Nick Braunton sent a short report on the flounder season starting in the Taw Estaury. He enjoyed a recent session catching and returning severl nice flounder to 1lb 6oz. I asked him if crabs were stripping the baits and he informed me that he had no problem with crabs stripping the bait but large numbers of small bass were whittling the baits away. This is perhaps an encouraging sign for the future.
Flounder sport should take off when heavy rain flushes out the estuary and a few sharp frosts deter the crabs.
Mid October is a great time to venture out of Minehead with a wide range of opportunities on offer. I had booked onto Teddie Boy Charters with my son James Thomas, Rob Scoines and a friend from my working life Derek Walters. There were three other anglers already booked onto the boat two of whom turned out to be ex Combe Martin SAC members who I had last met up with twenty years or so ago.
Mike Webber is one of the UK’s youngest charter skippers but has accumulated a mass of knowledge beyond his years after crewing with his father Steve of Osprey Charters for many seasons.
The plan was to enjoy some of the mixed general fishing on offer close to Minehead. Ray, huss, conger, smoothound and bass were all on the agenda.
Sailing from Minehead is always very tide dependant and today’s departure was at 11:00am allowing us time to grab a Full English at the local spoons before grabbing bait from Mike’s Speedbait outlet.
We gathered on the Quay just before 11:00am and chatted about the day ahead noting the autumn shades of the trees on the hillside overlooking the harbour. It was good to exchange a few words with Mike’s father Steve who has taken myself and other CMSAC members out to sea on many occasions.
The boat turned West out of the harbour and steamed down channel to a mark off Porlock Weir where Mike predicted huss, conger and the chance of a ray. The first mark proved a little snaggy and we lost a couple of rigs and hauled up numerous small conger.
Mike up anchored and moved the boat a few hundred yards before resetting the anchor. This proved to be cleared ground and we lost no more rigs. The conger were undoubtedly present in good numbers and a succession of hard fighting eels were brought to the boat. Derek hooked into an eel that put a substantial bend into his rod before eventually being brought to the boat. The eel estimated at around 15lb was hauled in for a quick photo. Next drop down Derek was into an even bigger eel that was released boat side.
A couple of decent huss were brought into the boat along with a thornback and a blonde ray. As the tide eased the action slowed and Mike said it was time to head up channel for a blonde ray.
This new mark was clean ground so Mike stated that conger should be less plentiful. Wrong! A succession of small eels seized our baits intended for blonde ray. Mike was however proved correct as the tide eased to low water. Rob Scoines hooked a decent fish that proved to be a lovely looking blonde of around 8lb.
This was followed a few minutes later when I hooked a good fish that put a healthy bend in my rod before eventually being pulled over the rim of the net. I estimated the ray at around 12lb and slipped it quickly back after a photo. A few years ago, I would have been keen to put a number to the fish but these days I seem to have lost that urgent need for gathering statistics.
A few moments later it was Robs turn to do battle and this fish definitely deserved a number and was recorded at 16lb 3oz a specimen rating of 107%. Another blonde of close to double figure was also boated by our fellow boat fishers from Bristol.
As the tide began to flood the bites again eased as the blonde ray appeared to switch off. It was now time to move once again to our final mark of the day half a mile or so off Dunster.
It was now early evening and the sky was painted in wispy pink clouds. We all savoured the magical fading light over fresh brews of tea and coffee. These moments of quiet contemplation and expectation are to some extent what fishing is all about.
A few eels gave strong bites and tussles in the strong tide. A couple of thornback were also added to the days tally along with a hard fighting smoothound for Rob.
Many thanks to Combe Martin SAC member Jamie Steward for allowing me to use his account of a recent near miss on the rocks to highlight safety as we go into the autumn and winter sea angling season. Most sea anglers who have fished over many years will have had a few near misses, myself included. I have reproduced Jamies vivid account and added a few earlier words on safety from past posts. I dread having to report on the death of a local sea angler on my website or in the North Devon Journal. Please give safety a thought and consider investing in a life jacket they are not expensive. Anglers often pay hundreds of pounds for rods and reels yet seem reluctant to spend £100 on a decent life jacket.
