1 Jan 2021

The early bird catches……………….the

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Combe Martin SAC member Ross Stanway set his alarm for the early hours of 2021 and embraced the icy conditions to get his angling year underway. Fishing from a local rock mark spurdog, bull huss, conger or cod were the expected catch. The first fish to rattle the rod was small conger of around 6lb. Then Ross hooked into a good fish that fought hard and swam deep in the water. Ross was hopeful that he had hooked a rare double figure cod. To his surprise the culprit was a specimen smoothound scaling 12lb 9.5oz a fish more often associated with the spring, summer and autumn!

31 Dec 2020

Bulldog Fishery – Building a fine reputation

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Bull Dog Trout Fishery is fast establishing a reputation for quality trout fishing with some superb trout caught over the Christmas period. The Day ticket water offers a variety of trout to double figures and is a sheltered venue just minutes from Barnstaple. Day Tickets are £30 for 4 fish or £35 for 5 fish.

Trout Farm & Fishery

A few recent captures are shown below:-

Laurie with a Magnificent 8lb 12 oz rainbow.
Reef Patten with a double figure rainbow
(Above)Jon Patten with a fine brown trout
(Above) Sean Mutch with a pleasing 3.5 lb brownie
(Above) Harry Liddle with a fine bag of trout including rainbows 8 lb, 5lb 14oz, 6lb 6oz and 2lb followed by a 3 lb brownie.

 

(Above) Double figure rainbow for Reef Patten

24 Dec 2020

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

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I would like to wish all the readers of North Devon Angling News a Merry Christmas and fish filled New Year. Hopefully 2021 will bring a little more freedom. Special thanks to this who have supported North Devon Angling News since I started the website back in 2016.

 

 

Anglers Paradise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23 Dec 2020

REKINDLING THE JOYS OF FISHING

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Gary Strachan and his son Harry enjoyed a 36 hour session at Anglers Paradise’s Day Ticket Fatboy’s Lake where they banked 12 carp too 14lb. All of the fish were in immaculate condition and caught using 12 -mm pop ups. This was a welcome return to angling for Gary who has found his love of the sport rekindled with the opportunity to share fishing trips with his son. Gary commented to me on how the amount of gear carp anglers now carry contrasts to his younger days when you would take; “a flask, some sandwiches, a sleeping bag and perhaps a plastic sheet depending on the time of year? Fast forward 50 years and two trips with the carp barrow to set up. Yes it’s more comfortable without a doubt, but is it really that much more enjoyable?
I guess the essence still remains though perhaps its has all become a little formulaic with many anglers following a text book approach. I doubt it would seem more enjoyable if you turned the clock back to use those floppy old fibre glass carp rods and sun loungers that collapse as your trying to sleep. I recall with fondness camping in a pub car park close to the River Thames. I climbed into my tent after a visit to the pub and my sun lounger collapsed in a tangle of aluminium frames and canvas. Strange how looking back there is always a sense that things were better but I suspect thats just the joy and enthusiasm of youth.
Anglers Paradise
23 Dec 2020

Rare skate from Bristol Channel shore mark.

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http://www.sakuma.co.uk

Jamie Steward fished an up Channel mark and hooked into a surprise fish in the shape of a rare skate. The skate believed to be a blue skate (Common skate) is a very rare catch from the South-West of England and sets a new club record for the Combe Martin SAC. The skate weighed 8lb 3oz which its not big in skate terms as these fish grow to over 200lb’s. I wrote about the huge skate that were once caught off Lynmouth and the North Devon in my book “I Caught A Glimpse”. coast it would be exciting if these fish could once again establish a population in our region. I have made enquiry’s to try and establish a definite identification of the skate and will update this story when I have further expert opinion.

The skate has a large chunk missing from its wing indication that it has been attacked at some point by a large predator.’possibly a seal or shark. This is of course one of sea anglings great attractions in that you never know what lurks pithing casting range.

Jamie was fishing with fellow club member Ali Laird who caught a 20lb 3oz specimen conger.

21 Dec 2020

Big Conger for CMSAC member David Brooke

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BIG CONGER REQUIRE STRONG TACKLE

            Combe Martin Sea Angling Club member David Brooke fished a North Devon rock mark to tempt a fine specimen conger scaling 26lb 10oz. Large conger are to be expected over the winter months and can turn up at many marks and are often the source of tales of the one that got away. Strong tackle is required to give a good chance of securing these powerful fish that often dwell in the snaggiest of lairs. Whilst conger of over forty pounds have been landed from the North Devon shoreline larger specimens of over fifty pounds undoubtedly exist and offer a significant challenge to the shore angler.

Anglers fishing during the winter months require top quality waterproof clothing to ensure that can enjoy their long vigils beside the murky surging waters of the Bristol Channel. Local company Chillcheaters based in Braunton provide outstanding quality clothing that I have been using for several seasons.

20 Dec 2020

A WELCOME ESCAPE TO NORMALITY

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It’s great to get out on the winter shoreline and during these strange dark days its a welcome escape to normality for the familiar seascapes I have enjoyed throughout my life are reassuringly constant. It was also good to be on the rocks before darkness fell savouring the view of a porpoise hunting close to the shoreline.

The fishing has been hard going lately with large numbers of strap eels seizing the baits and today was little different with several small eels succumbing in the first hour of fishing. A spotted ray was a welcome catch as the tide started to flood though its pale colouring and lack of spots was a little unusual. Bites came steadily with a small huss, dogfish and more slightly bigger straps.

20 Dec 2020

North Devon Match Group Championship match No. 12 Wooda Lakes Results:

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1st Keith Mountjoy 55lb 3oz
2nd Nathan Underwood 46lb 11oz,
3rd Tom Downing 41lb
4th Kevin shears  34lb 2oz ,
5th Andrew Gratton 30lb 9oz,
6th Chris Morris 29lb 2oz
7th Peter Horton-West 26lb 10oz
8th Ian Croxton 24lb 3oz
Todays match was the final round of the Championship and clubs calendar year held at Wooda Lakes near Holsworthy and with the draw being done on the Friday before the match, the banter was in full flow whilst tucking into the bacon baps that Stuart Sharp always has ready for us! The weather leading up to the match certainly hadn’t helped the fishing with lots of rain over the last 48 hours but still plenty of fish caught to make for a good match all round. Keith took top spot on the day with a winning weight of 55-03 from lake 4 peg 22. Keith caught at 16 meters on the pole to the island feeding 6mm pellets and fishing maggots or corn on the hook with the odd fish on the bomb when the wind got up. Nathans weight of 46-11 also from lake 4 on peg 16, was good enough to take second overall. Nath’ has caught mainly down the edge on corn with a few down the middle on paste. Toms weight of 41lb was good enough to take 3rd overall and the top weight from lake 3 on peg 12 and caught mainly down the left hand edge on corn over micros. Top weight on lake one was from Andy Gratton on peg 6 with 30-09 respectively! A tricky day for a few but plenty of bites all round and I think we got away with the weather all things considered.
The final standings of the Championship are as follows;
1st Tom Downing 240points
2nd Martin Turner 140 points
3rd Nathan Underwood 120 points
And there we have it, a bit of disruptive year with a few matches cancelled due to Covid but lets hope the next one is a little more back to ‘normal’ . Have a good Christmas, stay safe and see you in January!