13 Feb 2024

South West Fly Fair returns to Roadford Lake

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South West Fly Fair returns to Roadford Lake

The South West Fly Fair makes a welcome return to Roadford Lake on Sunday 25 February.

The fair is hosted by charity South West Lakes Trust at Roadford Lake, between Launceston and Okehampton. The event is a highlight in the Westcountry’s angling calendar ahead of the new fishing season.

The day is made possible thanks to sponsorship from Catch, Chevron Hackles, Homeleigh Garden Centre, Snowbee and Turrall.

Throughout the day there will be fly tying demonstrations from local and national experts Charles Jardine and Rodney Wevill, with a chance to ‘have a go’, as well as the chance to pick up useful tips and valuable advice from experts including Simon Kidd (Snowbee).

Other activities include casting demonstrations, fly casting lessons, and – new for this year – a chance to speak to trout, sea and coarse fly fishers.

There will be coarse fly fishing demonstrations from Dom Garnett, trout cooking demonstrations and the opportunity to meet members of fly fishing clubs based at lakes across the South West as well as find out more about coaching and tuition available in the region – perfect for both newcomers to the sport and experienced anglers feeling a little rusty after the closed season.

Trade stands will be selling new and used tackle and equipment and food and drink will be available at the onsite café.

The event runs from 10am to 4pm with lots of activities on offer for the whole family including arts and crafts.

South West Lakes Trust’s Head of Angling, Ashley Bunning, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming old and new faces to Roadford Lake to showcase the wonderful angling this region has to offer to beginner and experienced fly fishers.”

Book in advance to avoid disappointment. Entry is £6 for adults and free for under 18s. Entry includes car parking and a raffle ticket. Tickets are available from www.swlakestrust.org.uk/trout-fishing

All attendees to the event will be offered a 10% season ticket discount.

For more information please contact South West Lakes on 01566 771930 or email [email protected].

 

11 Feb 2024

Bideford and District Angling Club Coarse section monthly competition

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Bideford and District Angling Club

Coarse section monthly competition

Results:

1st Kevin Shears 39lb 2oz

2nd Nathan Underwood  31lb 9oz

3rd John Lisle 22lb 1oz

4th Martin Turner 19lb 14oz

5th Colin Cherrington 17lb 6oz

6th Richard Dennis 12lb 13oz

22 members fished.

A cold north westerly breeze blowing up towards the shallows greeted the competitors for this, the second match of our year-long league.

The old order was restored with the Kevin and Nathan show.!

Kev’s drawn peg 15 , one of the more sheltered spots , and pole fished maggots and sweetcorn hookbaits for a clear victory, Nathan, defending league champion , has fished on peg 9 , for second spot.

11 Feb 2024

South West Fly Fair

by | posted in: Game Fishing, Sidebar | 0

The South West Fly Fair makes a welcome return to Roadford Lake on Sunday 25 February. As well as being a highlight in the region’s angling calendar, it promises to be a fun and informative family day out with plenty of activities for all ages.

  • ‘Have a go’ fly tying room with help from experts
  • 10% season ticket discount for all attendees
  • Tackle trading stands
  • Casting and fly tying demonstrations
  • Expert advice from trout, sea and coarse fly fishers
  • Meet local fly fishing clubs
  • Raffle with great prizes
  • Food and drink available at the onsite café

There will be activities including arts and crafts for all the family – bring your bikes and wellies to explore the lake.

Entry is £6 for adults and free for under 18s. Entry includes car parking and a raffle ticket.

Pre-booking essential!

4 Feb 2024

Spartic offer an exciting challenge at Bulldog

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Indi is a keen all-round angler and put her skills to use at Bulldog Fly Fishery tempting one of the first Spartic trout recently introduced into the venues trout lake. Spartic a cross between arctic char and brook trout  offer great sport and a welcome variation on the more common rainbow trout that are the more abundantly stocked trout.

Trout fishing

Our working farm has over the years built a great reputation for providing rainbow trout, a selection of which have held the stock record in Wales over a nine-year period as well as in England and Scotland for a time. We continue to rear trout for supply, however we now also carefully stock our own lake with our much coveted, hard-fighting rainbow trout, to enable fly fishing on site.

