Bude anglers Chris Hudson and Matt Pepperell enjoyed a great session at Upper Tamar lake on the Cornwall and Devon border over the weekend landing 8 carp from the Lookout Tower swim. Chris had this cracking 24lb 1oz mirror that was stocked in 2017 at 22lb. The majority of fish were mid doubles. All caught on CC Moore Live system with white pop ups fished over the top.
There has been a concerted campaign by the RNLI to encourage anglers to were life jackets and this has been supported a by a few high profile anglers including Henry Gilbey. The vast majoroty of anglers do not wear lifejackets and this is something that needs to change if the number of lives lost each year due to drowning are to be reduced. I visited Summerlands at Westward Ho! recently and was delighted to see that they have embraced the campaign and are selling Crewsaver 165 Sport Life Jackets at a very reasonable price of £65.95. This could make the perfect Christmas present with the potential to save a life.
Many experienced sea anglers if challenged will admit to having near misses and with an average of ten shore anglers drowning each year it is time to consider investing in this valuable kit that could save your life.
Storm Diedre failed to keep members of Combe Martin Sea Angling Club from the shoreline to compete in their Christmas Competition. Mark Jones secured victory with a thornback ray of 10lb 7oz. The fish won him a voucher from https://cokerscreations.co.uk and choice of a secret Santa prize donated by members. In runner up spot was myself(Wayne Thomas) with a dogfish scaling 2lb 9oz and in third Dave Brooke with a bull huss of 7lb 9oz. Ross Stanway weighed in a small- eyed-ray of 7lb 2oz for forth.
1st-Mark Jones – thornback ray – 10lb 7oz
2nd– Wayne Thomas – dogfish – 2lb 9oz
3rd– Dave Brooke – bull huss – 7lb 9oz
4th– Ross Stanway – small-eyed-ray – 7lb 2oz
5th– Jack Phillips – dogfish – 2lb
6th– Jack Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 15oz
7th– Mark Jones – thornback ray – 6lb 15oz
8th– Jack Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 14oz
9th– Nick Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 14oz
10th– Dan Welch – flounder 1lb 3oz
11th– Nick Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 10oz
Fifty eight anglers lined the banks of the Torridge estuary to compete in Bideford Angling Clubs Christmas Competition last Sunday with twenty four flounder registered. The winning angler Owen Hare was a junior who landed a flounder of 1lb 71/2oz. Runner up was Stephen Found with a flounder of 1lb 63/4oz, third Darren Burslem with a flounder of 1lb 31/2oz and forth Robert Bowden with a flounder of 1lb 31/2oz. The club were very appreciative of the behind the scenes work of Paul and Lisa Downing and to the sponsors.
Barnstaple Triple Hook Clubs Christmas Flounder Open attracted a field of fifty anglers all keen to secure a turkey dinner. The results were the best for many seasons with plenty of quality flounder weighed in. The top ten all recieved a turkey.
1st – Richard Chapel – 2lb 13/4oz
2nd- Nigel Gullen – 2lb 7/8oz
3rd – Steve Luxton – 1lb 143/8oz
4th – Max Peake – 1lb 13.75oz
5th – Dennis Toleman – 1lb 127/8oz
6th – Darren Short – 1lb 125/8oz
7th – Kevin Hancock – 1lb 121/8oz
8th – Dave Mock – 1lb 113/4oz
9th – Isabel Luxton – 1lb 113/4oz
10th = Cleo Babb – 1lb 101/2oz
I have been reporting on these estuary flounder competitions for many seasons now and have often noted the contrast in the average size of flounder caught between the two estuaries. This year the results show a marked difference in fish sizes with the top ten flounder caught from the Taw in Triple Hook Clubs Open all bigger than the winning fish from the Torridge. Both rivers share many common characteristics yet seem to produce different sized flounder potential?
Neil Harvey and Mark Lamude banked 7 fish between them from the double swim 1 up on lodge lake at the weekend. All caught on Mainline cell tipped with corn glugged in cell juice.
(Below)Tony Welch who was here with friend Shaun who Had a few fish out from swims 2 and 3 on the dam wall on Beatties lake up to 23lb in a 24 hour session caught on essential B5 Q.
(Below) Joanne Combes with one of her first carp from her own venue!
Twenty Five of Blakewell Fisheries regular anglers attended the fisheries popular Christmas Competition where they enjoyed an unseasonably mild winters day with cloudy Skies that should have been ideal for trout fishing. Those anglers prepared to persevere and try different flies enjoyed a successful days fishing with six anglers taking their six fish limits. Small dark flies proved to be most effective with black and green combinations proving most productive.
