Young Ollie Laird landed a fine specimen small eyed ray of 11lb 10oz whilst fishing on Steve Webbers boat Osprey off Minehead. Bagged on his 12-20lb Ugly stick & Abu seven that he won last year for a fish also boated on board Osprey.
News from Nick Hart at Exe Valley
Catch & Release to continue at Exe Valley Fishery
Although I had been meaning to add a catch report during March it is quite poignant to be writing one up now as this weekend heralds a two month period since Catch & Release options were introduced here at Exe Valley Fishery.
Catch & Release News
I am happy to report that the initial trial has been a resounding success with twenty percent of anglers choosing to opt for Catch & Release only while many others have completed their limits prior to enjoying an enjoyable sporting session rather than leaving the fishery prematurely.
Catch & Release options will continue for the foreseeable future until such time that water temperatures become too high. Please check the website and facebook for details or call 01398 323008, although I anticipate that the options should be available until June 2017 at least. We are the only small stillwater fishery in the area offering such a range of flexible fishing permits and now that spring is in the air you can expect some fantastic imitative sport … especially as there are a few wise Trout in Anchor Lake now.
Top Sport … and some of it is top of the water!
Over the last few weeks 228 anglers have enjoyed some great sport landing 893 Trout for a very healthy average of 3.9 fish per angler. Top flies have been Damsels, especially the Blue Flash variety and Buzzers under a bung are also very successful. But as the water begins to warm and the longer days are upon us don’t be afraid to try a straightforward dry fly such as a CDC Owl. Andrew Berwick, who started fly fishing late last year, did just that and was rewarded with his first ever surface caught Trout.
Looking back through the returns as usual we have witnessed some great catches including Perry Bamonte with a 5 fish bag at 17lb plus another 5 fish released, the second time he has achieved this in as many weeks. Matt Hunt has become a regular, travelling from Torquay to fish with us having heard that C&R fishing is now available. Fishing with his pal Mr Morgan they consistently catch 15 – 20 fish between them during weekly sessions since the new options were introduced back in February.
Nick Billet from Wellington said “Great day, many thanks will be back” after his first visit, completing a limit of 8 with his 4 fish taken tipping the scales at 14lb. Buzzers under an indicator proved to be the successful tactic which also worked for Nicks mate Shaun Rowden, also landing 8 fish.
News of the changes have spread across the West Country and Peter Philips from Plymouth was another first time visitor who had a best Trout of 5lb 8oz in a bag of 4, with one safely released. He commented “Great Fishery – lovely setting, nice condition & variety of size of fish, easy back casting – will certainly be back!”
Mr Metcalfe all the way from Wales was rewarded for his journey today in the form of this 11lb Rainbow.
Big Porbeagle on Reel Deal!
Dan Hawkins Charter Boat Reel Deal has arrived in Ilfracombe for the summer season and has got off to a flying start once again targetting the big porbeagle that hunt the waters off the North Cornish coast. On Thursday April 6th Mark Watts hooked a huge porbeagle estimated at 350lb and successfully brought the fish to the side of the boat where it was carefully released. The fish was tempted using Ammo mackerel and chum on a 10/0 owner hook.
More pictures and further details on this capture to follow later!
Bluefin – Spurdog season lingers on!
Holsworthy Sea Anglers enjoyed a great day on Bluefin with skipper John Barbeary out of Ilfracombe. This was the clubs last session on the spurdog this season. With Club Members Steve Dawe, Steven McDonald,Brian Hopcraft,Stuart Lockyer ,Graham Verral, Paul Smith, soon to be member John Doswell, and Paul Cozens. The boat went straight out to the spurdog mark this time as we picked a lot better tide and could stay there all day. The spurs started coming in thick and fast right away with John kicking it off with a cracking 19lber on mackerel. Everyone caught steady all day on squid and mackerel baits with equal amounts of spurs and doggies, a token conger to Graham Verral and a lonely bull huss to Paul Cozens.Graham Verral had the biggest club spur at 19lb and second highest bag of them with 20 in total, most spurs went to Steven McDonald who ended up with 25 on mackerel baits and a total between us of 115. The club thank John Barbeary for another good day at sea.
Spring ray and early Smoothound – Sea Angling News
Kevin Pike won Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover with a smoothound scaling 8lb 11/2oz. In runner up spot was David Barnes with a smoothound weighing 6lb 41/2oz. The arrival of smoothound close to a month before expected is encouraging news and bodes well for the coming months. Jack Pike dominated the junior section with a rockling of 15oz and a codling of 3lb 4oz.
Phil Vanstone won Bideford Angling Clubs Monthly Sea Rover with a thornback ray of 9lb 2oz. In runner up spot was Andy Clements with a thornback of 6lb 151/2oz and third Dick Talbot with a thornback of 6lb 12oz.
Combe Martin SAC Member Kevin Legge fished an Upper Channel mark to land four thornback ray to 10lb 8oz.
(Above) Kevin Legge with a brace of thornback
Rob Scoines won the clubs fish of the month competition with a boat caught conger of 38lb. Runner up was Graham Snow with a grey mullet of 4lb 131/2oz.
(Above) Left Rob Scoines with his CMSAC Fish of the month
Larry Lambell celebrated his 70th birthday by chartering John Barbeary’s boat Bluefin and invited fellow anglers to compete for the Blue Fin Trophy. Tony Reeves won the trophy catching the most species on the day. Larry won the sweep for heaviest fish and best specimen with a fine spurdog of 14lb.
REEL DEAL CHARTERS – Comes to Ilfracombe
Specimen Spurdog and big conger on Bluefin
A party of local anglers enjoyed some hectic sport off Ilfracombe aboard John Barbeary’s ‘Bluefin’. Spurdog provided the bulk of fish caught with upwards of 50 brought to the boat. Several quality conger to almost 40lb were also boated putting a serious curve into the anglers rods.
The biggest spurdog of the day was a fine specimen of 16lb 8oz to the rod of Bill Caasar. (Below)
It is likely that the spurdog sport will continue for some while yet with bull huss also likely to increase in numbers.
Josh Atkinson with a specimen spurdog on of several double figure specimens he landed to 14lb 4oz
Bideford 24hr results 18/19/2017
Bideford 24hr results 18/19/2017
1st Ian Hooper – thornback ray 9lb 1 100.694%
2nd Elliot Clements – small eye ray 8lb 2 3/4 90.798%
3rd Kyle Blackmore -thornback ray 7lb 15 88.194%
Graham Snow wins North Devon Heat
Graham Snow secured victory in the March heat of the North Devon Sea League with his fine mullet 4lb 13.5oz. It was the only fish brought to the scales, Th next heat is on April 9th and10th with the weigh in at Appledore. The Leagues AGM will be held in May and anyone interested in submitting 4 man teams should contact Damien Babb on 07875611772.
Fine bull huss for Junior angler Jack Pike
Jack Pike with a fine bull huss of 10lbs 15ozs last night a new Appledore Shipbuilders junior record!
The bull huss secured victory in Appledore Shipbuilders 24 hour Rover. In runner up spot was Michael Toogood with a huss of 6lb 6oz and third was Andrew Atkinson with a dogfish of 2lb 3oz.