Our lake can host up to eight anglers at a time and can be booked for groups or corporate events. Food can be available via prior arrangement and includes our selection of burgers, sausages or smoked produce.

Opening times:

We are open all year, 7 days a week, dawn til dusk, except Christmas day – all by prior arrangement.

Prices:

3 Fish Ticket – £35

6 Fish Ticket – £45

2 Feb 2024

Exciting news at Bulldog Fisheries

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Exciting news at Bulldog Fisheries

 Bulldog fisheries have officially been granted permission to stock spartic & tiger trout along side their rainbows & browns!

With a number were released straight into the fly lake ready for this weekend’s anglers, the remaining fish have been placed into the stock ponds to be grown on for trickle stocking through the coming months.

  Gerry Tyzack who ran Kingfisher Tackle for in Barnstaple visited Bulldog recently and enjoyed some great sport. Gerry has been a visitor to the fishery for many years taking visitors to the lake for instruction when he was running the shop that sadly shut its door close to twenty years ago.

2 Feb 2024

COMBE MARTIN SAC – ILFRACOMBE HARBOUR FUN & SPECIES

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Combe Martin SAC have launched a new fishing community project with the help of keen species enthusiast Toby Bassett. The new fun fishing event was launched on February 1st on Ilfracombe Pier with  local anglers starting an 11 month long species hunt that encourages anglers to catch as many species as possible from Ilfracombe Harbour area.

The essence of the fun fishing league is to encourage local anglers to socialise and share knowledge. Local business are supporting the event with prizes already pledged from Ilfracombe Aquarium, High Street Tackle, Turton’s Butchers and Quay Sports.

A pop up fishing event to get the event started was attended by a mixture of old and new club members. The weather was kind with a clear sky and a calm sea. Nine species of fish were caught during the three hours including; common shanny, rock goby, pouting, whiting, conger, dogfish, ballan wrasse, plaice, pollock and shore rockling. Prizes donated by High Street Tackle were awarded to Ross Stanway who caught the most species on the day. To Zephyr Laramy the most fish caught by a Junior and the smallest fish prize was awarded to Toby Bassett who caught a tiny common shanny using a size 16 hook!

Ross Stanway caught 7 species during the launch day event

 

The smallest fish of the night to Toby Bassett
Top junior Zephyr Laramy

The intention is to hold a pop up event once a month that will be picked to coincide with a suitable tide and hopefully good weather. Notice will be sent to club members seven days prior to the event. The competition runs until December 31st 2024 with major prizes to be presented early in 2025. Sponsors will be donating prizes with High Street Tackle providing a small prize each month for a category to be decided each month. February prize will be for the most species registered. March will be for the best photograph.

 

Rock Goby

 

Nickki Laramy with a whiting
Ross Stanway
James Thomas with a whiting
A whiting was my first fish of the event.
Plaice for Ross Stanway

 

Even this tackle twisting conger brought a smile as every species counts!

 

Whats coming up next?

This is not a pure LRF competition as all accepted angling methods are encouraged with bait as well as lures. The use of LRF tactics is a  branch of angling that undoubtedly opens an entirely new dimension to sea angling with some becoming totally addicted to the pursuit of the  range of species available. It is going to be fascinating to explore the vast range of species that dwell within Ilfracombe waters. We will be sharing our results with the local Aquarium and hope to provide a few exhibits for their extensive display tanks.

       We packed away as the flooding tide pushed us off the lower landings. James and I headed to the Bay-side Burger Bar to round off an enjoyable session savouring our spicy chicken and fries in the shadow of Verity.

Ross with a pouting

30 Jan 2024

The Impact of Pollution – Ask The experts

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This event at the end of February offers a unique opportunity to learn about water pollution across North Devon with representatives from across the region. I will be on the panel representing anglers though I do not profess to be an expert, just someone with a passion for angling  within a healthy eco-system.

28 Jan 2024

Combe Martin SAC AGM and presentation night.

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Kyle Bishop recieves his well deserved Merit award from club secretary Nick Phillips.

Combe Martin SAC held their AGM and presentation night at the White Lion Inn Braunton on Friday January 26th. The club had enjoyed a successful year in 2023 with members registering a good number of specimen fish. The club are introducing a predator award next season for the member registering the best tope, conger, bull huss and spurdog specimen rating total. The winner will receive a megladon sharks tooth for 12 months from club member Daniel Welch.