Below Jamie Stewards vivid account of a near miss:-
Last night I saw my life flash before my eyes if it wasn’t for Ali Laird and the RNLI boats and helicopter. I probably wouldn’t be here. If you know me you know I likes my fishing and I was out with my mate Ali doing what we do, sea was rough and getting worse by the hour but being experienced fisherman we were very cautious and fished on. The session was steady catching a few fish here and there and then near top of tide I hooked a very decent Tope and managed to get it in onto the lower ledges, sea was fair angry at the point but I used the swell to my advantage and landed the tope on the ledge.. Ali wasn’t keen on grabbing it so me being me and knowing the size of the Tope decided I was gonna somehow land this beast. So off I went down to the bottom ledge timing it with the fall of the swell I grabbed her and had it in my arms. Knowing I had to get bk up super quick I turned around and boom I was smashed with a huge swell which launched me out in to the angry sea at this point I panicked.. the swell was rolling over my head I couldn’t breathe properly and I was swallowing water I managed to lay on my back and calm myself to think of a plan to get out and I felt the swell bump me in to the cliff a little further on so I took my chance and grabbed the rock and somehow pulled myself up far enough out of the sea and swells. This is where I stayed until the RNLI boats arrived but because the swell was so big they couldnt get near me so they called the helicopter which finally winched me out. I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved and for basically saving my life. I also wanna say to all my mates and fellow anglers please please please think twice before landing fish in rough seas and always put your safety 1st!! I will be a lot more cautious in the future that’s for sure! Respect the sea and stay safe. Ps I got away with few cuts to my hands a lost head light, bobble hat and Tope.
Following on from the tragic deaths of two anglers the other day from a part of Cornwall I know very well and have fished plenty, well for some reason it’s really banged home to me that too many of us who fish choose to ignore the simple things we could be doing to give ourselves the best possible chance of surviving if and when something goes wrong. I have found a good contact at the RNLI and had an interesting chat with him about all this, and also why anglers like you and me are so resistant to wearing lifejackets out on the rocks for example. Also had a good talk with a lifejacket company about some of their products that would be most suitable for the sort of shore fishing I do etc. I never thought I would say this, but I am going to buy one of those compact and unobtrusive, auto inflate life jackets. Not sure which one yet, need to choose between a couple of makes and models, but I am looking at around £100-150 – think about what we spend on rods, reels, lures and waders for example. More to come about what I hope might be some food for thought. They found a body in Constantine Bay this morning, most likely the second angler who went in last week……………..
Once again there has been a tragic loss of an angler’s life on the North Cornish Coast an area well known for its huge swells. The North Devon coast is also pummeled by these same Atlantic surges and anglers must be fully aware of the risks. Each winter I remind anglers of the safe guidelines to follow. Always check the tide and weather before choosing where to fish taking into account the wind direction and both the time and size of the tide. If fishing from potentially slippery rocks consider the impact of heavy rain not just whilst fishing but also accessing the mark and leaving. Ensure that you tell someone where you intend to fish and your expected time home. Carry a mobile phone and keep it in a waterproof case. Always wear suitable footwear that gives a good grip metal studs can be excellent and cut through weed and algal growth. Modern lifejackets are lightweight and comfortable and significantly improve the chances of survival if you do fall in. When it comes to landing a big fish have a plan on how you will land it and carry a long-handled landing net or drop net. Alternatively use a strong enough shock leader to give a chance of lifting the fish safely from the water. I will repeat the frequently uttered quote no fish is worth losing your life for.
Another good idea is to load the what three words app onto your mobile phone. See below advice from our local village information group.
WHAT THREE WORDS
The whole world has been divided into 10 meter squares each with a unique 3 word combination. We are informed that all emergency services use it as well as the Council Highways dept and utility companies.
You can find the words applicable for your house (front door) and keep them by your phone for emergency use and of course with a mobile phone and the free download app you can report a fallen tree, water leak etc. very accurately as when you open the app it knows where you are and gives the 3 words.
You can expand and enlarge the map to your doorstep and find your unique 3 words.
Please do use this potentially lifesaving tool as we know that Postcodes are not unique.
Daniel Welch dominated Combe Martin SAC’s Lyn Fish competition taking the top three places with grey Mullet of 5lb 5oz, 3lb 8oz and 3lb 2oz. His son Solly also enjoyed success tempting a mullet of around 2lb.
Ten anglers fished the competition with Open coast fishing for heavyweight species proving difficult with just a few dogfish caught on baits intended for ray, bass and huss.
