Braunton Baits Sponsor Combe Martin SACs Fish of the month competition for the best mixed brace. First prize is a T-Shirt from Ocean Daze
Think back to those formative fishing days as a teenager in North Devon and mackerel would feature high in those fishing memories. Caught on silvery spinners, strips of mackerel fished beneath bright crimson tipped floats or more commonly on strings of feathers launched from the rocks. I remember watching the shoals as they drove scattering silver whitebait from the water as the birds swooped to feast upon the fleeing fish.
I had begun to think that those days of plenty had been consigned to history books but sometimes nature bounces back. I had heard that mackerel were abundant in shoals not witnessed for decades with large shoals showing from Hartland to Porlock.
I headed down to Ilfracombe to enjoy a session after the mackerel and scrambled out onto the rocks amongst the foundations of the old pier. It was good to see the rocks and pier busy with anglers of all ages casting a variety of lures and feathers. News that mackerel were about had brought out the occasional angler in abundance. And whilst I’m not generally keen on fishing amongst crowds I resigned myself to this hustle and bustle of communal angling.
I had brought a spinning rod and a few metal lures to savour each fish taking a few home for tea whilst enjoying the thrill of catching. For the first twenty minutes or so I suspected that I had missed out on the recent abundance. But then I noted a few mackerel starting to show with the twisting and turning fish being swung ashore.
A sharp knock was transmitted through the line and I was in. The mackerel are miniature tuna and fight hard their bodies packed with muscle. As I watched them in the clear water I reflected upon the huge tuna I had seen caught last winter and questioned my sanity in seeking contact with a member of the mackerel family 500 times bigger than the fish at the end of my line.
As the tide flooded I was forced to leave my rocky platform with five mackerel, real jewels of the summer sea. The sun was setting as I put the rods into the car and lines of anglers were still casting from the rocks.
Whilst mackerel can sometimes encourage a less savoury aspect in those who litter or take more fish than required it also brings anglers of all ages to the shoreline to enjoy those simple pleasures.
During July and August many Ilfracombe Charter boats take holidaymakers on short trips to catch mackerel an experience that can be the introduction to a more serious angling addiction.
Heavy rain dampened the spirits on the weekend that signals the start of the summer holidays. At the meetu p and committee meeting that followed the competition members discussed the huge shoals of mackerel that are providing some exciting fishing along the coast. These fish are undoubtedly attracting larger predators like tope, shark and bass. Other agenda items included the upcoming Fun Fish a run down recent competitions includng the Putsborough Open and Open Lure competition. Fish conservation and protocol regarding shark fishing were also discussed. Summer is always a time of low attendance at club meetings and it is important that anglers get together to plan and air issues.
Combe Martin SAC member Kyle Bishop has caught a massive shore caught tope weighing 61lb 9oz. The huge specimen was tempted from a North Devon rock mark and is the biggest tope caught from the North Devon shoreline in thirteen years. This year is proving to be an exceptional year for predators with large amounts of bait fish in the region and some excellant shark fishing off-shore. Congratulations to Kyle on landing such a superb specimen and getting an excellent picture of the fish. Below is Kyles own account of the capture of a very special fish.
“Well after not sea fishing for a few months putting a few hrs in on the flyrod, I was getting the bug to chuck a few big baits, early last month got on phone to Tyler Roffey after seeing some bad weather coming through big swells and strong sw winds, we set out on a short window before it got to rough to fish a local mark. Got on the mark just as it was getting light set up 1 rod blasted big maki bait out for tope, set fly rod up for bass after 15mins Tys shouting my rod was going, running across the rocks to find rod in full arch and line peeling off, first run was incredible put some drag on and managed to turn her, after a back n forth battle Ty went down and put it straight in the net, I dropped down to give him a hand when I realised what we had, quickly sorted scales and sling, she went 61lb 9oz first cast back in to the big blue and a new personal best 
quick pic and back she went, fish of a lifetime still buzzing now and believe I’m only the second ever person to have a 60lber from the shore on the north Devon coast line yes now top man Ty for landing it and pics”
A few days of settled weather has enabled Daniel Hawkins and Archie Porter on Reel Deal and Predator 2 to put anglers amongst porbeagle and thresher shark off the North Devon and North Cornish coast. Later in the year Dan will be taking his boat to Plymouth in search of bluefin tuna.
Below are a couple of pieces intended for the NDJ column that for some reason did not get printed.
Sea anglers have been enjoying some good sport with mackerel showing in good numbers from both boat and shore at Ilfracombe. After several poor years it is good to see mackerel feasting on shoals of sandeels.
Climate change is having a dramatic and at times catastrophic impact on the natural world. Salmon are an iconic species their survival threatened by rising water temperatures a fact that is slowly starting to reach the awareness of the wider public. Angling bodies have been campaigning against pollution from sewage and intensive farming for many years. It is good to see these important issues reaching the wider public agenda with the demise of West Country salmon featured on BBC spotlight.
Rising sea temperatures are a mixed blessing for sea anglers with long term threats to the marine eco systems balanced against short term opportunities to catch species that may visit our waters as result of a warmer climate.
It is amusing to read the annual sensational headlines about great white shark visiting UK waters. It is highly Likely that these majestic creatures do visit waters off the coasts of Devon and Cornwall there is after all nothing to prevent them and plenty of seals and other prey to hunt.
The Taw and Torridge estuary offer exciting opportunities to target bass and grey mullet using fly fishing tactics. All three species of grey mullet can be caught in the estuaries. Thick lipped grey mullet, Thin-lipped grey mullet and golden greys can all be targeted each requiring subtle modifications to tactics. The pursuit of mullet on the fly increased in popularity in recent seasons with a Facebook group; Mullet on the Fly having 10,000 members. Colin Macloud has done much to demystify the catching of mullet on the fly following the publication of his excellent book, Mullet On The Fly. I must confess that my own efforts to catch mullet on the fly have been enjoyable but generally unconnected to the wily target species.
North Devon Angler Kyle Bishop has enjoyed recent success with grey mullet on the fly catching several good fish from the Taw estuary.
Mark Jones has extended his lead in Combe Martin SAC’s members bass lure competition catching an open coast bass of 63cm.
Present standings are :-
Mark Jones bass – 63cm, 63cm, 71cm – Total – 197cm
Shaun Quartly bass – 72cm, 60.5cm, 56cm – Total – 188.5cm
Reece Woolgar bass – 57cm, 59cm, 64cm – Total – 180cm