The winner of the competition was Paul Grisley who banked six trout for 15lb 8oz. In runner up spot was Graham Turner with six for 13lb 10oz and in third Andy Facey with six for 13lb 5oz. In forth place was John Buxton with six for 12lb 7oz.
The competition was punctuated by a delicious chilli con carne meal followed by mulled wine and mince pies. John and Richard Nickel thanked all competitors for their valuable support following a difficult summer season when many thousands of pounds worth of prime quality stock fish were lost as a result of exceptionally high temperatures. They talked of ambitious plans for the coming season with bank side improvements, weed cutting and of course every endeavour to ensure the fisheries stock fish are of the highest quality as the season progresses.
(Below) Small dark flies like this Black and peacock variant proved successful.
(Below)
The coming weeks should see some excellent fishing with several stunning big brown trout stocked.
(Below) Winter Trout Fishing at Blakewell
Looks like the 2018 November Lure Fishing was a great success once again many thanks to Zenia for her enthusiastic write up! Several first this year with carp on a lure and a golden tench.
💥WINNER OF THE NOVEMBER 2018 LURE WEEKEND💥
The Individual Winner of the whole Competition was **DAVEY MEADES** who caught 6 Species altogether which included a 43cm Rainbow Trout, a 35cm Blue Trout, 2 Rudd at 12cm and 13cm, a 14cm Golden Rudd, a 11cm Perch and the fish that determined his win was a 17cm Golden Tench which was the 1st ever Lure caught Golden Tench to be caught in the history of Anglers Paradise!!
Quantum, Costa and Anglers Paradise Sponsored this Event meaning Davey Won a Week’s Holiday for 2 at Anglers Paradise and a huge range of Quantum Tackle, including a Rod, Reel, Lures and Clothing, a Pair of Costa’s Sunglasses and lots more, he had to take his Prizes in 2 trips as he couldn’t carry it all!!
Damon’s Team Captain was Fladen’s very own Pike King – Nathan Edgell, who was extremely proud of his Team Member to Win the Competition!
Special Thanks to Quantum and Costa for being so generous with the Prizes.
MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to DAVEY MEADES for WINNING THE 2018 LURE WEEKEND!!
The Runner Up of the Lure Weekend 2018 is **SCOTT WAY** Winning with 5 Species amounting to 180.5cms consisting of a 51.5cm Pike, a 35cm Tiger Trout, a 16cm Perch, a 39cm Blue Trout and a 39cm Rainbow Trout.
Massive CONGRATULATIONS to Scott, this was his first ever Lure Weekend with us too!
Scott was in Team Fox Rage with Captain Ben Humber who was very proud of Scott’s determination and dedication till the very last whistle!
This Catergory was Sponsored by QUANTUM who we’d like to say a massive Thank you for the very generous Prizes donated to the Event.
WELL DONE SCOTT!
**FISH OF THE WEEKEND** AND **THIRD PLACE**
Now THIS is a catch that has made Anglers Paradise history! Andy Payne has done it again! Not only is he the only man to have ever caught and landed a Catfish on a Lure but this year he’s caught this stunning 22lb Common on a lure making him the 1st to have ever caught a Carp on a lure at Anglers Paradise!!!
It was a magical fishing moment that I for one feel blessed to have been there and share it with Andy. Andy caught the lure caught Carp from the Bottom Lake at Anglers Eldorado.
Team Captain Kev Cox from Fox Rage as you can imagine was thrilled to bits and very proud of his team member Andy to catch such a species like this on a lure!!
This was without a doubt the Winner for the new Catergory – Fish Of The Weekend – Sponsored by FOX RAGE.
Andy also came THIRD in the overall Competition catching 5 Species to 160.5cm consisting of a 17cm Perch, a 34cm Blue Trout, a 32cm Golden Trout, a 10.5cm Rudd and the 67cm Common Carp Wining more prizes from the very generous Quantum!
CONGRATULATIONS ANDY AND WELL DONE ON A TRULY AMAZING CATCH AND MAKING ANGLING HISTORY AT ANGLERS PARADISE!!
🎣💥THE WINNING TEAM OF THE LURE WEEKEND💥🎣
The Winning Team of the 2018 Lure Weekend is Team Fox Rage with Team Captain Ben Humber leading them to VICTORY!!
It was the closest Competition EVER, Team Ben Humber WON with 9 Species to include Pike, Perch, Common Carp, Blue Trout, Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout, Brook Trout, Golden Rudd and Rudd.