Looe in Cornwall has been a constant throughout my life and a significant stopping off point for fishing adventures for close to sixty years. We were staying in an apartment overlooking the estuary and we delighted in watching the ebbing and flowing of the tides from our vantage point.
Pauline and I had booked the short break to coincide with a boat trip I was joining organised by my friend Keith Armishaw. The trip was to be a reef fishing trip giving the chance of a wide variety of species.
A strong North Westerly wind had been blowing throughout the week making conditions difficult for trips to fishing grounds further off the coast. Keith had organised a week’s fishing that included reef fishing, Shark and tuna fishing. I was heading out on the Thursday and Pauline and I met up with members of the fishing entourage and their families in the ‘Old Salutation Inn’. This old Inn situated in the heart of East Looe has a wealth of old shark and fishing images upon its walls. Old black and white portraits of huge shark hanging at the weigh station beside their proud captors. Fortunately, such slaughter is now a thing of the past as a more enlightened generation now return all shark alive in the hope that a thriving sport fishery can be maintained for future generations.
Fishing was of course high on the agenda as we dined and it appeared that the days shark fishing had been challenging with a very rough sea making conditions difficult for even seasoned anglers. A good shark had been brought boat-side and was estimated at 95lb. A qualifier for the Shark Angling Club of Great Britain that has its headquarters in Looe.
Optimism for the reef fishing day was high and with fishing likely to be on reefs closer to the coast there would be a degree of shelter from the prevailing North West wind.
I arrived quayside at 8:00 and met with fellow anglers for the day. Keith Armishaw, Dom Garnett, Mark Everard, Reg Talbot, Peter Evans, Nick Roberts and Tony Christou. Whilst waiting we chatted to the film crew who were busy filming a spin off drama of ‘Death In Paradise’. It was enlightening to see how many technicians and support were involved in such a production that undoubtedly brings significant income into the town.
The boat departed Looe harbour and passed the unique Banjo Pier where I had started my lifelong angling journey close to sixty years ago. I always relish the trip out to the fishing grounds with the splendour of the Cornish coast as a magnificent back drop. We passed the historic Looe Island that provides shelter for Looe and its foreshore.
Shortly after passing the Island, we stopped to catch fresh mackerel for the days bait. It was a joy to find them in abundance. Strings full of writhing mackerel were swung on board to be unhooked by a busy crew.
After catching a good supply of bait, we set off for a reef a couple of miles off the coast. As the boat bounced over the waves I caught sight of gannets diving in a feeding frenzy and thrilled at the sight of a tuna bursting out of the sea in a flurry of spray.
On arriving at the reef Dan throttled back and set up a drift. A variety of tackles and baits were employed. Live mackerel on long flowing traces, baited feathers and slow jig lures.
Within moments mackerel and scad were swung aboard along with whiting and pouting. Larger specimens proved elusive with no bass or pollock succumbing to the bigger baits and lures. After one more short drift Dan positioned the boat and lowered the anchor. The engine was cut and it was good to bob around in the lively sea as we lowered our baits. I elected to start off using small strips of squid on size 6 Chinu Sakuma hooks and fluorocarbon hook lengths. Within seconds of the bait hitting the bottom the light rods tip rattled and I reeled in a small pouting and small male cuckoo wrasse. Second drop and a better rattle on the rod tip resulted in a small red bream one of five i went on to land up to around 1lb. The last time I had caught red bream was on a reef fishing trip in the mid-seventies when they were a common catch. The species had declined with very few caught for several decades. A recent increase in numbers caught is encouraging. A handsome female cuckoo wrasse of close to a pound was also tempted with the small bait tactic.
Mark Everard fishing closer to the cabin also tempted a brace of red bream his first of the species. Mark was also delighted to catch a huge scad that would probably have tipped the scales close to 2lb.
The sight of bent rods around the boat prompted me to send down a larger bait. A mackerel flapper on a 10/0 Sakuma Manta was lowered to the sea bed and was soon devoured by a conger of around 10lb. Conger sport continued and I watched my fellow anglers rods bending in a typical scene of traditional deep sea boat fishing.
For the following hour or two conger, wrasse, scad and pouting were caught as regular teas and coffees were delivered by Dan and his helpful deckhand.
Dom Garnett with a colourful cuckoo wrasse
As the day drifted past Dan discussed an option to try a new mark close inshore where he had received reports of specimen small eyed ray. Ray are not a common feature of boat catches off this part of Cornwall and with a brisk North West Wind buffeting the boat the sheltered waters close to the coast seemed worth a try.
