Many thanks to Troy for allowing me to use his words and pictures.
Troy Laing and his Ilfracombe fishing buddies enjoyed a great day fishing on the Bluefin Charters . “Skippered by the legendary John Barbeary . He done well from start to finish as always. Putting us bang on the pollack over at lundy island..All of us fishing getting 1 each every drift on the silver dreams. Even pulling out 2 and 3 at a time.Then as we ran out of tide for the drifts. Steamed over to the tope grounds. With Paul Lorrimore pulling us out fresh joey mackrel on the sabiki lures..With the encouragement from the skipper john barbeary to put a live Joel on the hook. Advice was spot on. As i managed to pull out a 36lb tope. Only my second ever tope and a new personal best..snapped some quick photos. Then swiftly retured until the next time. Then Bill Cassar managed the next one of 20lb.
Also 2 beautiful cuckoo wrasse of amazing color. Pretty fish with rainbow colors..what a day. What more can i say. And thanks guys for the banter…until next time. Thanks guys..tight lines..xxx”
It is vital that stakeholders speak up and put across their views. There is a great deal of apathy across many sectors of society but one thing is certain those who do not speak will not be heard. The constant raising of the state of our rivers and seas across the media in regard to sewage pollution highlights how issues can be brought higher on the agenda.
As anglers across North Devon I feel sure we have seen a great benefit in the total ban on netting in estuaries. Those who believe this to be the case sould write to the D & S IFCA expressing their thoughts. See below statement from the D & S IFCA
The Review of the Netting Permit Conditions
Have Your Say
What is this about?
D&S IFCA is the body responsible to manage the exploitation of sea fisheries resources in this district which includes the areas of Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire County Councils; Bristol and Plymouth City Councils; North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Councils and all adjacent waters out to six nautical miles offshore or the median line with Wales.
D&S IFCA manages netting activity via the Netting Permit Byelaw. The Byelaw allows permits to be issued that contain conditions of use for those engaged in netting activity.
D&S IFCA must review the existing Netting Permit Conditions and has a duty to consult in writing with permit holders and such other stakeholders, organisations and persons as appear to the Authority to be representative of the interests likely to be substantially affected by the proposed future management options.
Your view is important and D&S IFCA is inviting you to be involved in the review and have your say. We are directly contacting everyone on our mailing list and giving you options on how to respond. All stakeholders can respond even if they don’t have a Netting Permit.
The review of the Netting Permit Conditions will be an extended process, including collating information and evidence, and decision making by D&S IFCA’s Byelaw and Permitting Sub-Committee (B&PSC). The review may or may not lead to changes to the existing Netting Permit Conditions.
The information gathering exercise starts on 19th May 2023
The information gathering exercise ends on 30th June 2023.
What is covered by the current Netting Permit Conditions?
The existing Netting Permit Conditions regulate netting within estuaries and at sea in the D&S IFCA District. The Netting Permit Conditions apply to both commercial fishers (Category One Permit) and recreational fishers (Category Two Permit) and the restrictions are tailored to these diffing sectors.
The Netting Permit Conditions and Annexes (charts) can be viewed in full by using the links below or visiting the D&S IFCA website.
No drift or fixed nets are authorised within any of the estuaries.
A series of coastal zones at sea that prohibit the use of fixed surface nets.
Minimum sizes for shellfish and bass.
Protection for berried crab, lobster and spiny lobster.
A limitation on the removal of parts of crabs (claws).
A bag limit for recreational fishers (2 lobsters and 3 crabs per calendar day).
Gear marking requirements (floating markers and flags for fixed nets).
A 25-metre maximum length for nets at sea operated by recreational fishers.
Net tags requirement for recreational fishers.
No removal of spiny lobster from defined Marine Protected Areas.
No netting authorised in an area surrounding Lundy Island.
How to have your say?