 

Award winner for 2023 were as follows :-

2023 Trophy Winners

Cod Trophy    Mark Jones.    6lb 12oz

Bass Trophy   David Brooke – 12lb 6oz

Mullet Cup       Kyle Bishop = Thin Lipped grey mullet    5lb 3oz 129%

Conger Cup       Shane Pavio Hook Way – 23lb 7oz

Flatfish Cup       Daniel Welch.  Flounder 1lb 9oz

Shore Shield       Kyle Bishop   tope 61lb 9oz  205%

Medway Cup     Mark Jones  Porbeagle Shark  151% calculated by formula

Ray Shield    Jamie ~Steward small eyed ray – 12lb 13oz

Wrasse Trophy   Daniel Welch   5lb

Burgess Trophy     Charlie Stanway – ballan wrasse 4lb 15.5oz 110%

Scouse Shield     Wayne Thomas  – rockling 15oz

D Kyte Award     Wayne Thomas 4 mullet total 312%

Out Of Limits    Ollie Passmore –  ballan wrasse     5lb 6oz

Ollie Passmore recieves the Out Of Limits trophy for a fine wrasse of 5lb 6oz

 

Thornback Cup     – Mark Jones 13lb 10oz

Specimen League –    Kyle Bishop

Bass                     10lb 6oz      129.688%

Bull Huss                15lb 5oz.     153.125%

Spurdog                13lb 3oz.      132%

Thin Lipped grey mullet. 5lb 3oz.  129.688%

Tope                      61lb 9oz.         205.208%

Ballan wrasse         4lb 15oz.         109.722%

                                           Total – 859.306%

   
Runner up Jamie Steward

small eyed ray 12lb 13oz 128.125 S
tope 37lb 12oz 122.083 S
gilthead bream 4lb 4oz 141.667
thin lipped grey mullet 4lb 14oz 122.875 S
smoothound 13lb 3oz 131.875 S
bull huss 11lb 4oz 112 S
758.625

 

 

Top four boat specimens

Mark Jones –

bass 9lb 1oz 113.281 B
porbeagle 265lb 151.43 B
tope 36lb 90 B
pollock 7lb 4oz 72.5 B
427.211

Club Records 

Kyle Bishop – Skate 13lb 8oz

Shaun Quartly – blue-mouth 6oz

Kyle Bishop – bull huss  15lb 5oz

Daniel Welch – bonito 3lb 15oz (Boat)

Shane Pavio Hook Way – Thresher Shark – 300lb ( Estimated)

 Fish of the season –

Winter 22/23    David Brooke – bull huss 15lb 2oz             151%

Spring 23            Jamie Steward – Gilt head bream  4lb 4oz 141%

Summer  23       Kyle Bishop.   Tope     61lb 9oz.                      205%

Autumn 223–     David Brook.   Bass  12lb 6oz                          154.688%

Merit Award  –    Kyle Bishop outstanding catches throughout the year.

Kyle Bishop with the 61lb 9oz tope that won the best specimen award

The club are also launching an Ilfracombe based species league that will be run in conjunction with keen Ilfracombe anglers

Species competition Format

  1. Most species wins
  2. All fish to photographed with captor and proof of location
  3. Boundaries from lime kiln to Cheyne beach
  4. CMSAC Club members
  5. Comp starts 1st of Feb 2024 until December 31st 2024

Subsequent years will be as per calendar year

  1. Entry for CMSAC members is free as part of membership
  2. Fishing to club rules – 2 rods, four hooks

9 . Prizes upfront

 1st, 2nd , 3rd

Season Ticket for aquarium ( Family TBC)

£25.00 Voucher High Street Tackle

Voucher for local butchers ( TBC)

  1. Catch a Release encouraged

Entries to be sent to Fish Recorder Wayne Thomas or Toby Bassett.

Photos required clearly showing fish, captor and location.

League will be kept updated by Fish Recorder and in addition to individual entries a tally will kept as a club tally as a collective team effort.

Will try and arrange a few pop up species days throughout the year to encourage social interaction with members.