Natasha Hamilton landed four carp up to 24lb from the dam wall on lodge lake using Hinders Test bait n365 and flavoured homemade Wafters over nut 365 crushed boilies & particles.
Stunning Carp from South West Lakes Trust Water
Ben Smeeth of South West lakes Trust sent me these stunning pictures of carp from Squabmoor Reservoir near Exmouth. Whilst its not North Devon they are stunning images that I couldn’t resist posting.
Terry Reid has been in the action at Squabmoor reservoir near Exmouth, Devon, with this fantastic fully scaled mirror at just under 30lbs. Terry used a Pallatrax crave double pop up fished in 14 feet of water on a size 6 Korda Kurve hook with a stringer over a bed of crushed crave boilies. Top angling Terry! What a fish!
Kind regards
Ben Smeeth
Angling Technical lead for South West Lakes Trust
Countryside and Angling Manager – Cornwall
Squabmoor Reservoir, Budleigh Salterton, Devon EX9 7AS
Squabmoor is one of the leading specimen waters in the South West. It is situated on Woodbury Common which is a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). There are lily pads situated around the lake and the depths vary greatly from one end of the lake to the other. There are 15 immaculate swims, many of which have been created by the bailiffs. The main target are carp to 36lbs which are truly stunning with the average size around the 20lb mark. The mirror carp are the original old style fish with a really dark complexion and large scales. 17 carp to 23lbs were stocked in 2015 from Lana Springs Fish Farm. Whilst carp are the main target there is a real mix of other specimens with Tench to 6lbs, Bream to 10lbs, Roach over 2lbs, eels to 6lbs and Perch to 3lbs.
South Aller by Andrew van Koutrik
Many thanks to Andrew for allowing me to re-publish this article first published by Lakebed Leads on their website. It is always good to obtain interesting local articles on North Devon Angling so please feel free to send your articles to me @ North Devon Angling News.
South Aller by Andrew van Koutrik

South Aller for those who do not know it, is a deep two-acre pool shrouded in trees and steeped in mystery. It had everything that attracted me to carp fishing. A point divides the lake, creating a small pool a third of the size of the main lake. The banks are steep, the swims cramped, the margins snaggy and the carp unknown, at least they were to us in the mid-1980s. There had been a few odd captures over the years, but it was Paul, a good friend who was the first to exploit the pool’s potential.
Inspired by his initial success I was lucky enough to catch several fish over the next couple of years, and by the autumn of 1990 we had an idea of what the pool held. There were 10 to 12 mirrors present including several twenties and 8 to 10 single-figure commons which, although frequently seen, were rarely caught.
Up to then all the fish had been caught in the summer months, with no record of any carp being landed during the winter. This seemed like a good challenge to go for, so I set about exploring possible areas. A gap in the overhanging trees growing out of the cliff opposite peg 24 was the first area investigated. A clear spot was found, sloping from 18 to 22 feet, it seemed perfect. As did a shallower spot in front of peg 3, again casting against the cliff. These were previously unfished areas so I started pre-baiting them as this had been key to my summer success.
After a couple of weeks the first trip was arranged, accompanied by Mark Frith we arrived at the pool for first light. I set up in peg 24, and Mark opted for a swim known as The Weedbed, which wasn’t so aptly named because the weed had vanished some time ago. My plan was to fish two rods in the gap, which was made possible by trimming the ash tree at the side of the swim. It was still a difficult cast for the left-hand rod, but a gentle flick followed by holding the rod tip out towards the centre of the lake prevented the line catching on the overhanging branches. The 11ft 2lb tc rods we used at the time were perfect for this; very different from the heavy duty rods of today.
A third rod was cast along the margin in 15 feet of water. All three rods were baited with boilies made from a combination of bird food and milk protein, flavoured with ethyl alcohol-based cherry flavour and bergamot essential oil. The left-hand gap rod had a critically balanced pop-up tied to a swimmer type rig made from Kryston Merlin, the other two had boilies on line aligner rigs tied from Kryston Multistrand. The main line was the old faithful 11lb Sylcast.
Conditions were perfect, however Mark’s early confidence soon faded, with the pool looking dead, he wound in and walked round for a chat. As we drank tea discussing the situation, to our amazement, my middle rod had a steady take. Disbelievingly, I grabbed the rod and what was definitely a carp kited out into the centre of the pool away from danger. After a short spirited tussle, a mirror carp was drawn into the waiting net. The fish was soon recognized by the lump on its head;
a fish I’d caught before. At 15lb 6oz it had put on a couple of pounds, but its significance was far greater.
No further action occurred that day, and with no night fishing allowed, we packed up at dusk. The following weekend I set up again in peg 24 at first light. With two rods in the gap, the third rod this time, was cast towards the main pool side of the point. A spot where I had seen fish crash out in the summer. Although it seemed too deep to fish a bottom bait on then, it didn’t now. It was bitterly cold with odd showers of sleet, poor conditions and prospects looked bleak. Again I had a take mid- morning on the rod in the left-hand side of the gap. Again the fish kited obligingly out and into the centre of the pool and I remember vividly how deeply it fought. This time a much larger fish was guided into the net, at 24lb 7oz and unrecognized it was a special moment.
I went on to catch many more winter fish at South Aller from peg 24 casting into the gap, and from peg 3, casting to the cliff, but nothing surpassed those early pioneering captures and the sense of achievement they gave. The fishing there was so very different from most venues now. The cramped swims, a far cry from the wide open swims of today which are often big enough to erect a marquee.
The last fish I caught from the pool was a mirror of 23lb 11oz in November 1995. Other anglers came along after me and did well, Adrian Furse and Shaun Passmore are two that spring to mind. A couple of years later the club took advantage of some free carp and stocked over 80 carp up to mid- doubles. The older fish struggled and the big fish disappeared. Although things can’t stay the same it felt a shame that the club had accelerated their demise.
Most venues have a golden period and I was lucky to have been fishing South Aller during its ‘golden years’.
Andrew van Koutrik 2016
More Moor Carp!
Stafford Moor Carp- Top fish after 3 year absence.
MILD WEATHER CARP AT STAFFORD MOOR
Lodge Lake success for the Bivvy Tramp!
Latest Carp catches from Stafford Moor
Gary Harding had 5 fish out up to 20lb 4oz on the summerhouse swim on Beatties using Mainline essential cell boilies.
Steve Pinn AKA ‘ Bivvy Tramp’ with one of his 3 catches from Albert square fishing with CC Moore 12mm northern specials and also CC Moore pink fluoro up to 15lb 11oz.
There is range of quality CC Moore products in Stafford Moors well stocked tackle shop.
JAMIE MILLERS – NORTH DEVON TACKLE

WINTER CARP FISHING
There is far more to fishing than catching fish and I always love to see images from the waters edge. I obtained this fantastic image from Stafford Moor from ‘Steve Pinn (aka The Bivvy Tramp)’ – As he is affectionately known by some of his mates. Photography and angling go together hand in hand especially in carp fishing where the angler is so often waiting expectantly amidst the natural landscape.
Fortunately I am sure the ice has gone now and with luck this will bring the fish on the feed!