Bideford and District Angling Club 24 hour sea results
1st Kyle Blackmore spur 11lb 110%
2nd Rick eavis rockling 1lb 8 100%
3rd Rob Harris bull Huss 8lb 14 1/2 89.062%
I was privileged to attend Bideford Angling Clubs recent presentation night where it was good to catch up with members of Bideford Club. The club has a long history and continues to thrive in todays ever changing world and has even managed to attract some valuable young anglers. The youth of today are an essential ingredient for the future of angling clubs and angling as a pastime that can enrich a lifetime bringing valuable engagement with the environment.
North Devon Match Group Championship No.2 @ Jennetts Reservoir :
Results
1st Neilsen Jeffery 26lb
2nd Mark Richards 22lb 14oz
3rd Kevin Shears 13lb 12oz
4th Graham Currington 13lb 5oz
5th Peter Slade 12lb 6oz
6th Andrew Gratton 10lb 12oz
The miild ,damp conditions locked perfect on the SWLakes Trust Reservoir in Bideford, but the shoals of roach and bream proved quite tricky to catch. The walk around the far side was worthwhile as the top 4 weights came off the higher numbered pegs.Neilsen Jeffery managed to sort them out on peg 10 on the point . He landed some nice bream on the groundbait feeder on red maggots, Mark Richards drew the end peg on the far side and had a great net, of mainly roach, on the pole on white maggot for 2nd . Kevin Shears was best of the rest with another feeder catch. The section A, near bank, winner was Peter Slade with a nice net of small roach, section B winner was Graham Currington with a feeder and slider net on peg 9.
Andy Facey with a fine 4lb 8 oz Brown caught on black and peacock with flash back wing case size 8 wet cast to crusing fish 10ft from margins stalked for 5 or six casts on floating line with very slow almost static retrieve…
Its always far easier to get out of bed on a fishing morning than a work day morning especially on a February day with light Southerly winds forecast and a few sunny spells. Once again I was heading out of Ilfracombe aboard John Barbeary’s Bluefin this time on a trip organised by Keith Armishaw of River Reads bookshop. We had a mixed group of anglers on board most of whom I had met on previous occasions.
A large ground swell was running despite the light winds which was to bring on a touch of sea sickness for one or two anglers on board throughout the day. The steam out to the spurdog grounds around seven mile offshore was an enjoyable journey full of optimism for the day ahead and a chance to chat and catch up.
With the North Devon Coast line fading into the distance the engine note changed as we reached our destination.
This was deep water and with the tide still flooding close to 2lb of lead was required to take the baits to the sea bed.
It wasn’t long before the rod tops started to rattle as spurdog attacked our baits giving a good account as they were persuaded to the boat.
The tally grew steadily as the day passed and as the tide eased the catch rate increased with several spurdog on the deck at times keeping John and his assistant busy with the T-bar.
Whilst spurdog dominated there was the occasional bull huss with their vivid leopard spotted flanks.
By the time John suggested a move inshore out of a raging tide for the last hour we had boated in excess of fifty spurdog to 13lb, a few bull huss and a couple of small conger.
(Above) Bob Seabourne caught this 24lb 11oz beauty Beatties lake on a single white pop up.
(Above) Adam Atkins and dad John Atkins fished up on lodge lake on swims 2 and 3. They had 10 fish out between them with a new pb each too ! Adam now has a new pb of 28lb 7oz and dads is 28lb on the nose all caught on Sticky Baits Manilla boilies and buchenberry pop ups.
(Above) Ryan Labdon who was fishing with squid boilies and had this beauty from the dam wall on Lodge lake.
A good turnout, with some new faces for the first match of North Devon Tackle Clubs New Year
Winner on the day was current Club Champion Kevin Wilton who fished a 6mtr whip all day catching roach, skimmers for a brilliant 22lb 3oz total
Top 5: Kevin Wilton 22lb 3oz
Simon Poynter 15lb 3oz
Mick Seaward 9lb 9oz
Stephen Barrell 8lb
Norman Martin 7lb 10oz
Well done to Barry Lee on landing a double figure pike, shame they don’t count, as he did well to land it on his roach gear!! Huge well done to Mick Seaward on coming 3rd.
