Just some of the prizes up for grabs in the Bideford Angling Club Christmas Fishing competition. Many thanks to Summerlands, Anglers Haven, Ian Hooper, Mark Watts & Sons, Griggs of Eastleigh and DS Electrical for their generous donations. There will also be some meat dinners up for grabs too. Sign in at the Reds Rowing Club from 7 til 8 fishing 8 til 3 and weigh-in at the reds at 4.30. All entries £5 with optional pool of £1.
Bideford Angling Clubs twenty four Hour Rover was won by Nathan Clements with a fine conger of 28lb 3.5oz.(Pictured above) In second place was Lee Watts with a spotted ray of 3lb 6.5oz and in third Lee Watts with a dogfish of 2lb 2oz.
Appledore Shipbuilders 24 hour Rover was won by Josh Atkinson with a small-eyed-ray of 5lb 15oz(Below). Runner up was Graham Snow with a thick lipped grey mullet of 2lb 12oz.
Ross Stanway took the top two places Combe Martin SAC’s Lee to Lee Competition with conger of 16lb 12oz and 14lb 8oz.
In third place was James Thomas with a dogfish of 1lb 13oz. Jack Phillips took forth place with a smoothound of 5lb 4oz a surprise catch from Combe Martin’s Bottom Deck probably the first of this species ever landed from this mark. (Below)
Several quality fish were also landed over the weekend by anglers not fishing in club competitions. Dale Kiff landed a fine conger of 19lb 14oz.
Kody Chugg Fished an up channel mark to land a personal best small eyed ray of 7lb 10oz. (Below)
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Jazza John secured the top spots in Appledore Shipbuilders monthly rover with flounder scaling 1lb 105/8oz and 1lb 93/4oz. In third was James Atkinson with a whiting scaling 157/8oz. Jack Pike took first and second in the junior section with flounder of 1lb and 157/8oz.
Antony Smith weighed in a thick-lipped grey mullet of 3lb 2 1/2oz that was the only fish weighed into Bideford Angling Clubs Monthly Sea Rover. The fish was tempted on a half a side of mackerel. Grey Mullet were once considered a summer species but recent seasons have seen the species caught all year round from marks along the North Devon Coast.
Large numbers of small conger and dogfish are proving a nuisance out on the open coast with baits devoured before larger specimens get a chance,
Graham Snow secured the top two places in Bideford Angling Clubs 24 hour Rover landing a fine brace of thick lipped mullet scaling 5lb 43/4oz and 5lb 33/4oz.
Nathan Clements took third place with a flounder of 1lb 14oz.
Dick Talbot landed a club record tub gurnard of 1lb 10oz.
Monthly Coarse Section Comp. Tarka Swims
1st Steve Bailey 17lb 3oz
2nd Colin Gorman 6lb 6oz
3rd Martin Turner 3lb 6oz .
Coarse section Secretary Steve Bailey fished his first match after surgery on both wrists, he pulled the golden peg P out of the bag and went on to win with 2 nice carp on a float ledger, Colin landed a good carp which almost pulled his rod into the depths of peg R, Martin landed one carp and lost one on the corner peg L on pole fished luncheon meat. Pete Slade scooped 4th and the silver pool with a net of small roach.
Below -Every fish counts!!!
Bideford And District Angling Clubs Annual Fishing Festival over the Bank Holiday weekend attracted twenty-six anglers bringing fish back to the scales from all over the South West. Tarrant Wotton won the competition with a fine smoothound scaling 13lb 21/4oz. In second and third was Nathan Clements with hounds of 13lb 11/2oz and 12lb 43/4oz. Four other fish were recorded of over 100% with a club record sole to the rod of Dan Redmore weighing 1lb 14oz.
Jack Pike landed this stunning 52lb tope whilst fishing with his father Kevin who boated a 45lb 8oz that was reported on here yesterday. The fish sets a new boat record for Appledore Shipbuilders beating the old record of 46lb that was caught by the late Ralph Atkinson.
The final midweek evening comp at Tarka Swims.
1st Craig Crash Lamey 15lb 9oz
2nd Martin Turner 10lb 1oz
3rd Cavan Patterson 6lb 13oz
4th June Hawker 4lb 4oz
A dozen hardy souls braved a wet night at Tarka for the last of Bideford Angling Clubs10 match series, Craig took the honours with 2 carp tench and roach from the un-fancied peg G , Craig caught on cheese on the lead, Martin was second on peg G with a good bream and a late carp on 8mm pellet. Cavan had a nice carp on the next peg for third.
In the final points tally Keith Copland was unable to defend his lead and Martins 11 points gave him final victory with 66 Keith 64 Cavan 60 Colin Gorman 58 Peter Slade 56. Craig 55
Graham Snow secured first and second in Bideford Angling Clubs Monthly Rover landing a fine brace of mullet. A thick lip of 5lb 21/4oz and a thin lip of 4lb 53/8oz. He also took first in Appledore Shipbuilders Monthly Rover with the thick lipped mullet of 5lb 21/4oz Jazza John took runner up spot in Appledore Shipbuilders Rover with a smoothound scaling 11lb 15/8oz and Graham took third with his thin lipped mullet of 4lb 53/8oz.. Jack Pike dominated the Junior section with ballan wrasse scaling 3lb 13oz, 3lb 8oz and 2lb 14oz.
Combe Martin SAC members continue to compete in their two month long species competition. John Shapland is currently leading with 31 species with Dan Welch very close behind of 30 species.
I have had a couple of visits to the coast to try and add a couple of species to my own tally but have struggled to catch a fish let alone species and those that I have caught tended to be those few I have already caught. Bit of a reality check after a week in Norway catching big fish!
Ross Stanway got among the spotted ray at Ilfracombe landing five in a short session.
Combe Martin SAC’s Fun Fishing Event has been rescheduled to Saturday September 2nd as a result of boat landings on the Sunday. Full details of this event will follow shortly.