Michael Toogood’s terrific haul of eight spurdog that included seven double figure fish took the top three places in Appledore Shipbuilders twenty four hour rover. The three biggest scaled13lb 4oz, 12lb 8oz and 11lb 7oz. Cameron Atkinson landed a fine flounder of 2lb 4oz and returned the fish having heard of Michael’s staggering haul of spurs.
Phil Vanstone won Bideford and District Angling Clubs twenty four hour rover with a specimen whiting of 1lb 81/4oz. Dick Talbot was runner up with a whiting of 1lb 71/2oz and Phil Vanstone third with a bull huss of 8lb 15oz.
A bitterly cold North West Wind battered the North Devon coast last weekend making fishing conditions difficult. Those that ventured out did manage to find a few fish that often move close inshore during rough weather feasting upon food dislodged by the surging waves. Michael Toogood fished a local shore mark in the early hours to make a terrific haul of eight spurdog seven double figure fish the best 13lb 4oz.
Michael Toogood -13lb 4oz spurdog
Combe Martin Sea Angling Club postponed their club event at Clovelly as a result of the conditions. A few members did venture out though and fished various marks along the coast that they judged to be safe enough to fish. I enjoyed a short session and was pleased to land a bass on my first cast a change from the more seasonal codling I was hoping for. A reminder, all bass have to be returned alive now with a total ban on retaining fish until July 1st. Rob Sciones landed a near specimen dogfish of 2lb 11oz.
Rob Sciones 2lb 11oz dogfish(Above) Unseasonable bass(Above) Dan Welch – Winter codling
Twenty four anglers fished this months flounder dominated competition with Andrew Atkinson securing top spot with a 1lb 9oz flounder. In runner up spot was Stephen Peake with flounder of 1lb 8.5oz and third Jazza John with a flounder of 1lb 7oz.
George Stavrakopoulos is a keen species enthusiast and enjoys trips to Ilfracombe Pier. Their latest venture saw them land whiting, pouting, poor cod, pollack, shanny smelt, rock goby, 3 bearded rockling, shore rockling, conger, tadpole fish and a cling fish it was non stop action. A big surprise was the sight of four big mackerel trapped alive in the pool behind the pier. These out of season visitors were soon caught and dispatched by local anglers who either enjoyed a tasty meal some quality bait for the freezer.
One of the delights of sea angling is the unexpected and Kody Chugg had a surprise when this ugly fish grabbed his bait. The fish is a tadpole fish occasionally caught along the North Devon Coast with the biggest I have heard of locally weighing just over 1lb. The Combe Martin SAC club record for tadpole fish is 1lb 1oz caught by Paul Blake the boat record is 1lb 1oz caught by James Fradgely Gubb
The British Record for the species is boat caught 1lb 6oz and shore caught 1lb 12oz.
Combe Martin SAC Member and shore caught stingray record holder Guy Spriggs ended 2016 in style landed a fine brace of blonde ray scaling 12lb 4oz and 16lb. The fish were landed on 30th 31st December.
Zyg Gregorek continues his globetrotting adventures achieving yet another milestone as he describes below!
Well done Zyg looking forward to meeting up at the lure fishing weekend at the end of February.
Hi All
Having recently returned from North Carolina, on my latest quest to catch a Roundscale / Hatchet Spearfish. This was my fifth attempt in the last four years.
I decided to try North Carolina, after contacting several skippers, I picked Dan Rooks on Tuna Duck. Dan has fished the area for nearly 20 years and was very knowledgeable on the necessary identification patterns. He was very willing and wanted to help our expedition. Despite adverse weather conditions surrounding Hurricane Ermine, of the many Marlin caught during the four days only two of the fish were positively identified by Dan as Roundscale Spearfish. Thank God. Mission accomplished.
All fish were photographed and released.
Following the skippers report to the IGFA and photographic evidence. I can now confirm and am very proud to say I finally caught the Roundscale Spearfish and have now caught all the known Spearfish species, Long Billed, Short Billed, Mediterranean the elusive Roundscale. I believe I am the only person to have achieved this feat.
In addition following the capture of the Roundscale Spearfish I have achieved the coveted IGFA Royal Billfish Slam with 12 different species.
There was a time when the mullet fishing season started in the late spring and finished in the late autumn. Times have changed with these fish now caught all through the year. Time and experimentation could well reveal far more marks to catch these hard fighting silver ghosts during the colder months?
Daniel Welch set out after winter mullet and landed a near specimen of 3lb 14oz.
Lee Holden caught this 14lb bull huss whilst fishing off Ilfracombe on John Barbeary’s Bluefin. Sport with huss and spurdog is likely to continue right through until spring whenever the weather permits.