The consultation is not a questionnaire. This phase one consultation has no focussed or specific items, but it does give all stakeholders the opportunity to examine the present Netting Permit Conditions, see how netting is being managed by D&S IFCA and respond accordingly.
The following prompts may help you provide a response:
What is your interest in the review?
How did you find out about this review?
What changes do you think should be made (if any) to the Permit Conditions and why should there be changes?
What works well from your point of view and why?
What doesn’t work so well and why?
Please provide any supporting information or evidence to support your response.
Are you on our mailing list and would you like to be added if not already?
Please respond by emailing or writing to us and please call if you need further information or to speak to an Officer. Email: [email protected] Telephone: (Neil Townsend) – 07590 224011 or 01626 331589 Telephone IFCA Office: 01803 854648
Braunton Baits Craig Mcloughin took his frozen sandeels and squid to a local North Devon beach and tempted several small eyed ray. It has been a good season for ray so far this year which bodes well for the forthcoming Putsborough Open Match organised by Combe Martin SAC.
Combe Martin SAC member Ali Laird has been out on the shoreline enjoying late spring sport with ray and smoothound. He has just registered this specimen small eyed ray of 10lb 5oz and a smoothound of 9lb 13oz.
I joined fellow members of Combe Martin SAC on a trip in search of grey mullet in Portishead Marina following reports of some good fish being tempted from the complex. Unlike many marinas it seemed that angling was permitted and even encouraged. Hopefully this state of affairs will continue providing those who use the area respect other users and leave no litter.
The trip had been planned at the turn of the year with timings based upon knowledge gleaned from fellow anglers and members of the National Mullet Club. Stories of mullet to over 7lb certainly inspired. Though I think it fair to say we all knew that hopes and reality are often far apart.
It seemed that fortune was on our side with the Met office forecasting warm sunshine, temperatures up to 20 degrees and light winds. We met up in Barnstaple at 6:30am and loaded the gear into Nicks truck. Dan and his son Solly would meet us at the venue. It was a little overcast and chill in the morning air but by 10:00 the sun would burn through the clouds and we would bathe in the warmth of the late spring sunshine!
Two hours later after a smooth and uneventful journey discussing the trials and tribulations of life and those fishing trips of past and future we stepped out into the bitter chill of reality. A bitter cold North East Wind was sweeping down through the marina making us all ponder upon our gullibility in actually believing the promise of warm sunshine!
We were in contact with Andrew Burt of the National Mullet Club and were grateful for his offer of expertise and venue knowledge. Especially for his tips on where to find a good full English at a reasonable price. ( Ocean Café Port Marina Portishead).
The marina is in fact a large venue with plenty of water to explore and by the end of the day we had managed a couple of laps. We found a relatively sheltered corner to start proceedings and set up with both float and quivertip rods. The nearby Costa offered access to a toilet at the cost of a coffee.
There were several anglers fishing around the marina and it seemed that most were targeting bass and flounder. We witnessed a decent sized flounder requiring a landing net within the first hour.
The water within the marina is surprisingly clear considering it is fed from the turbid waters of the Upper Bristol Channel. When the lock gates were operated it was clear to see the murky influx of water that flooded in.
The first couple of hours proved uneventful and rather chilly. That full English seemed ever tempting and at 10:30 we headed for the café and joined Andy Burt and his mate from the NMC.
Fully nourished after breakfast and banter we headed back to the water’s edge to try our luck. Dan and Solly had found a few mullet and were getting regular bites with Dan landing a good fish of around 3lb along with a smaller fish. John Avery, John Shapland, Nick Phillips and myself wondered around the marina trying different promising looking spots.
I missed a good bite on the float and had a few indications on the quiver tip. Slowly the mist burnt away and that warm sunshine beamed down from a brilliant blue sky. The marina abounded with life as dogwalkers, joggers and strollers went about their day. Luxury yachts cruised in and out and it was apparent that the area enjoys a degree of affluence. Waterside bars, restaurants and coffee shops certainly seemed to be buzzing with life.
