Simon McCarthy was delighted to land this 12lb 10oz blonde ray from a North Devon Surf Beach. It has been an excellent season for ray on North Devons beaches with several blonde ray among the small eyed ray.
Rivers rise to bring a run of silver tourists
The recent rainfall has boosted rivers levels and brought a welcome run off salmon and sea trout to both the Taw and Torridge. Around a dozen salmon have been tempted from the River Torridge and I suspect a similar number from the River Taw. One angler was certainly in the right place at the right time catching three salmon in a short session on a middle Torridge beat. If we get more rain to top up the rivers more sport can be expected.
A fantastic fresh run 18lb salmon was caught, landed and returned safely by Jamie Walden who was fishing alone in a challenging location mid river, on the Little Warham Fishery testament to his skills being able to land it on his own. Jamie also lost two sea trout in the same session.
Conger takes free-lined mackerel
Dan Carder was hoping for bass when he freelined mackerel from a North Devon Rock Mark. He had a tussle on his hands when this 15lb 4oz conger took the bait!
Bideford Club Opens – Karens Lake
Bideford & District Angling Club Opened their club Lake Tarka Swims back in 2006 and it has been a resounding success for the club attracting a good number of Junior anglers and providing a valuable facility for local disabled anglers. In addition to this it has been the venue for the club’s regular matches that are held monthly throughout the year with popular mid-week evening matches during the summer months.
On Saturday June 22ndthe club opened a new lake named ‘Karen’s Lake’. Construction of this lake commenced in March 2013 and the six years leading up to its opening have not been without difficulty with a few leaks along the way. The club’s membership have done a sterling job in completing the project with regular working parties and much behind the scenes work to obtain funding and expertise. The venture has been a partnership between Bideford Club and the Environment Agency with funding from rod licence revenue and local businesses. The lake has excellent access for disabled anglers along with toilet facilities.
Karen’s Lake has been stocked with around seventy carp over 10lb with the biggest close to twenty pounds. The lakes opening saw a large number of local anglers descend upon the lake with their families. It was a perfect summers day with warm sunshine and a vivid blue sky decorated with white cotton wool clouds drifting on a warm summer breeze.
Gazebo’s, barbecue and cupcakes gave the event a village fete atmosphere. The carp were active swirling in the weeds as some began to spawn amorously as the water warmed. Other carp could be seen cruising in the clear water occasionally slurping down a piece of floating crust.
The first carp officially caught from the lake within fifteen minutes was caught by Matt Cross and pulled the scales close to 17lb. A few minutes later Nathan England hooked a beautiful dark coloured common of 17lb 5oz; in a perfect script his son Jake England hooked a golden mirror carp to allow a father and son portrait. Several other carp were caught including a mirror carp to the rod of Junior angler Tyler Scott and another mirror to Dean Siford.
The carp will undoubtedly wise up quickly and become more of a challenge in the coming years but I am sure the lake will bring many hours of pleasure to local anglers. Both lakes are testament to the hard work of Bideford Angling Club and its supporters. The venues are a wildlife haven with dragonflies, amphibians, grass snakes, bird life and aquatic life abundant.
Karen’s lake is members only and a very good reason to join this club that charges just £25.00 per year with a one off £20 joining fee. OAP Season is £18.00 . Juniors £3.00 per year.
Day Tickets for Tarka Swims Lake can be obtained from Summerlands Tackle.
Mixed sport off Ilfracombe on Bluefin
Anglers are enjoying mixed fishing off Ilfracombe with ray, tope, pollock and mackerel among the catches on Bluefin.
Midweek Win for Martin on Tarka
Mid week evening match results @ Tarka Swims
1st Martin Turner 9lb 10oz
2nd Pete Slade 9lb 2oz
3rd Richard Jefferies 6lb 11oz
4th Ian Owen 4lb 5th Keith Copland 3lb 12oz
Junior winner Tyler Scott 1lb14oz 17 fished on a pleasant warm evening Martin Turner caught shallow in the pole on peg P , his bonus bream gave him top spot over ,in form Pete who fished pole and soft pellets from peg H . Richard Jefferies landed a carp on bread and meat on peg L for 3rd spot , Ian Owen fished the pole on peg N for 4th on the night.
Fathers Day Carp
Jamie Cox from Folkestone, Kent with a 20lb Mirror.
Here is a quote from Jamie
“It’s my First time back at Anglers Paradise since my Dad took me 20 years ago. I returned this year with my own little boy and what a way to celebrate Fathers Day by having this 20lb mirror from the main lake on floating crust. A memory I will never lose”.
Bideford and District Angling Club to Open New lake
Hacche Moor Carp
Roundelay Van Koutric aged 12 at Hacche Moor with a stunning 23lb mirror carp.
North Devon Match Group Latest
Results North Devon Match Group Championship No.6 Oaktree Fishery
1st Paul Morris 77lb 15oz
2nd Stuart Shelley Burridge 61lb 13oz
3rd Keith Copland 59lb 9oz
4th John Lacy 46lb 8oz
5th Kevin Shears 40lb 7oz
6th Pete Slade 37lb 6oz
16 anglers fished this event held in damp windy conditions, both lakes were used and the top 4 weights all came from the top pond , In form Paul Morris fished the long pole shallow with 8mm pellets and 6mm down the edge on peg 9 for clear victory, Stuart Shelley Burridge landed a good net of carp on the next peg using method feeder and pole in the margins for 2nd spot .Keith Copland came in third with a similar catch from middle of the dam on peg 2, Johns catch was enough 4th , a paste catch of skimmers and carp.Top weight on the bottom pond and 5th overall was Kevin’s catch on soft pellet, Pete’s net fell to dobbed bread.
