Small eyed ray have dominated results across this weekends angling competitions with ray taken from both North Devon and Somerset Marks.
Bideford Angling Club Rover Results
1st Jon Stevens small eyed ray 8lb 14oz 98.611%
2nd Tarrant Wotton small eyed ray 8lb 13oz 97.916%
3rd Rob Harris small eyed ray 8lb 11 1/2oz 96.875%
Joint 4th Tarrent + Rob Small eyed ray 8lb 10oz 95.833%
6th Jon Stevens small eyed ray 8lb 5oz 92.708 %
Appledore Shipbuilders Monthly Rover
1st – Josh Atkinson – small eyed ray 10lb 35/8oz
2nd – James Atkinson – small eyed ray – 9lb 153/4oz
John Shapland is a dedicated mullet angler and spends many hours pursuing both thin and thick lipped grey mullet. His latest session proved very rewarding with John banking a brace of thin lips using ragworm baited spinners both specimens scaling 4lb 8oz and 4lb. later in the day John swapped tactics to tempt a 3lb 7oz thick lip on bread flake.
Forty-Nine anglers descended upon Putsborough Beach for Combe Martin SAC’s popular annual Open Match. Conditions were close to perfect with an offshore breeze and a moderate swell pushing onto the beach. As the anglers arrived families were vacating the beach and were intrigued at the number of anglers arriving and asked what we expected to catch. I feel sure that most who visit the beach have no idea what lurks within a hundred yards of the dry sand.
The club had made the popular decision to amend the dogfish specimen size for the competition raising it from 3lb to 3lb 8oz. As it turned out dogfish were scarce on the night with just a handful recorded. The desired small eyed ray turned up in really good numbers with over thirty registered and returned. There were also several bass caught to just under 5lb, smoothound to 7lb 12oz and a few small turbot.
Combe Martin SAC give a huge thank you to the generous sponsors Sakuma, High Street Tackle Ilfracombe and Chillcheater.
The club would also like to thank all the competitors who attended on the night and made the event a resounding success. The owners of Putsborough are thanked for allowing us to host this popular event and I remind anglers fishing the beach that it is a Private Car Park and should be treated with respect at all times giving consideration to those holidaying at the venue. As an organiser I have to admit to a degree of apprehension each year regarding the weather and the logistics. The count up is always a bit stressful with a deluge of fish and a keen-ness to get everything wrapped up correctly without keeping anglers too long; as many have travelled a good distance and want to get home to bed. Apologies from the club for a couple of minor errors, fortunately I think everyone who should have received a prize did and I am sure all will agree that the prize table was excellent with the top fifteen fish securing a prize pack of a considerable value.
Full Results :-
1st – Ian Laird – Small eyed ray – 8lb 8oz
2nd Dan Welch – Smoothound – 7lb 12oz
3rd -Louis Rooke – small eyed ray – 7lb 3oz
4th – Dan Welch- small eyed ray – 7lb 2oz
5th – Jonathon Stanway – small eyed ray – 7lb 1oz
6th – J. Mayhew – small eyed ray – 6lb 15oz
7th – Gary Andrews – small eyed ray – 6lb 14oz
8th – Ian Hooper – small eyed ray – 6lb 8oz
9th – Dan Welch – small eyed ray – 6lb 5oz
= Craig McCloughlin – small eyed ray – 6lb 5oz
10th – Craig McCloughlin – small eyed ray – 6lb 4oz
11th – Matt Jeffery – small eyed ray – 6lb 3oz
12th – Brian Retallick – bass – 4lb 14oz
13th – Dale Kiff – Small eyed ray – 6lb 1oz
The winner of the pool for the best brace was Dan Welch with a smoothound scaling 7lb 12oz and a small eyed ray of 7lb 2oz a total % of 148.906%
Paul Hutchings sent me a report on a good day fishing from a boat in the lower estuary. They landed numerous school bass, a codling the highlight of the trip a gilt head bream caught by Andrew McKenna.
Jordan Choules banked this cracking mullet whilst fishing the Taw estuary having two others slip the hook close to the net. Thin lipped mullet are generally tempted using baited Mepps’ style spinners with king rag segments or harbour ragworm.
