North Devon Flounder fisherman are looking forward to the first big competition of the 2024 Flounder season. There is plenty of interest with a good number already registered at Barnstaple Bait and Tackle.
Coming from North Devon it was great to be able to set up on the beach without having to chase the tide up and down. The sight of beach shelters are rare up on the North Devon Coast where the tides make them impractical. And up North we are of course more hardened to the cold weather shunning the need for shelters!
Slapton is a superb competition venue having plenty of parking and easy access along its 3 miles of course sand. There are a wide range of species caught from the beach throughout the seasons.
Slapton sands has an interesting history with a very moving story attached to it. In 1943, the beach was used by the allied forces as a rehearsal area for the D-Day Landings. Unfortunately, a combination of live ammunition and poor visibility resulted in the deaths of 749 American servicemen. You can visit a stone monument which was set in place on Slapton Sands to commemorate the ill-fated.
Whilst I had never fished the beach at Slapton I have fond memories of pike fishing in Slapton Ley before angling ceased under the stewardship of the Slapton Ley Field Centre. The Ley once held huge shoals of rudd and pike to twenty pounds. Its reed fringed waters provided a fascinating and atmospheric venue.
As is often the case in large sea angling competitions the weigh in reveals plenty of fish at the scales with dogfish and whiting dominating. The introduction of catch and release for ray, smoothound and spurdog was in my view a positive step towards conservation. I intend to fish again next year and hopefully tempt a brace for the weigh in.
Congratulations to all those who won prizes. And big thanks to those who organised the event and to the generous sponsors.
Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs Get some Fresh Air Festive Fish saw members fish marks across North Devon with a wide variety of species registered. Whilst no 100% plus species were caught several good fish were registered. Species caught included rockling, dogfish, spotted ray, small eyed ray, conger, thick lipped grey mullet, Bull Huss, pollock, spurdog and tope.
Results : –
1st Wayne Thomas – Thick lipped grey mullet 4lb 2oz 97.059%
2nd Kevin Legge – Conger – 18lb 90%
3rd Kevin Legge – Tope – 26lb 14oz – 89.583%
4th John Avery – Thick Lipped grey mullet – 83.824%
5th – Daniel Welch – dogfish – 2lb 7oz – 81.250%
6th – Kevin Legge – Spurdog – 7lb 14oz – 78.750%
7th – Ross Stanway – Bull Huss – 7lb 13oz – 78.125%
8th – Wayne Thomas – Thick Lipped Grey Mullet 3lb 2oz – 73.529%
9th – Jonathon Stanway – conger – 13lb 11oz – 68.437%
David Brooke won £75 cash in Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs November Open Competition with a fine specimen smoothound scaling 13lb 6oz.
His fishing partner for the day Shane Hookway secured second, third and forth place in the event winning a £30 voucher from Quay Sports, a superb base layer from Chillcheater and a box of chocolates to celebrate his win.
Shanes fish were a specimen bull huss of 11lb, smoothound 8lb 4oz and Bull Huss 7lb 14oz.
Full results :-
David Brooke – smoothound 13lb 6oz – 133.750%
Shane Hookway – Bull Huss – 11lb – 110%
Shane Hookway – smoothound – 8lb 4oz – 82.5%
Shane Hookway – Bull Huss – 7lb 14oz 78.750%
Solly Welch – flounder – 1lb 8oz 75%
Solly Welch – flounder – 1lb 6oz 68.750%
Antony Smith – flounder – 1lb 4.5oz 64.063%
Antony Smith – flounder – 1lb 4oz 62.5%
Nathan Clements – blonde ray – 6lb 5.5oz 52.865%
Wayne Thomas – pollock – 2lb 6oz – 47.5%
A variety of fish were landed during the competition reflecting the changing seasons with smoothound once thought a summer species bringing rewards. David Brooke and Shane Hookway tempted their smoothound on Teign Baits squid baits. Whilst the bull huss were tempted using Teign Baits joey mackerel.https://m.facebook.com/people/Teign-Baits/100080212568197/
Competitors tempted a wide range of species including, bull Huss, dogfish, pollock, codling, flounder, pouting, conger and blonde ray. Combe Martin SAC would like to thank their generous sponsors Quay Sports and Chillcheater. Special thanks also to Danny Watson at High Street Tackle for providing a booking in location.
Shane Hookway – bull huss 11lb & 7lb 14oz
Combe Martin SAC are hosting an Open Competition on November 12th. The boundaries are in line with the clubs boundaries. Old Severn Bridge to Lands End. The competition is catch and release with a photo of catch required along with a witness to the capture. Booking in is via the clubs facebook page, via phone or in person via High Street Tackle Ilfracombe.
