Blakewell Fishery continues its fine winter form for rainbow trout with Michael Featherstone travelling from Axeminster to land a fine brace weighing 10lb 4oz and 9lb 4oz.
STUNNING BRATTON BROWNS
Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club members enjoyed a brown trout bonanza at Bratton Water Trout Fishery where they assembled for their Christmas Competition. All but one of the members who took part successfully completed a four fish bag limit with the trout averaging over three pounds in weight. The first hour of the competition saw the trout on a feeding frenzy with most members catching their days allocation within this golden hour.
The brown trout within the fishery are stunning looking fish each one carrying a distinctive pattern of dark and crimson spots upon their flanks of gold, bronze and buttermilk. Each fish is so much more distinctive than the rainbow trout and in my view deserves a far grander title than brown trout.
Members used a wide range of patterns to tempt their fish with damsel nymphs and small gold-head nymphs all successful.
Winner of the competition was Roger Bray who caught stunning browns of 5lb 4oz, 5lb, 4lb and 3lb 12oz for a total of 18lb.
Runner up in the competition was Matt KIngdon with a four fish bag of 14lb 4oz that included the days biggest trout scaling 6lb 4oz.
Full results
1st Roger Bray 18lb 2nd Matt Kingdon 14lb 4oz 3rd David Eldred 13lb 4oz 4th Wayne Thomas 12lb 5th -Colin Combe 11lb 4oz
6th – Nigel Bird 11lb 7th Andre Muxworthy 10lb 4oz
The event was fished in calm conditions with glimpses of winter sunshine. This intimate lake is nestled within a peaceful valley providing an ideal location for a winters day of trout fishing, After catching their bags of trout members retired to the fishing hut to chat of future plans for the coming year as they drained their flasks of hot tea and coffee.
My own twelve pound bag of stunning trout( Above) would delight from any fishery throughout the country. The lake is certainly well worth a visit over the Christmas period if you fancy tangling with some hard fighting trout; an ideal time to test out those fishing related Christmas gifts.
News from the coast
Daniel Welch fished a local rock mark to land a specimen conger eel scaling 20lb 12oz. The eel was one of several and was significant in that it had a bite mark that had partially severed its tail. Likely candidates are seals, tope or shark?
While most sea anglers are targetting big fish from the coast with baits Jeremy Johnson and Antony Jestin followed a hunch and set out with their lure rods and enjoyed some fine sport landing nine bass between 2lb and 2lb 8oz. Nothing big but a great catch at this time of the year when most anglers have put such tackle away. In these times of changing climate it is vital that anglers experiment and try to think outside of the conventional. Fish according to the prevailing conditions, challenge normality and experiment.
ILFRACOMBES HIGH STREET TACKLES IMPRESSIVE LURE STOCK
How time flies I thought when Danny Watson at Ilfracombe’s High Street Tackle told me that he and his partner Pauline Chard had been running the shop for three years. In that time they have built up an impressive range of stock covering all disciplines of angling. Danny has a particular passion for lures which is reflected in the range of lures carried in the shop with top brands represented including Fiiish Black minnow, Delande, IMO, HTO and several GT Ice cream surface lures. I was discussing lure fishing in depth with Danny and the application of lures outside of the traditionally accepted season. Strangely this was highlighted when I received reports of a good catch of bass from a North Devon mark using lures.
In addition to lures the shop also has an impressive selection of rods and reels by top brands including Penn and Tronix. Looking along the rod racks it is amazing what is available these days at a very modest cost with plenty of rods retailing for less than £50.
They also have a good stock of frozen bait including AMMO. Next Summer High Street Tackle are proud to be supporting Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs Fun Fishing Event in conjunction with the SEA-ILFRACOMBE FESTIVAL.
In the run up to Christmas High Street Tackle certainly has plenty to offer with a wealth of stocking fillers to please any angler.
FINE FISH ART
Angela Patchell contacted me in the hope that I could help promote her piscatorial based artwork. It looks great to me so I have shared a short article from her with a few images of her work.
“Award-winning Artist & Designer Angela Patchell tells about her passion for drawing fish
I have always lived by the sea or close to the river bank. I find it gives me the sense of well-being and tranquility that I need to create my fish artworks. I began drawing fish and sea shells as a child, we lived in East Africa which meant I could collect amazing sea shells and seafood from the Indian ocean. I now live in North Devon and Wicklow, Ireland with it’s abundance of fish-filled rivers and sea fish.
I avidly collect every type of fish available to me, occasionally swapping my drawings for real fish.
I meticulously study each fishes texture, pattern, colour and shape. My aim is to achieve a “fossil like quality” in my drawings so I rub real fish skin into Indian ink, this is an ancient technique used by Japanese fisherman to record fish catches. I then draw into the rubbings with graphite, inks, charcoal and pastel. This lengthy technique gives each fish drawing a tactile, fossil-like quality which gives my artwork a real unique quality.