The match was held on the prolific Wooda complex , the 2 match lakes hosted the 22 competitors , the cold windy weather made fishing, for some ,quite tricky. The shallow end of the top lake produced the winner, John landed some of the larger carp fishing with paste at very close range beside the reed beds. Kevin had a hectic start catching over 30 carp from the dam end on lake 2 for 2nd. 3rd place was Craig with another pole catch on the top lake. Stephen Craker came in 4th with a pole and feeder catch from lake 2. John Lisle and Stephen Craker move into joint first in the championship on 19 points.
Wistlandpound Flyfishing Club members visited Blakewell Fishery for the final leg of their winter challenge series and all members successfully completed their three fish bags within a couple of hours. The water was still crystal clear despite heavy overnight rain as the inlet had been diverted to maintain good water clarity. My first trout of the day was a fine rainbow of around 3lb 8oz that gave a great account in the cold water. The fish was tempted using my favourite winter Stillwater fly the olive damsel. This pattern always seems to work well sinking quickly due to its chain eyes with its long marabou tail fluttering enticingly with a slow erratic retrieve.
After catching my first trout quickly I decided to wonder around the lake a little and take in the scenery a little. I was pleased to see that frogs had been busy spawning in a small pool adjacent to the lake. Signs of spring were in fact all around if you took a moment to look around with daffodils well advanced and green buds on the hawthorns along the path to the fishery.
Dennis Toleman from the Triple Hook Club had elected to take a walk around the lake and as we chatted a small wild brown trout seized my fly and was captured on Dennis’s phone before being slipped back into the water.
As we chatted I missed couple of pulls but soon added a brace of rainbows to my first fish. As a dark cloud threatened we walked back to join fellow club members who had by now all caught their bags. We strolled back to the fishery weigh station to see who had won this heat of he winter challenge.
1st – Dave Richards – three Fish – 7lb 13oz
2nd – Wayne Thomas – three fish – 6lb 10oz
3rd – Paul Grisley – three fish = 5lb 13oz
4th – Colin Combe – Three fish – 5lb 8oz
5th -Nigel Bird – Three fish – 5lb 3oz
The winner of the Winter Challenge was Dave Richards with 23lb 2oz, runner up Colin Combe with 22lb 8oz and third Wayne Thomas with 21lb 7oz.
Paul Grisley was forth with 21lb 4oz and fifth Nigel Bird with 20lb 6oz.
After fishing I enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee with John Nickell who shared exciting prospects for the coming spring. After a difficult season in 2018 due to the exceptionally hot summer plans are in place for 2019.John tells me stock fish are now growing well with plenty of good sized rainbow and brown trout coming along for stocking in early spring. In addition they will be stocking with sparctic trout a cross between brook trout and Arctic char. They are also planning to stock tiger trout a cross between brook trout and brown trout both species are obtained from Torre Trout Farms.
I was also tempted with some superb smoked salmon to try later in the day beside a roaring log fire. Blakewell smoke their own grown trout and organic salmon that taste far superior to mass produced products bought at the supermarket.
Organic smoked salmon on a fresh baguette with just a dusting of black pepper -Perfect!
Many thanks to Pete Gregory and Toby Bassett for allowing me to use their pictures and words following a successful trip on Bluefin out of Ilfracombe.
Fishing Ilfracombe aboard John Barbearys boat ” Bluefin ” and what a fish packed day it was . Lots of Dogfish as you would expect but in the morning when your hooking and landing more Bull Huss than dogs , you know its going to be a good day . Its always good to fish with Troy and Toby and as well as loads off fish between us , great laughs and banter all day long . We moved out to deep water to get amongst the Spurdogs and conger and ended up with forty to fifty spurs and a couple of half decent conger . Unfortunately with a spring tide and a little swell we had to head back in , but thanks john and the lads for a good day!
