Combe Martin SAC member Ali Laird has been enjoying success along North Devons rocky coastline and sent me these catches made throughout November.
Including spurdog of 14lb 6oz, 11lb 8.5oz, conger of 18lb 3oz, Bull Huss 8lb 6oz and a blonde ray of 8lb 4oz.
SAFETY FIRST FOR WINTER FISHING
The paragraph below is from my Angling Column in North Devon Journal and is worth repeating here.
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.
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.
Follow this link and it will give you the village hall https://what3words.com/caressing.deadline.resort
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.
Combe Martin SAC member Jamie Steward has enjoyed success during recent sessions landing this specimen Bull Huss of 10lb 5oz and a blonde ray of just over 7lb.
Combe Martin SAC member Ollie Passmore landed this specimen conger of 22lb 15oz whilst fishing a North Devon rock mark.
Late autumn is time for big fish from the North Devon shoreline. Combe Martin SAC member Jonathon Stanway landed this specimen conger of 21lb whilst fishing a North Devon rock mark.
Thanks to extensive efforts by the Angling Trust angling can continue throughout lock-down as an outdoor recreational activity providing anglers only meet up with one other person. This is a common sense approach as individual angling is COVID safe and is recognized as having valuable benefits for participants mental well being. Individual fisheries will continue to implement all relevant guidelines to ensure anglers safety. Match Fishing is unfortunately the inevitable casualty of lockdown but hopefully this can resume next month enabling a little festive cheer.
For full details please visit the Angling Trust Website:- https://anglingtrust.net/covid-19/
November Rover results
1st Julien Stainer Bull Huss 10lb 15oz 109.375%
2nd Nathan Clements Bull Huss 8lb 5oz 83.125%
3rd Antony Smith Smalleyed Ray 6lb 8oz 72.222%
4th Andrew Clements Dog Fish 2lb 2oz 70.833%
5th Nathan Clements Bass 4lb 12oz 67.857%
6th Andrew Clements Rockling 1lb 66.666%
The Angling Trust and many other conservation minded bodies are urging those who care to write to their MP expressing the need to back this bill to end sewage discharge into inland waters.
Below is a letter from the West Country Rivers Trust
As you may know, the Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill is currently passing through parliament. Ahead of the parliamentary debate on the 13th of November, we are encouraging people to ask their MPs to support the Bill.
Working in collaboration with Surfers Against Sewage and the End Sewage Pollution Coalition, we have developed an online tool which enables people to easily and quickly contact their MP. With a postcode, first name and email, the tool generates an email to the individual’s local MP; all they have to do is click send.
If each of our local Trusts could share this with their audience, we could see a real growth in support of the Bill. Click the button below to view the online tool and please don’t hesitate to share this with whoever you think might find it valuable.
Click on the below link to email your MP
https://www.sas.org.uk/EndSewagePollution-SewageBill
Fish populations are a regular topic amongst anglers and sea anglers in particular speculate and debate the ever changing fluctuations. Whilst commercial fishing undoubtedly has a dramatic impact on fish populations there are many other factors that can influence migration including weather patterns and the availability of food.
I noticed a post on Facebook recently commenting on the forthcoming winter season and the expected arrival of cod along the North Devon Coast. I was fortunate to fish the North Devon coast during its cod fishing heyday back in the 1980s and early 90’s when each winter saw numerous double figure cod landed along with the occasional twenty. Capstone Point at Ilfracombe was amongst the hotspots with anglers packing the rocks on favourable winter tides.
Big lugworm’s baits or large fish baits were anchored in the strong tide as winter swells surged against the rocks. South Westerly winds undoubtedly brought the best conditions with coloured water bringing good results.
I have been reporting on angling along the North Devon Coast for the past twenty years and have seen a dramatic reduction in cod catches. Whilst the occasional codling is caught especially from the estuaries large cod from the open coast are virtually unheard of.
During the peak days of cod fishing whiting and pouting were also abundant and catching live-baits was never difficult.
What I find strange is that cod numbers have not shown this dramatic decline further up channel. The Minehead area upwards still has a viable winter cod fishery from both boat and shore. Whilst this fishing coincides with murkier waters I cannot believe this is the answer to question.
Climate change could well be a factor but why would this impact upon North Devon and not Somerset? Food availability could be a factor but observations would not indicate this as herring and sprats are abundant at times throughout the channel.
Other species have become more abundant with spurdog, bull huss, smoothound and ray more prolific. In addition bass can be caught throughout the year and their numbers have not declined in North Devon in the same way as winter cod.
I have no idea what has changed in the past thirty years. It would be interesting to hear readers thoughts on this?
