Putsborough 2023 – A ray and hound bonanza

Before proceeding to the results and write up Combe Martin SAC would like to thank the sponsors of the event : SAKUMA, QUAY SPORTS and BRAUNTON BAIT BOX the sponsors provided a superb prize table that I feel sure those fortunate to collect prizes can testify to. The club would also thank the owners at Putsborough for permitting the club to hold the event each year. And of course a special thanks to the anglers who come each year and support the event.

PUTSBOROUGH 2023

Ray and hound bonanza

As I share in the organisation of this event with Combe Martin SAC I always set out on the evening of the event with a degree of trepidation. Having set the date back at the start of the year there are always unforeseen circumstances that can cause issues on the night. The weather is always a major factor and this year it proved to be ideal for the venue with a light  North Easterly breeze coming over our shoulders. We had also managed to miss any major clash with sporting or national events that have conspired in the past. The FA Cup Final, Derby and Cricket Test all completed well before competition start time! I remember one year when England qualified for a major football event! Now how could we predict that ! Fortunately, King Charles had scheduled his Coronation a few weeks early unlike her majesty who forced us to reschedule a few years ago with a golden jubilee celebration weekend.

The event is of course dictated to by the tide times with a small window of opportunity in early summer or late Spring when Low Water falls at a reasonable time coinciding with darkness yet not too late allowing everyone a few hours’ sleep before embarking on Sunday life.

I and CMSAC are always very grateful to the sponsors who invest in the event each year donating a wonderful array of prizes.

SAKUMA,  QUAY SPORTS, BRAUNTON BAIT BOX & TEIGN BAITS

I must give special thanks to Craig of Braunton Baits who sorted the top ring of my rod at very short notice. On driving away from home; I noticed that the insert was missing from the top eye of my rod. I rang Craig who offered to repair the rod if I popped into his shop and workshop on the way to the competition.

I arrived at Putsborough and exchanged cheery greetings with Trevor on the gate commenting on how quick the past twelve months had flown past.

Club secretary Nick Phillips was already in place at the bottom of the car park greeting the keen early arrivals. As entrants trickled in it was good to catch up with familiar faces. It was surprising how many stated that it was their first trip out to the seashore in several months some even saying it was the first time since last year’s event. This surely highlights the importance of these fixtures in the local angling calendar. Fishing is of course highly contagious and enthusiastic trip plotting spread amongst the growing groups of anglers.

As the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon cast off time loomed and participants set up their stalls along the beach. At 10:00pm thirty nine anglers launched baits out into the retreating tide.

Nick and I had set up in the unfavoured zone close to the west end of the beach. On the first cast my rod tip nodded setting the scene for the rest of the evening during which I would reel in close to a dozen small dogfish.

The tide ebbed down to low water shortly after midnight and rumours of good fishing further along the beach started to circulate via mobile phone chatter.

Tony Gussin with 5lb 8oz- small eyed ray

It was a perfect night to be on the beach a gentle breeze, a flat calm sea and a strawberry moon rising above the hills behind illuminating the waters of the bay.

What’s in a name? That which we call a strawberry moon, by any other word would smell as sweet.

June’s full moon, also known as “strawberry moon,” is coming up Saturday evening, reaching its peak at 11:42 p.m. ET. It’s expected to be big, bright and golden — a fine way to celebrate the beginning of summer.

         High on the hill above Woolacombe a ring of lights shone brightly and music from a Spring Festival event drifted out across the vast sandy expanse of Woolacombe and Putsborough. Anglers’ headlights twinkled at the water’s edge and I wondered what had been caught this year.

         Put forty or so anglers on a beach and each year the results are different with the occasional surprise. I well remember one year when Kevin Legge caught a tope of over 40lb that I was privileged to help him land in the surf.

         There is always the concern that few fish will be tempted but fortunately over the years there has never been a complete blank.

         The species caught do fluctuate a lot and a regular event like this is useful in monitoring change in the marine eco system. When we first held the event close to forty years ago smoothound were seldom weighed into the match with small eyed ray and dogfish dominating. Surprisingly bass have seldom featured in results.

