Combe Martin SAC Member Kyle Bishop has been enjoying success on the local shoreline recently catching smoothound to 14lb, this superb bull huss of 13lb 9oz and a blonde ray of 13lb 8oz.
Final of Stafford Moors May festival 2022
Final of Stafford Moors May festival 2022
Report from Joanne Combes
“The worthy winner with 6 points and a total weight of 537lb 12oz a huge well done to Colin Horwood 
who fished a fab match all week well deserved Col !
who fished a fab match all week well deserved Col !
Largest bag of the week was also Colin Horwood with 185lb 12oz on Day 3 peg 1 on Tanners lake well done Col again ! 
Largest Silvers bag of the week was Nikki Miller with 49lb on Day 1 from peg 10 on Pines lake well done Nikki “
Bideford Club Lake Record
Matt Cross has set a new lake record for Bideford Clubs Karens Lake banking a fine common carp scaling 23lb 8oz. The fish was part of a five fish haul.
Shallow water bass
It is always good when that first bass of the season hits the lure! I have not invested much time in lure fishing for bass so far this year as I have been focussing on other species. My first session after bass a couple of weeks ago was thwarted by dense weed that made fishing the shallow ground I enjoy fishing virtually impossible. The latest session saw clear water and a gentle wave hitting the shoreline. I love this visual fishing in very shallow boulder strewn water bringing a soft plastic through very shallow water. The bass will move in with water just covering their backs and when they hit the lure there is a flurry of spray as the fish fight hard on a tight line clearly visible as they struggle before being brought to the shoreline.
Combe Martin SAC – Presentation Night
Combe Martin SAC held their presentation night at The White Lion Inn, Braunton on May 21st
The event was enjoyed by those who attended with many tales swapped of fishing and beyond. Many thanks to the White Lion for the use of the function room and excellent buffet. The attendance of less than a dozen members was a reflection on the changing habits of these days when social events are to some extent less popular than they once were. This is a trend repeated with attendance at presentation nights a fraction of past times. The recent Wyvern region Presentation night at Exeter attracted half the numbers of previous years.
Combe Martin Sea Angling Club will focus on the future and look at how to reward anglers for the fish they catch in a way that fits the modern world. It is very apparent that trophies and no longer valued by many. I believe that many anglers consider a good image of the captor and fish to be the best momento to keep the memory alive. As you will see from the below list some absolutely stunning fish landed during 2020/21. Congratulations to all.
The club are holding the popular Putsborough Open Match on June 11th.
Cod Trophy
Mark Jones cod 5lb 13oz S
Bass Trophy
Kevin Legge bass 10lb 12oz S
Mullet Cup
Daniel Welch thick lipped grey mullet 5lb 1oz 119.118 S
Conger Cup
David Brooke conger 26lb 10oz S
Flatfish Cup
David Jenkins Flounder 2lb 6oz
Shore Shield
Kyle Bishop spurdog 18lb 1oz 180.625 S
Medway Cup
Daniel Welch tope 70lb 175 B
Mark Jones porbeagle 310lb 177.142 B
Ray Shield
Mark Jones small eyed ray 13lb 15oz 139.375 S
Burgess Trophy
Solly Welch thick lipped grey mullet 3lb 9oz 83.824 S
Wrasse Trophy
Alex Mcleish ballan wrasse 6lb 2oz 136.111 S
Scouse Shield
Gilthead bream – gilt bream 3lb 1oz
D Kyte Award
Top six mullet –
Daniel Welch thick lipped grey mullet 4lb 3oz 98.529 S
Daniel Welch thick lipped grey mullet 3lb 13oz 89.706 S
Daniel Welch thick lipped grey mullet 5lb 1oz 119.118 S
Daniel Welch thick lipped grey mullet 4lb 94.11 S
Daniel Welch thick lipped grey mullet 4lb 3oz 98.529 S
Daniel Welch thick lipped grey mullet 3lb 13oz 89.706 S
589.698
Out Of Limits
Kyle Bishop skate 189lb Scotland Out Of limits
Merit Award – ? Kyle Bishop – Scottish Skate 189lb 179lb shore caught!
Plus welsh ray including – blonde ray – 16lb 6oz
Six fish Specimen total – Of 795%
Special mention for Daniel Welch 70lb tope, Mark Jones a bass on the lure each month of the year and a 310lb porbeagle, John Shapland 100 plus mullet in a season.
