Anglers are enjoying mixed fishing off Ilfracombe with ray, tope, pollock and mackerel among the catches on Bluefin.
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.
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”.
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.
Forty two anglers descended upon Stafford Moor Fishery to take part in a fund raising match organised by North Devon match angler Neilsen Jeffery.
I was privileged to have been invited to take part once again as the event is run every other year and has raised thousands of pounds for good local causes.
The match was fished over three of the complex’s lakes; Oaktree, Tanners and Woodpecker.
The draw was from 8.00am and there was plenty of friendly banter and greetings from the start as competitors arrived. Today was a mixture of dedicated match anglers, carp anglers and pleasure anglers. Match fishing is not my normal forte but I always enjoy trying and there is a great amount to be learnt from anglings different branches.
The competition is a pairs match drawn out the previous weekend at Summerlands Tackle where anglers congregated to discuss pre match tactics and swap angling tales of which there are always plenty!
The draw is of course a vital part of the match angler’s day as this will to some extent determine the winners and losers.
My partner on the day was Dave Downton a regular visitor to Stafford Moor and considered a local expert. We drew pegs 5 and 6 on Oak lake and Dave kindly put me on the better peg.
I am always amazed at the amount of gear match anglers carry with vast arrays of poles, rods, nets and angling paraphernalia. I felt very under gunned with my rucksack, pair of rods and canvas chair!
There was plenty of time before the match started to tackle up and prepare and even a bit of time to chat and compare notes as this was as much a social occasion as a match.
At 10:30 however it was down to business as the water was peppered with free offerings and a range of hook baits and tackles. My own tactics were to use a straight running lead with pellet on the hook feeding steadily catapulting half a dozen pellets at regular intervals. To my surprise the rod tip lurched around after only two minutes!
The day was punctuated by hot sunshine and heavy rain showers. As the match progressed my rod tip was pulled round on a regular basis and I was to end up with 18 carp for 58lb 15oz, I also had five come off which was a little frustrating but all part of the game. I am sure that individual dramas unfolded all around the lake with lost fish, broken poles and other misfortunes!
As is so often the case the five hour match flashed past in no time and when the whistle blew it seemed hard to believe that the days fishing was done.
I followed the weighing party around all three lakes taking a picture of each smiling competitor with their nets of fish.
What a fantastic venue Stafford Moor has matured into with easy access around the lakes, walkways all surfaced with chippings. There is a fine mix of fishing available for match anglers, pleasure anglers and specimen carp anglers.
Neilsen Jeffery thanks all the competitors for taking part and gives special thanks to Joanne and Paul Coombes for hosting the event and making everyone welcome. Thanks also to Martin Cox Angling, Drennan Tackle and Summerlands Tackle and Jo and Paul Coombes who all donated prizes.
The event raised a total of £2,159 for a defibrillator to be installed at Stafford Moor and a contribution the Appledore Lifeboat.
The total weight of fish caught was 1682lb 10oz and the nearest guess to this was made by Sian Gillespie who guessed 1683lb and wins £25.
Twenty anglers competed in Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs week long competition to catch the best mixed brace of specimens. The event was held in conjunction with the Lyn Sailing Club with proceeds split between Combe Martin SAC and the 1st Lyn Scout Group. Several anglers invested a degree of effort into seeking out specimens from both boat and shore.
The presentation was held at the Ancient Mariner at Lynmouth as part of the Lynmouth Maritime Festival. The winner of the event was James Fradgley Gubb who boated a fine specimen tope of 50lb and a blonde ray of 12lb 12oz a combined rating of 210%.
Results –