To tell you exactly how close it was, Team Fladen with Captain Nathan Edgell also caught 9 Species so in the end it had to come down to literally cm’s!! Team Fladen amounted to 253.5cm but Team Fox Rage won it with 286.5cm – it was so, so close!! Kev Cox’s Team had 8 Species and Savage Robbie Northman’s Team also had 8 Species which is superb angling for all the Team Members – they all fished their socks off but The Winners were TEAM BEN HUMBER – FOX RAGE – WELL DONE TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!!
The Fish that secured their Win was another surprise Common Carp caught by Ian Paynton from the Trout Lake bumping their species up to 9!! Ben’s Team consisted of Dion Cooke-Martin, Nicky Lock, Ian Paynton, Lee Paynton, Mark Hawitt, Scott Way, Dom Cooke and son Dylan who are now the 2018 Team WINNERS!
A Big Shout out to all the Team Captains for doing a Fantastic Job and well done to all of the Anglers for fishing it until the very last second – pure dedication to Fishing!
Thank you to all the Sponsors for yet again great Prizes for this Catergory – Quantum, Fladen, Costa, Drennan, Savage Fishing Gear and Fox Rage.
Bring on next year!!!
The BIGGEST PIKE caught at the 2018 Lure Weekend was caught by the one and only DION COOK-MARTIN measuring 62cm from Valhalla.
DION was in Team Fox Rage with Captain Ben Humber leading him to Victory!
DION won some pretty special prizes from the Sponsors of this Catergory **Fladen and Costa** including a Fladen Rod, Reel and a pair of Costa Sunglasses – Thank you so much to Fladen and Costa, for the amazing Prizes, DION is a very happy boy.
WELL DONE DION – YOU DID US PROUD!
It was a busy day in the estuary with several local clubs holding competitions on Sunday November 18th. The river has been in fine
form for flounder over the past couple of weeks with some really good catches.
Paul Hutching’s and his friend Andrew McKenna landed 41 flounder during a recent session along with four bass to 4lb. The biggest flounder fell to Paul and scaled 1lb 14oz.
Cyril Petherick competition
Results.
1st Andy Sanders flounder 2 lb 100%
2nd Andy sanders flounder 1 lb 13oz 90.625%
3rd Antony Smith flounder 1 lb 11 1/4oz 85.156
32 seniors fishing and 4 juniors with 29 fish weighed.
Barnstaple Triple Hook – Flounder Open
1st – Kevin Hancock – flounder 1lb 9oz
2nd Dennis Toleman – Flounder 1lb 81/2oz
Braunton Small Boats
Braunton Small Boat and Angling Club. Eight members fished a flounder competition.
1st Andy Hold 1lb 10oz,
2nd Jack Phillips 1lb 6oz
3rd Tracey Phipps 1lb 3oz.
Paul Lorrimore described his latest session as dream fishing! A huge swell made fishing difficult but undoubtedly brought the fish on the feed. Paul landed twenty conger to 12lb, seven bull huss the best two weighing 9lb 14oz and 12lb 10oz along with a blonde ray of 12lb 10oz. All were caught on frozen Ammo baits bought at High Street Tackle.
Dave Brooke landed a fine tope of 34lb 1oz to secure first prize in CMSAC’s Autumn Rover. Matt Jeffery was runner up with a flounder scaling 1lb 145/8oz. Equal third were Rob Scoines with a bass of 7lb and Wayne Thomas with a rockling of 1lb 81/2oz.
(Below) Matt Jeffery with his flounder scaling 1lb 145/8oz
(Below) Rob Scoines caught this personal best bass of 7lb from a North Devon mark along with two other bass, a codling and two pouting.
I was fortunate to be fishing with Dave and Kevin Legge when the tope was hooked. Always good to share in the excitement of such a moment. The fish gave a hard fight running over my lines in the process which caused a few anxious moments before Kevin could lift the fish from the water. Always a good idea to get all lines out of the water when someone hooks a tope. Fortunately neither of my rigs snagged the bottom as the fish was encouraged towards the shoreline. We also landed dogfish, small conger, huss, pouting,pollock and rockling. The best rockling weighed 1lb 9oz and fell to my whole squid bait fished close in hoping for bass or huss.
The next few months are amongst the best in the Sea Anglers year with a wide range of species to target. Tope, spurdog, huss and conger are all to be expected with large fish baits and wire traces advised. Top baits for tope are flounder. fresh rockling, Launce or whole mackerel.
(Below)Mark Jones fished a North Devon Beach to land a personal best small eyed ray off 11lb 10oz.
(Above) Still time to catch bass on lures. This fish was tempted by local lure enthusiast Mark Jones.
Bideford & District Angling Club – 24hour Rover Result
1st Andrew Clements flounder 2 lb 1oz
2nd Rob Harris bull huss 7 lb 10oz
3rd Andrew Clements dogfish 1 lb 14 1/2oz