Top Six Shore
Kyle Bishop spurdog 18lb 1oz 180.625 S
conger 22lb 110 S
bull huss 12lb 10oz 126.125 S
tope 49lb 122.5 S
smoothound 13lb 8oz 135 S
blonde ray 14lb 9oz 121.354 S
795.604
Dan Spearman bull huss 11lb 7oz 114.375 S
spurdog 11lb 4oz 112.5 S
thornback ray 15lb 2oz 137.5 S
blonde ray 16lb 6oz 136.458 S
small eyed ray 11lb 4oz 112.5 S
smoothound 13lb 8oz 135 S
748.333
Jamie Steward bull huss 10lb 2oz 101.25 S
smoothound 13lb 2oz 131.25 S
blonde ray 13lb 9oz 113.921 S
gilthead bream 3lb 1oz 102.083 S
ballan wrasse 3lb 10oz 80.856 S
bass 7lb 12oz 96.975 S
610.852
Daniel Welch pollock 9lb 5oz 93.125
tope 70lb 175
smoothound 11lb 7oz 76.25
bass 9lb 4oz 115.625
460
Thornback Cup
Dan Spearman thornback ray 15lb 2oz 137.5 S
Club Records
Jamie Steward Skate 8lb 5oz S
Kyle Bishop spurdog 18lb 1oz 180.625 S
Dan Spearman thornback ray 15lb 2oz 137.5 S
Daniel Welch tope 70lb B
Mark Jones Porbeagle shark 310lb boat
Mark Jones small eyed ay 13lb 15oz
Mark Jones Sunfish 52lb Boat
FISH OF THE SEASON £25.00
Winter 20/21
Kyle Bishop spurdog 18lb 1oz 180.625 S
Spring
Dan Spearman thornback ray 15lb 2oz 137.5 S
Summer
Mark Jones porbeagle 310lb 177.142 B
Autumn
Kyle Bishop tope 49lb 122.5 S
Hacche Moor – NEW FISHERY RECORD
So after nearly 14 months since it’s last capture, the bullet has finally made an appearance at 41.14 … the lucky angler was Josh Critchell who after doing a draw found his swim to be full of carp. We stood and watched probably twenty or more fish in a little bay and there amongst them was this particular fish, it took over 24hrs before the big mirror made a mistake with Josh’s baitworks Atlantic heat hookbait…the fish was also a new pb for Josh and his first English 40 and a Devon one at that!!
North Devon Match Group Versus Bude Pirates
Report from Nathan Underwood
North Devon Match Groups interclub team event versus Bude Bay pirates was held at the mighty Upper Tamar Lkae
It was a lovely day for a change with 24 anglers fishing
There were some close weights in every section
Results are
1st Ryan Wiltshire 30lb 9oz
2nd Paul Elworthy 24lb
3rd Matthew Sampson
Section winners
A section Duncan Hill 18lb 8oz
B section Colin Cherrington 14lb 11oz
C section Robert Fuller 20lb 3oz
D section Nathan Underwood 16lb 1oz
Would like to thank the scalesmen from the Tamar crew
And also the cafe that provided us breakfasts and after match food
Well this is what you are waiting for the team winners on the day we’re bude bay pirates captained by Simon Allen
157.5 to 142.5 which gives us a 15 points behind when we go to the canal in September.
Still Catching at 95
95 YEARS OLD & STILL GOT THE FISHING BUG !!!
Massive congratulations to John Coates who at an amazing age of 95 caught a personal best 29lb 6oz Catfish from the Octopussy lakes at Anglers Paradise.
.
Wistlandpound – Continues to fish well for wild brownies
Wistlandpound Continues to drop quickly as predominantly dry conditions continue across the region. The exposed banks are white with dying blanket weed as more areas become exposed. The water remains clear with extensive weed growth in shallow areas that does not impede the fishing to any extent.
I spent a couple of hours during late evening and brought six lovely browns averaging 10″ to hand all taking small black and silver spider patterns fished slowly with a floating line and fine tippet. The lake was calm and ringed by the rising trout and rudd.
Bideford and District Angling Club – Mid week Evening Match
Evening competition No, 2 – Results
1st Keith Copland 19lb 5oz
2nd Nathan Underwood 15lb 4oz
3rd Martin Turner. 11lb 9oz
4th Kevin Shears 10lb 15oz
5th Mike Snudden 10lb 8oz
6th Cyril Found 9lb 13oz
16 anglers fished.
Our 3 hour evening match was well attended despite the wet weather, fortunately it cleared for the wiegh in.
Keith continues his run of good form, landing the winning catch from peg 9, carp on the pole with maggot hook baits. Nathan has fished similar tactics from peg 16 and despite losing several came in second on the night.
Martin’s 3rd placed catch was taken on peg 6 , on a top kit with caster hook bait.
The fishing remains quite tricky, although the silver fish are beginning to show, after spawning.