Dan set off and we were soon anchoring over clean ground just a few hundred yards offshore. It was good to survey the rocky shoreline from the boat places I had visited on coastal walks with Pauline on numerous occasions over the years. The area undoubtedly had huge shore fishing potential and I couldn’t help formulating plans to one day visit and fish. There are so many places to cast a line in this world and so little time!
I tried small baits first on my light rod hoping to tempt something different. Whilst I like catching small eyed ray they are abundant up off the Somerset coast and if I want to catch them I can go to Minehead. A mackerel seized my small squid strip and was swung aboard and added to the bait store.
On the opposite side of the boat Keith Armishaws rod took on an impressive curve as something large pulled back on the end of the line. We all watched in anticipation as the battle ebbed and flowed. The head of a large conger estimated at between 30lb and 40lb appeared and writhed at the side of the boat. I suggested we get a picture but the trace failed as Dan tried to pull the fish through the gate. This counted of course as the trace had been touched.
Dan is a very keen skipper and works hard to try and find fish willing to experiment to build on his already extensive experience. When it became clear that sport was slow close inshore it was back out to drift the reefs once more. Sport soon resumed with wrasse, mackerel, pouting and scad.
Dan suggested we try one more mark on the way back to Looe. By now it was late in the day and the afternoon sun illuminated Looe Island. Gannett’s dived into the calming waters. A short drift brought a few mackerel and a large pouting succumbed to my slow jig.
Sowenna bounced back towards Looe and we chatted about the day and past and future trips. Seagulls wheeled and turned behind the boat as a few fish were filleted for the table. The ride home after a day’s fishing as the light fades is something I always savour as I gaze back into the boats wake.
The tide was well in as we chugged into Looe and its familiar lively harbour.
I walked back towards the car park with Dom and Mark chatting about our trip. All three of us reflected upon an enjoyable day but all conceded that a dabble after large gobies with LRF tackle had perhaps been the highlight of the trip a chance perhaps to rekindle a connection to childhood adventures beside the sea.
Chris Dawson and Sebastion Shillaker fished off Reel Deal to hook and bring to the side of the boat a thresher shark estimated at 480lb. The shark was measured at 96” to the fork of the tail with an overall length of five metres. The mighty fish judged to be close to twenty years old was released at the side of the boat.
Dan Hawkins has now taken Reel Deal to Plymouth for the tuna season and has got off to a flying start,
Sometimes we have to make hard decisions as skippers none are taken lightly. With the weather we are due to have this week combined with big tides we have this week that will stir up the bottom we made the hard decision to end our Ilfracombe shark season on reel deal early. So with that said I took the chance on the weather yesterday to get her round to Plymouth for our chart tuna season and we have arrived at mayflower marina that said it would have been rude not to have a little dabble with Jerry Day and Archie Porter while waiting for our lift home thanks to Sam Narbett, Jerry Rogers, Tom Walker, Chris Gill and Dan Margett’s for the tips and info we managed to get our first tuna to the boat to say we were excited was an understatement now we’re buzzing for the autumn spaces available tuna fishing call or message if you keen.
Combe Martin SAC members Daniel Welch and his son Solly had great fun mullet fishing landing a number of fish between them the two biggest came in the first hour of fishing both on float fished bread Solly had a personal of 4lb 4oz and about 20minutes later Daniel hooked a good fish as well which also weighed 4lb 4oz.
I spotted this on the Lyn Valley History groups Facebook Page a common skate caught off Lynmouth in 1922. I wrote of the capture of skate off Lynmouth in my book “I Caught A Glimpse” published in 2019. There are a limited number left with the publishers if you would like to purchase a copy.
Looking back at the potential of fishing off North Devon 100 years ago can be depressing for in this relatively short chapter in natures book we have lost a huge amount due to mankind’s irresponsible disregard for the natural world and its complex ecosystems This was the general theme of a talk I attended with our son James last weekend. The complex issues facing the world today were highlighted in a fascinating and at times humorous talk by my good friend Dr Mark Everard. His book “Rebuilding the Earth” is well worth reading.
The River East Lyn one hundred years ago would have been full of salmon and sea trout in numbers that seem unbelievable today. In the past 50 years the salmon runs have crashed to an all time low. This exceptionally long dry summer has resulted in salmon waiting in the bay for a summer spate where they have been prey to seals. Some have succumbed to disease and have been feasted upon by seagulls.
