Flounder enthusiasts are enjoying some good sport on light tackle with quality flounder from all the regular estuary marks. Combe Martin SAC Ian Laird landed several to 1lb 7oz in a recent session. 
CMSAC member Rob Pearson also targetted the flounder landing 10 to 1lb 14oz along with a fine bonus bass of 7lb.
A quick session before storm Brian arrives brings a pleasing 7lb bass tempted on rainbow trout deadbait and 6/0 Sakuma circle hook. The fish was released after a quick photo.
Prospects are excellent for shore angling sport between the storms. Ian Laird landed this pleased brace that typify s the Autumn season with a plump bass of 6lb 10oz and a pleasing codling. He also caught a bull huss of 9lb 12oz in the same session! He also landed five smoothound, several pouting and the inevitable dogfish!
Anglers enjoyed a top day out of Ilfracombe aboard charter Boat Bluefin skippered by John Barbeary. Several bass were landed including this beauty to the rod of Toby Bassett. Lures accounted for several of the bass and were supplied by High Street Tackle Ilfracombe.
Jack Pike won Appledore Shipbuilders Annual Bass Competition with a fine bass scaling 8lb 3oz. (Above)
Runner up was Cameron Atkinson with a bass of 6lb 141/2oz and in third Paul Downing with a bass of 3lb 6oz.
Archie Porter landed this pleasing bass from Ilfracombe Pier on Ammo Squid. With a brisk Westerly blowing and a bit of life in the water I would expect to see a few bass caught. Big baits and you don’t need to cast far!
Sea Anglers have been enjoying varied sport along the coast with thin lipped mullet providing top sport in the estuaries. On the open coast bass and smoothound are giving good sport with spider crab among the best baits. Ali Laird landed a bass of 7lb 10oz and Ross Stanway a bass of 7lb 12oz.
Paul Hutchings landed a brace of smoothound on dirty squid from a local beach the best 10lb 3oz.
Thick Lipped grey mullet can offer superb sport for specialist anglers in local harbours and rock marks.
Kody Chugg tempted this bass of 4lb 6oz from a local rock mark using a whole squid presented on a pulley rig. The next couple of months should see plenty of bass caught along the coast to anglers using a wide variety of tactics. In recent seasons the number of bass tempted on lures has increased with double figure fish amongst them. There was a time when the general consensus was that big bass generally fell to bait this no longer holds true. Bass can be found over a huge range of venues with large specimens often moving into unsuspected areas under the cover of darkness. In these areas a degree of stealth can certainly pay dividends.
Combe Martin SAC member Dan Spearman landed this fine lure caught bass weighing 11lb to set a new personal best.
The lure was a Savage Gear 3-D Mullet. The fish was returned carefully to water. Dan also lost another large fish during the session.
From today (July 1st) anglers are allowed to retain one bass per day for the table. I would suggest that all bass over 8lb are returned alive with bass between 3lb and 6lb making the best fish for the table. Many anglers will I am sure continue to practice catch and release for much of their fishing.
After hearing of a few bass in the lower estuary I had a short trip as the tide started to flood and caught a couple of small school bass on a surface lure. The wide expanse of the estuary was a sharp contrast to the intimacy of the river Torridge I fished the previous day.
There have a been a couple of salmon caught on the Torridge with fish from middle river beats. The river is now fining down after a small spate and there is every chance of a fish or two over the next few days.