         Nick and I made sure we were back at the meet up point before fishing was due to end and I hurriedly assembled the prize table layout.

         As anglers arrived back the buzz was apparent and cheerful banter indicated good fishing had been enjoyed by many.

         I always find the collection and sorting of results stressful. This year the entry forms flooded in with fish galore written hurriedly upon the crumbled forms. It was immediately apparent that this had been a fishing bonanza. Each fish had to be checked against its relevant specimen rating. Not made easy when some had registered their weights in metric ounces! Fortunately, everyone at least adopted proper pounds and ounces.

         With close to forty anglers eager to get the results and get home to bed there was a certain pressure as we filtered the results from highest to lowest. I am fully confident that we got the top three right but concede that there might have been one or two minor errors as we announced the descending order. Apologies for any but I feel sure everyone entitled to a prize received one and all bundles were great value.

         We have learnt a few points for next year’s competition when we hope all will come together as summer arrives once again.

The top seventeen anglers received prizes: –

Full Results :-

1st – Steve Liddle – Smoothound 10lb 4oz – 102%

 Recieved £100 plus a choice of prize and £39 pool for best specimen.

2nd – Antony Smith – Smoothouind – 8lb 10oz – 86. 25%

Recieved £50 plus choice from the prize table.

3rd – Craig Mcloughlin – Blonde ray – 10lb – 83%

4th – N. Penney – Smoothound – 8lb 2oz – 81.25%

5th – Daniel Welch – small eyed ray – 8lb 1oz – 80.625%

6th – Ross Stanway – small eyed ray – 7lb 13oz – 78.437%

7th – John Johnson – smoothound – 7lb 11oz – 76.825%

8th – Daniel Welch – small eyed ray – 7lb 10oz – 76.25%

9th – Ross Stanway – small eyed ray – 7lb 7oz – 74.375%

10th – S. Springwell – smoothound – 7lb 5oz – 73.125%

11th – John Johnson – smoothound – 7lb 5oz – 73.125%

12th – Martyn Hunton – small eyed ray – 7lb 5oz – 73.125oz

13th – J. Sendell – blonde ray – 8lb 12oz – 72.917%

14th – T. Honeywell – smoothound – 7lb 4oz – 72.5%

15th – Steve Liddle – smoothound – 7lb 4oz – 72.5%

16th – John Johnson – smoothound – 7lb 2oz – 71.125%

17th – Daniel Welch – small eyed ray – 7lb 2oz – 71.125%

 

Braunton Baits – June Specimen Competition

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Craig announces Braunton Baits June Specimen Competition

Right guys and girls
Sorry it’s been a manic couple days but this months….
Fish Of The Month Competition (June)
Target species :- Any Specimen Fish From The South West Coast
To enter – All you have to do is purchase your bait from the shop and you’ll receive a sticker for June simples
Winner will receive a £20 gift voucher for the shop and a box of bakes from Bake and Brew Bakery
Please share away people
Rules:-
*You must pop in the shop to register
*to enter- the fish must be caught on bait bought from our shop
*you must send in a photo of you holding the fish along with a photo of the scales weight and the bait sticker
*have a great time
*please take your litter home
Happy fishing

PUTSBOROUGH OPEN 2023

(Above) Some of this years superb prizes from our sponsors at Sakuma

Combe Martin SAC hope you enjoy this open competition  with kind permission of the landowner.

The club is very grateful to local tackle shops and Sakuma for supporting the event.

SAKUMA, , Quay Sports and Braunton Baits.

The prize table for 2023 is the best yet for the Putsborough competition.

The weather this year holds no concern light North East Winds forecast that will be right over our heads.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday: Met Office

Staying dry with high pressure remaining dominant. Plenty of strong sunshine but some cloud bubbling up at times. Warm days, albeit cool overnight. Breezy along the southern coasts.

Fishing is for single best specimen, with £100 for first place and £50 second plus pick of the prize table and so on. There is an optional £1 pool for the best specimen. There will be prizes for the top fifteen fish!

Small-eyed ray are the principal target and can show up anywhere — so pick your spot.