There are perhaps glimmers of hope as nature struggles on and at times species recover or move into waters where a change in the food chain opens a window of opportunity. After a commercial ban porbeagle shark seem to be recovering and there are even good numbers of tuna visiting the waters off the South West. Pioneering local skipper Dan Hawkins has been searching for these huge fish from Ilfracombe travelling to the fringes of the Atlantic with considerable success with shark. If fishery’s are sustainably managed fish stocks and eco-systems can recover.
A porbeagle boatside in September 2022
Searching for tuna off North Devon
Skate off Lynmouth photo credit to Ashley Clarke
I purchased a book on the history of Lynton and Lynmouth by John Travis shortly before commencing this book. Contained within its pages is a chapter on “Holiday Pleasures” and within this section a reference to “Monsters from the Deep”. An old photograph shows a multiple catch of huge common skate. Reading through this fascinating narrative it becomes apparent that these huge fish were once a common feature of boat angling trips off Lynmouth in and around 1900. Cecil Bevan a local hotelier took angling parties out in his boat Kingfisher. On December 1st 1908 he set a record catch of 675lb that included 35 conger, two skate, four cod fish and a pollock. The book contains a fascinating account of a day on the boat written by a local journalist.
Within this account he tells of a skate caught that weighed 196lb.
A friend found further evidence of the skate and porbeagle fishing in the book, “Saltwater Game Fishes of the World and Illustrated history”. Within the pages of this tome are a couple of pictures from the “Fishing Gazette” July 4th 1896 that show a huge skate and a catch of large cod and conger.
Local angler Bob Harrop fished over the sandbanks off Lynmouth in the 1970’s and tells me that he hooked a couple of large skate that he estimated to weigh around 50lb. During this time and in the years running up to this he tells me that the banks were much bigger. Heavy dredging for building sand is believed to be a major factor in the reduction of the banks. It is told that at one time the banks became exposed at low water to such an extent that a cricket match was once played upon the sands!
The banks can at times provide exciting bass fishing during late autumn. Ray can also be caught from the banks with blonde, spotted and small eyed regularly hooked. Large skate are probably a feature of the past but who knows perhaps they will return.
The Lynton and Lynmouth book also contains a picture of a porbeagle shark. These hard fighting predators have been caught off North Devon’s coastline on a regular basis for many years. The top area for these sharks is probably the area off Hartland Point at the mouth of the Bristol Channel.
James asked me the night before our trip; why do you lot have to get up so early? The view the following morning as we bounced across the water on another fishing adventure aboard Reel Deal was I thought answer enough.
We were targeting porbeagle shark today from the renowned grounds off the North Cornish coast an area that once provided superb sport for members of the Appledore Shark Angling Club back in the 1960’s and 1970’s. During those days shark angling practices were less enlightened than today and all shark were slaughtered with many shark sold at market to pay for the angler’s sport. Fortunately, a ban on commercial fishing for the species and catch and release practiced by all anglers the shark have made a strong recovery. All shark caught are now released at the side of the boat with circle hooks used by all responsible anglers.
Dan Hawkin’s skipper of Reel Deal Charters is a pioneering skipper keen to explore the grounds reachable from Ilfracombe and has explored the potential that is available. I had booked this trip with Dan over twelve months ago and had fitted in with two keen shark fishers who had come fully equipped with their own gear. I had brought with me my son James Thomas, and good friends Peter Robinson and Bruce Elston.
Anticipation was high as we passed Hartland Point and cruised into the Atlantic Waters at the mouth of the Bristol Channel. Dan cut the engines a few miles off the Cornish coast and busied himself setting up our sharking tackles. The two anglers we had joined fished their rods carefully amongst our four rods. James, Bruce, Peter and I drew numbers to determine who would go first. Bruce drew 1, James 2, Peter 3 and myself 4.
Six baits were set up at various distances from the boat the furthest set deep and the closer baits proportionately shallower. As Dan started to prepare the frozen block of rubby dubby his keen eye caught sight of a dorsal fin cutting through the waves. Shortly after the rod tip pulled over and the float disappeared from sight and Bruce picked up the rod to set the circle hook.
Bruce holds the rod in expectation after a dropped run.