See Combe Martin SAC Website for relevant specimen sizes ( Note for the competition dogfish specimen size is 3lb 8oz)
Entry fee is £5
Combe Martin SAC hope you enjoy this open competition with kind permission of the landowner.
The club is very greatfull to local tackle shops and Sakuma for supporting the event.
SAKUMA, High Street Tackle, Quay Sports and Braunton Baits.
The weather as is often the case has proved a concern with a big swell pushing into the North Devon Coast. The conditions should be fishable but challenging. It will be the same for all competitors and big fish often show when there is a bit of movement. Whilst it is breezy this is due to drop off and it is from the West so Putsborough will be sheltered. Whilst two rods are allowed it might prove more effective to fish one rod well than to fish two rods and get tangles as a result of the possible undertow.
Competitors should take great care when wading as there can be a strong undertow and rip tides. Far better to keep shallow and cast from a firm base the fish will come in surprisingly close.
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 foir 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 10:15pm 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/
A few images from previous Putsborough Competitions.
This is a catch and release competition with all fish weighed and witnessed before being released. Remember that only one bass can now be retained per day for the table.
Please send your pictures taken on the night to me at North Devon Angling News either via facebook or on my email – [email protected]
Presents Our
Saturday June 1st
Fishing From 10.00pm to 2.00am
Cash Prizes Of £100 & £50
And Many Other Donated Prizes
2 Rods, 4 Hooks, Specimen Sizes
Entry £5 plus £1 Pool Best Brace
Phone Nick 814703 Or Wayne 850586
For More Details Please Check www.cmsac.co.uk Or Our Facebook Page
Please Respect Putsborough & Remove All Litter
Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs Six Hour Rover saw ten members venture out onto North Devon’s coast line as a brisk west North West breeze blew up the Bristol Channel. Fishing has not been easy over recent weeks with the water clear after a period of calm weather. Dogfish and small conger have been abundant all along the coastline with just the occasional better fish showing. A short competition like this is useful in pulling together a group of anglers fishing an area of the coast and seeing what results.
Kevin Legge secured the top two places in the competition with fish that were only moderate specimens to Kevin who sets the bar high in his constant quest for specimen fish. A dogfish of 2lb 5oz and a bull huss of 7lb 1oz were enough to take the money. Ross Stanway caught a pleasing rockling of 1lb 31/2oz for third and Mark Tossell a good whiting of 151/2oz.
Combe Martin SAC member John Shapland is a very keen mullet angler and targets the species all year round. The mullet was once considered a fish of the summer months but recent years have seen the species caught in every month of the year. Johns latest catch is exceptional for January catching five over three pounds in two days fishing. The fish weighed 3lb 8oz, 3lb 8.5oz, 3lb 9oz, 3lb 10oz and 4lb 4oz.
(Below) Louis Rook joined John Shapland to land this fine thick lipped grey mullet of 3lb 12oz
This Fishing competition commences at Midnight on Friday so if your in for a bit of action book in ASAP details above. I will be keeping a regular update on this page with catches and images. The prize giving will be at Lynmouth at the Ancient Mariner at 9.00pm. As its the culmination of the Lynmouth Regatta and Maritime Festival it should be a good atmosphere so bring the family and join in the festivity’s.
If you contact Wayne Thomas or Nick Phillips above you can pay entry by BACS Transfer.
Lets hope this summer weather continues!
Fishing started early in the competition with a party of boat anglers off Lynmouth dropping their lines as midnight struck.
Alex Mcleish boated one of the first fish in the Lynmouth Fishing Festival a hard fighting conger 0f 22lb 2oz.
Dan Welch and Ross Stanway enjoyed a hectic days boat fishing though the specimen fish proved elusive.
John Shapland has got off to a good start with the first 100% plus specimen of the competition so fat a thin lipped mullet of 3lb 10oz.
LEADER BOARD SO FAR
| Dan Welch | pollock – Boat | 8lb | 66.667 | |
| spotted ray – Boat | 4lb 8oz | 90 | ||
| Smoothound – Boat | 12lb 4oz | 81.667 | ||
| 238.334 |
| Ross Stanway | Dogfish | 2lb 5oz | 77.083 | |
| bull huss | 8lb 10oz | 63.889 | ||
| 140.972 | ||||
| John Shapland | thin lipped mullet | 3lb 10oz | 103.571 | ||||||||
| James Gubb Fradgley | 102.5 | tope | 41lb | ||||||||
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| Alex Mcleish | conger | 22lb 2oz |
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