Our piscatorial adventure was not however living up to expectations and our hopes of specimen mullet began to fade. Though in fairness connection with just one fish could have totally changed that.
Mid afternoon my quiver tip plunged over and I made contact with a powerful fish. The plunging on the rod didn’t really feel mullet like but with mullet on the mind that is what I expected to see. Instead of the expected mullet a large eel appeared writhing on the surface to be safely scooped up into the net. At around 2lb the slimy creature highlighted the surprises that reside within these urban waters.
Slippery as an eel !!!
It would certainly be well worth exploring the venue with LRF tactics as I am sure it holds a few surprises in addition to the bass, pollock, flounder and mullet.
By late afternoon we had all had enough and with a two hour journey home we waved goodbye to Andy Burt and his mate as they float fished from their boat using their knowledge of the venue to build a catch of small bass and mullet.
I feel sure we will return to the venue again later in the year for that connection with an outsize urban mullet.
Reece Woolgar has extended his lead in Combe Martin SAC’s Lure fishing league catching his second bass of 59cm. Giving him a total of 116cm for two bass. The league winner is the one with the best length for three bass. The competition is sponsored by HIgh Street Tackle Ilfracombe and is free to club members.
At the end of June HIgh Street Tackle are hosting an Open lure fishing competition in conjunction with CMSAC. Further details to be announced soon. See poster below and comment from Danny Watson.
I am really pleased that High Street Tackle are able to be behind this competition again this year….don’t forget to come and see us for all of your needs.
For those that haven’t been before, for a long time or maybe you just didn’t know, from our humble beginnings High Street Tackle is now one of the top bass lure fishing shops in the UK. With even more continuing growth and expansion planned this year.
We stock a massive selection of absolutely everything you need from all of the best European and Japanese brands and for two of them carry the largest selection in the UK. With some items not available anywhere else.
Please feel free to discuss any requirements – we are always happy to open out of hours by arrangement whenever possible.
Follow the High Street Tackle pages on Facebook and Instagram to stay informed of the latest deliveries…
Good luck to everyone that enters and for anyone thinking about it, just do it – this format allows for greater chances of winning than the single biggest fish.
Combe Martin SAC Member Shane Pavio Hookway has enjoyed recent success at marks further up the Bristol Channel tempting a fine bass of 9lb 15oz on Teign baits peeler crab and a small eyed ray of 8lb 12oz tempted on Teign baits Pilchard.
( Below) Combe Martin SAC member Reece Woolgar has got off the mark in Combe Martin SAC’s Lure Fishing competition league catching a bass of 57cm.
(Above) Combe Martin SAC Junior member Charlie Stanway caught a fine specimen ballan wrasse of 4lb 15.5oz. He also tempted a 6oz corkwing wrasse (below) both colourful fish were tempted on peeler crab.
Bideford Angling Club Sea May Rover results
1st Stephen Found Smalleyed Ray 10lb 8oz 116.666%
2nd Richard Jefferies Blonde Ray 9lb 4oz 77.083%
3rd Terry Dymond smoothhound 7lb 4oz 72.5%
Appledore Shipbuilders May Rover
11 Anglers fished the May Rover
Jazza John took first place with a Specimen Smoothound of 10lb 14ozs
Second place went to Andrew Atkinson with another Smoothound of 8lb 11ozs.
Third was Terry Dymond with a Smoothound of 7lb 3ozs.
As recreational anglers we have an increasing opportunity to have our say as stakeholders on the management of the waters that surround our country. I suggest all sea anglers should engage. I am a general member of the D & S IFCA so if you have views on this please feel free to message NDANs.
Daniel Welch and his son Solly made an early morning start with the weather and tides were perfect to give the local wrecks a try. The target was a decent conger. They caught no conger but did manage a couple rare North Devon Ling to 8lb, along with plenty of pouting. Gave the lures a go on the way back over local reefs which produced a few wrasse and plenty of small pollack .