Frustratingly the hook failed to take a hold and we learnt how wily these large porbeagle shark can be. A few minutes later Bruce was given another chance and hooked into a shark that came off after a short tussle. We decided that we would if possible allow each of us to bring a shark to the boat but if the shark was hooked we would allow two hook ups before passing onto the next angler.
A few minutes after Bruce was in action again and this time he endured a long battle with a large porbeagle. These fish battle far harder than blue shark testing both angler and tackle to the limit. Eventually the wire trace was brought within reach and a specimen porbeagle was at the side of the boat. The fish was neatly hooked in the scissors and was released after grabbing a quick picture of the fish with Bruce leaning through the gate.
This was certainly a very encouraging start to the day. After a short lull it was James’s turn and after an aborted take another run soon developed. This time James made contact and was connected to a very powerful fish that gave him a long and tiring workout for twenty minutes or more.
Eventually the heavy wire trace appeared boat side and Dan grabbed the trace pulling the fish into view. It was a big shark and we were dismayed to see that it had a large wound around its body. A strip of white plastic was wrapped around the shark’s body. Dan was determined to remove the torturous plastic from the shark. With the shark on the port side of the boat It was now necessary to bring the shark to the starboard side.
This appeared to give the shark a second wind at is point and it battled gamely for another twenty minutes before being brought to open gate. The fish was then swiftly brought on board where Dan got to work with a pair of scissors to remove the piece of plastic strapping that had cut cruelly into the shark’s body. Whilst on board the shark was quickly measured and dowsed with sea water before a quick photo. The measurements gave a predicted weight of 179lb. The fish was then slid carefully back into the sea to hopefully recover from its wounds free of the plastic that had been so carelessly dumped.
The scars left by the plastic packaging thoughtlessly dumped without any thought for the terrible damage it can inflict on large predators such as sharks and dolphin.The cruel plastic removed from the sharks body
Ready to slip the shark back into the clear water
Many thanks to James for allowing me to add his account of the trip and for Peter, Bruce and James in providing additional images.
A great days fishing out of Ilfracombe. Perfect conditions to be out on a boat and amazing scenery as we steamed out to the fishing mark. Searching for a fish that I’d never caught before yesterday the Porbeagle Shark . When it came to my turn to take the rod the float dipped and the fish was on. The sheer power was quite remarkable… when I got the fish to the side of the boat where they are normally released straight away to keep any stress on the fish to a minimum we noticed some plastic around it’s gills. Dan the skipper brought the fish aboard snipped off the plastic and after a very quick photo we released the fish back into the water hopefully to fully recover from the tangle of plastic. Was shocking to see the damage caused by such a small piece of rubbish and shows the importance of reducing our plastic usage and dumping into the oceans. A great day, good company, stunning scenery and a fish I’ll never forget. Thanks Daniel Hawkins and Wayne Thomas.
With two shark by 1.00pm our hopes were high for another couple of shark and it was Peters turn to take up the rod when a run came.
The boat drifted pushed by tide and wind a slick of oily scent calming the water in the wake of the boat. Whilst shark were top of the agenda lures, feathers and mackerel bait tempted bass in good numbers with fish to six pound plus brought to the boat. A couple of bass were retained for the table.
A pleasing bass of over 6lbJames Thomas with bass tempted on a strip of mackerel
We chatted and relaxed watching the occasional gannet gliding above the vast ocean. At any moment we expected a float to plunge beneath the water or a rod to keel over as a porbeagle hit the baits. Dan kept us topped up with hot tea and coffee as we waited in tense expectation.
Peter Robinson with one of several bass brought to the boat.
As the afternoon ebbed away our time ran out and Dan called time expressing disappointment at the quietness of the afternoon. The run back to Ilfracombe went surprisingly quickly as we passed familiar landmarks of the North Devon coast. Hartland Point at the mouth of the Bristol Channel, the dunes and estuary mouth of Bideford Bay. The headlands of Baggy Point, Morte Point and Bull Point and the spectacular cliffs between Lee Bay and Ilfracombe.
It had been a great day with couple of special fish along with silver bass, good company and spectacular scenery. I look forward recommencing the search again next year weather and life permitting.
Mid October is a great time to venture out of Minehead with a wide range of opportunities on offer. I had booked onto Teddie Boy Charters with my son James Thomas, Rob Scoines and a friend from my working life Derek Walters. There were three other anglers already booked onto the boat two of whom turned out to be ex Combe Martin SAC members who I had last met up with twenty years or so ago.