The paper I use to draw my fish on is hand-made sourced from Himalaya. It is important to me to use natural plant materials with the papers I use and to get my fish from a sustainable fish source.
Angela Patchell’s fish artworks are exhibited and sold world-wide. She has recently been commissioned to work with a celebrity chef to create a range of bespoke linen for his seafood restaurants. If you would like to commission or purchase an original artwork visit her online gallery at www.angelapatchell.com
A Fine Tamar Brace
Scott Bowden enjoyed a recent trip to Lower Tamar lake catching a lovely brace of fish. A 23.06 Common was backed up by a 23.12 Mirror both caught on homemade boilies using a small stick of crushed boilies with Korda semi stiff silt braid N Trap and lakebed Leads.
NORTH DEVON TACKLE – MILL POND SILVERS
Norman Martin won North Devon Tackles Match at Mill Pond with a net of roach totalling 7lb 10oz. Close behind was Barry Lee with 7lb 4oz. The cold conditions suppressed the appetite of the ponds residents as winner Norman Martin told me a few weeks ago he landed close to 40lb of roach from this prime silver fish water.
MONTHLY ROVER RESULTS
Andrew Atkinson secured victory in Appledore Shipbuilders Rover with a fine flounder of 2lb 21/4oz. In second and third place was Graham Snow with a flounder of 1lb105/8oz and 1lb 87/8oz. The Junior section was taken by Cleo Babb with a flounder of 1lb 1oz. Twenty seven keen members fished the event in a bitter East wind with temperatures barely above zero.
Appledore hold their Christmas Competition at Heanton Court on the Taw Estuary next week fishing 9.00am until 1:30pm.
BIDEFORD AND DISTRICT ANGLING CLUB
Monthly rover results 4/12/2016
1st Andy Clements flounder 1lb 13 1/4oz 91.406%
2nd Graham snow flounder 1lb 10 1/2oz 82.812%
3rd Graham snow flounder 1lb 8 3/4oz 77.343%
4th Andy Clements flounder 1lb 7 1/2oz 73.437%
5th Nathan Clements flounder 1lb 5 1/2oz 67.187%
TRIPLE HOOK CLUB FLOUNDER OPENDennis Toleman Triple Hook Clubs Open Flounder Competition with a flattie of 1lb 113/4oz. Robbie Hancock was runner up with a flounder of 1lb 101/2oz and third John Vaughan with a flounder of 1lb95/8oz.
NORTH DEVON MATCH GROUP – Winter League Result
Winter League No2 Oaktree
1st Paul Morris 53lb 12oz 2nd Nathan Underwood 30lb 5oz 3rd John Forster 18lb 12oz 4th Kevin Shears 13lb 14oz
11 hardy soles turned out in freezing conditions , Paul Morris scored a resounding victory after a break from match fishing, Paul caught a dozen carp on long pole and maggot tactics, Nathan took his bag on similar tactics.
Thanks to Martin Turner for the results and write up.
(Above) Paul Morris
(Above) Nathan Underwood
(Above) John Forster
BLAKEWELL CHRISTMAS COMPETITION
Blakewell Fishery’s Christmas Competition is always a highlight of the local game fishing calendar and this year competitors enjoyed some great sport beneath the winter sunshine. The trout seized anglers fly’s from the start of the event with rods bent all around the lake during the first hour. The twenty eight anglers landed a total of 168 trout; twenty eight six fish limit bags!
Four double figure trout were landed the best to the rod of Peter Fairclough weighed a touch over 13lb.
Peter Fairclough – 13lb Rainbow Trout
Phill Colwill landed an 11lb 2oz rainbow trout, Peter Furze a rainbow of 11lb 1oz and James Thomas a rainbow of 10lb 9oz.
James Thomas – Rainbow Trout 10lb 9oz
The winning bag of the day was taken by Pete Furze and totalled 28lb 4oz, runner up was Phil Colwill 25lb 14oz, third Peter Fairclough 24lb 5oz and forth James Thomas 23lb 6oz.
Double figure trout for Phil Colwill, James Thomas and Peter furze
Several brown trout were also brought to the scales the best a fish of 3lb 14oz to the rod of Brian Howarth.
A pleasing brown that seized my damsel fly nymph.
The competition was punctuated by a delicious stew cooked by the Blakewell team and the packed tea room was filled with chatter as friends old and new exchanged tales and experiences.
Mulled wine, stew and minced pies!
Reflections in the lake
Moorhens are just one of many birds at Blakewell
Richard and John Nickel were pleased to have Simon Kidd sales and marketing manager at Snowbee, fishing the competition and donating some great tackle prizes for the end of day draw.
Simon Kidd of Snowbee
The path to the lake
There are fish everywhere at Blakewell