be worth trying for the species over some of North Devons Rocky marks during periods with improved water clarity.

Most wrasse are tempted using legered worm or crab baits.

 

16 Jul 2017

CMSAC Species Hunt 2017 – Its getting harder!

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John Shapland has a narrow lead in Combe Martin SAC’s Species Hunt with 25 species but concedes that its getting harder to add to the tally.

The thin lipped grey mullet above is a new PB for John.

Among Johns catches was this strange looking clingfish, his first of the species.

Daniel Welch is in runner up spot with 24 species.

In third place is Ross Stanway with 17 species

 

Fourth Rob Scoines with 12 species

(Above)  Lee Holden with a spotted ray – Lee is currently fifth in the species Hunt with 11 species!

11 Jul 2017

Bass sport – Prospects good

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Kody Chugg tempted this bass of 4lb 6oz from a local rock mark using a whole squid presented on a pulley rig. The next couple of months should see plenty of bass caught along the coast to anglers using a wide variety of tactics. In recent seasons the number of bass tempted on lures has increased with double figure fish amongst them. There was a time when the general consensus was that big bass generally fell to bait this no longer holds true. Bass can be found over a huge range of venues with large specimens often moving into unsuspected areas under the cover of darkness. In these areas a degree of stealth can certainly pay dividends.

7 Jul 2017

Combe Martin SAC Species Hunt – Week 1

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Combe Martin SAC are holding a species Hunt between July 1st and September 3rd with the prizes to be presented at the clubs annual Fun Fishing Event. The event is sponsored by High Street Tackle Ilfracombe.

After the first week of the event numerous species have been caught from both boat and shore. The leader after one week is Daniel Welch with 11 species.

1st – Daniel Welch – 11 Species

2nd = John Shapland – 8 species  Rob Scoines – 8 species

3rd – Louis Rooke – 6 species

4th – Ross Stanway – 5 species

5th -Wayne Thomas – 4 species

6th  Lee Holden  – 3 species

7th = Ali Laird – 2 species  James Thomas – 2 species

Of course getting out fishing on these summer nights is a pleasure in itself with an extra incentive to hunt down the many species that swim off our coast. Image above courtesy of James Thomas.

7 Jul 2017

Record Breaking Fish From Ilfracombe Pier

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Tim Poat has set a potential new British Record landing a 15.8 gram connemara clingfish whilst fishing North Devon’s top LRF mark Ilfracombe Pier. The current British record stands at 10grams and Tim has submitted a claim to the Angling Trust’s record fish committee.

Tim tempted the fish on a piece of ragworm fished down the side of the wall on a very calm evening as the tide was ebbing.Tackle was Impact Ajing 5762 Lrf rod Shimano Sahara c2000s reel Gosen 9lb Maxbeat braid All purchased from Art of fishing in Wadebridge Hook size 16 tied directly to the end of the line 7 gram weight about a foot above the hook.

 

LRF(light rock fishing) Fishing has grown in popularity over recent years and offers a whole new perspective to sea angling with the use of ultra light tackle and finesse not traditional associated with sea angling. One of the joys of LRF fishing is catching an amazing array of species.

Another aspect of LRF fishing is that even moderate sized fish give a spirited tussle on the this tackle and you could call it Light-Rod Fun Fishing.

 

6 Jul 2017

Plenty of tope about and a few shark!

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The last few days have seen mirror calm seas for boat anglers who have been enjoying some great sport with tope on Ilfracombe Charter boat Reel Deal. Skipper Dan Hawkins has also put customers in contact with porbeagle’s. Unfortunately the fish have thrown the hook early before being brought to the boat. If conditions remain calm I am sure we will see numerous porbeagle shark brought to the side of the boat and maybe even another thresher shark.

3 Jul 2017

Sea Angling Results

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APPLEDORE SHIPBUILDERS

Paul Downing won Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover with a  fine undulate ray scaling 11lb 121/8oz.

Graham Snow took second and third with thin lipped grey mullet scaling 3lb 145/8oz and 2lb 143/8oz

The junior prize was won by Jack Pike with a smoothound of 6lb 121/2oz.

Appledore Shipbuilders annual away trip fishing for the Gordon Harrower Trophy was held on Plymouth Breakwater where the fishing proved more challenging than expected. James Atkinson secured top spot with a thick lipped grey mullet scaling 3lb 8oz. Runner up was Chris Slade with a conger of 15lb 8oz and third Michael Hammett with a dogfish of 2lb 61/2oz.

Dan Redmore took first in Bideford’s monthly Rover with a plaice of 3lb 6oz. In runner up spot was Paul Downing with an undulate ray of 11lb 121/8oz and Graham Snow was third with a thin-lipped mullet of 3lb 145/8oz and third was Andrew Clements with a grey mullet of 3lb 6oz. Forth went to Graham Snow with a mullet of 2lb 143/4oz and fifth to Steven Found with a mullet of 2lb 61/4oz.

 

COMBE MARTIN SAC’s Fish of the month competition was won by Dan Spearman with a smoothound scaling 12lb 14oz. Runner up was Ollie Passmore with a hound of 12lb 6oz and James Hunter third with a thin lipped mullet of 4lb 1oz.