Combe Martin SAC’s annual Open competition at Putsborough sands is a popular event in the local angling calendar. The weather is looking ideally set for a good nights fishing. Small eyed ray are top of the agenda and with the amended dogfish specimen size anyone catching ray or bass will be well rewarded with a splendid array of prizes on the prize table from the clubs sponsors Sakuma, High Street Tackle and Chillcheaters.
This is a catch and release competition with all fish weighed and witnessed before being released. Remember that only one bass can now be retained per day for the table.
Please send your pictures taken on the night to me at North Devon Angling News either via facebook or on my email – [email protected]
Combe Martin Sea Angling Club
Presents Our
Putsborough Sands
Open Fishing Competition 2019
Saturday June 1st
Fishing From 10.00pm to 2.00am
Book In From 8.30pm to 9.30pm
Weigh In By 2.30am
Cash Prizes Of £100 & £50
Sakuma, High Street Tackle, Chillcheater
And Many Other Donated Prizes
2 Rods, 4 Hooks, Specimen Sizes
Entry £5 plus £1 Pool Best Brace
Phone Nick 814703 Or Wayne 850586
For More Details Please Check www.cmsac.co.uk Or Our Facebook Page
Boat anglers are enjoying an upturn in sport off Ilfracombe with the arrival of mackerel an encouraging sign. Anglers aboard Wild Frontier caught plenty of mackerel, pollock and scad whilst feathering off the coast. Bull Huss provided sport at anchor and an octopus made its getaway at the side of the boat. The next few weeks should see good numbers of hard fighting tope move inshore following the mackerel shoals. Images courtesy of Jack Phillips.
John Jobson fished Stafford Moors Lodge Lake to bank a fine brace of twenties scaling 20 lb 7oz and 25lb 12ozs both on krill boiles topped off with pink ccmore northern lights.
The latest catches from Anglers Paradise. Warm weather has Brought out the cats and carp!
53lb Wels Catfish from the Main Carp Lake!
Well Done to Paul Fullman
FISH OF THE WEEK WINNER 24TH MAY IS…🐟
Jonny Kitson who caught 8 Twenty Pound plus Carp during his week’s stay with us at Anglers Paradise which is pretty amazing angling!! Jonny caught 7 20’s from the Main Carp Lake of 22lb 2oz, 20lb, 22lb 13oz, 24lb 7oz, 24lb 10oz, 26lb 6oz, 23lb 10oz AND a 22lb 13oz Mirror from the Kracking Carp Lake making his catches in weight over 163lbs of Carpy action!!
Jonny’s story –
“I arrived on the Main Carp Lake on the Tuesday morning and after a couple of laps opted for a swim near Zyggy’s roped off area as it was clear there was a lot of fish patrolling the Lilly’s opposite. I then started spreading 18ml of Cell in and around the Lilly’s. I fished Ronnie rigs with Cell wafters just off the Lilly’s and over 2 nights I caught 7 20lb+ carp followed by a 22lb 13oz Mirror from the Kracking Carp Lake. Unbelievable session on an unbelievable lake!!!!”
MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE JONNY – YOUR ARMS MUST BE ACHING FROM ALL THAT HAULING!!!
Here he is with his winning Fish and being presented his prizes by Zyggy and Zenia with special thanks to JRC Fishing.
**FISH OF THE WEEK IS SPONSORED BY JRC FISHING – THE MAKERS OF GREAT CARP TACKLE**
CATS AND CARP ARE ON THE FEED!
Michael Pearson from Notttingham did very well on his annual holiday trip to Anglers Paradise. Not only did he catch Catfish of 53lbs 1oz and 52lbs 4oz from our day ticket Specimen Cat Lake but he also caught a lovely 24lb 9oz Leather Carp from the Main Carp Lake.
The fish are well on the feed after spawning, I’ve got fish pictures coming out of my ears!! Lots more amazing catches to share with you all so watch this space!
(Below)Gary Veale had six fish out from Albert square up on lodge lake 3 were mid 20’s all caught on Mainline cell pop ups over a Scattering of 10mm, 15mm Cell & response pellets.
(Below) Trevor Cornwell who had 4 fish out from ‘big fish corner’ swim 4 on Beatties lake including a new personal best of 31lb 11oz caught on Sticky Baits Krill boilies.
(Below) Tony Welch and his friend Shaun had a great report of 48 fish out in 24 hours between them from swims 8 (fraggle rock) and 9 (the angle) this was a session before they have spawned so having a right old munch up caught on Essential Baits.