Sandeel is generally best but fish can be tempted at times with a whole squid or mackerel bait. Bass will show if there is some surf, the obliging dogfish is usually around — along with the odd small turbot, conger, smoothound and occasional blonde ray.

Low water is 00:24am and the best period to fish is usually two hours either side, with the last hour-and-a-half of the ebb and first hour of the flood often proving the most productive. There are some small pits and sandbanks along this beach, so if you can spy one out it might be worth heading for…

For the purpose of this competition two rods and four hooks may be used, with a pennell rig counting as two hooks. Combe Martin Competition size limits apply.

Please leave a space of approximately 20 yards between yourself and the next angler — it’s a large beach!

When you catch a fish, please check it against the sizes overleaf and complete the capture form, before showing it to another competitor and asking them to witness it.
[Witnesses: Please also print name so you can be identified if need be!]

Steward’s decision is final. All complaints must be issued in writing to organisers before the scales close.

Please do not bring fish to the scales in water, unless the intention is to release them alive. Each angler is limited to two fish per species, but we would ask you to minimise killing of fish and endeavour to keep only your single best specimen.

Please respect the beach and do not leave litter, discarded line or old tackle behind and do not start fires.

If possible, please ensure your vehicle is parked at the bottom of the car park to the far right.

https://www.putsborough.com/surf-cams/

Wimbleball Rainbows

 

It was good to be back at Wimbleball after a couple of months and I was relishing a day at this my favourite West Country lake. I was fishing with South Molton Angling Club who fish a series of days over the season were members can compete for the Mac Trophy awarded for the biggest trout recorded during these nominated days.

Several fellow members had elected to fish from the boats giving the opportunity to search the  vast lake for pods of feeding fish. I had chosen on this occasion to fish from the bank and had it in my mind to fish the shallow waters of the Rugg’s bank.

I set up with a floating line and a team of three flies. I waded out into the lake near the point and noted that the water level was still high and that it was exceptionally clear.

Bright sunshine with a cool brisk North Easterly breeze did not fill me with confidence but it was good to be working a fly with the lush green of spring all around.

            After twenty minutes without a pull, I walked further along the bank to find some slightly deeper water. After ten minutes I spotted a fish rise and put my team of flies into the vicinity. A savage pull and I was connected to a hard fighting rainbow of around 2lb that had taken a blue flash damsel on the point.

            After half an hour I fancied trying Cowmoor Bay and set off along the wooded path to emerge at the mouth of this vast bay. The bank on the opposite shore sloped up from the lake its grass incline decorated by a splash of golden buttercups. The water here was deeper and sheltered from the wind. To be honest it didn’t feel very fishy and after half an hour I tramped back close to where I had started.

            I replaced the point fly with a black bead headed Montana and started to fish methodically with a slow retrieve allowing the wind to drift the flies as I kept the line tight.

A couple of twitches transmitted down the line boosted my confidence and soon a good solid take resulted in a good rainbow gyrating on the end of the line leaping from the water on several occasions. At 3lb 6oz it was a pleasing full tailed fish that was to be followed five minutes later by a fish an ounce bigger at 3lb 7oz. I fished on and added two more full tailed rainbows to my bag both succumbing to the Montana.

            It was now close to 3.00pm and I decided to head home strolling back to the car on path lined with vivid yellow buttercups.

My next visit will be in summer when I hope to find the trout feasting on beetles a time that can offer superb dry fly sport.

            I found out later that it had been a tough day on the boats with no other club members boating more that three trout. Boat or bank is often a hard choice  with advantages to both. Fishing a well known bank mark can sometimes beat the boat for when fishing is hard persisting from the bank whilst covering less area ensures that the flies are in the water fishing throughout.

 

GILTHEAD

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Combe Martin SAC Member Jamie Steward fished a North Devon mark to land several gilthead bream topped by a specimen of 4lb 4oz. He also had brace of 3lb 6oz and 3lb 4oz. These hard fighting fish have become established across the South West and it is perhaps helped by the estaury netting ban that has been in place for several years. To ensure this ban continues it might be a an idea to let DSIFCA know your thoughts.

D & S IFCA The Review of the Netting Permit Conditions