Combe Martin SAC member Kevin Legge braved a bitter North Wind to tempt this 28lb conger. This fish was tempted using Ammo Bluey and squid cocktail on a Varivas Catfish hook.
Combe Martin SAC Christmas Competition
A dozen club members fished in Combe Martin Sea Angling Club’s Christmas Competition that saw five specimen fish registered. The winner was (myself) Wayne Thomas with a spurdog scaling 12lb 3oz.
Kevin Legge was runner up with a spurdog of 11lb 10oz. Kevin also landed a spurdog of 10lb 6oz and a bull huss of 10lb 3oz.
(Above) Kevin Legge with his 11lb 10oz spurdog
(Above) Kevin Legge with a spurdog of 10lb 6oz.
(Above) Kody Chugg was third with a fine specimen conger of 23lb 1oz.
Members fished a wide variety of marks along the North Devon and Somerset coastline where they landed a variety of species including whiting, dogfish, thornback ray, grey mullet and pouting in addition to the specimen fish registered.
Some of this weeks Sea Angling Highlights
Autumn is a prime time for the sea angler with a wide variety of species to target. The past week has seen local anglers enjoy success along North Devon’s rocky coast. Dan Spearman (Below) was among these anglers landing a bull huss of 9lb 3oz and a conger of 18lb.
Fellow Combe Martin SAC member James Thomas landed good pollock of 2lb 13oz along with numerous conger whilst fishing a rock mark near Ilfracombe. (Below)
Kody Chugg landed a small eyed ray (Below)
I targetted grey mullet that are one of my favourite sea fish and tempted a specimen of 4lb 13oz using quiver-tipped bread flake.
First Big Eel of the season!
Combe Martin SAC member Ross Stanway fished with his brother Jonathan on damp and drizzly evening with a lively sea. Jonathan hooked a Conger of 10lb 8oz early on in the evening; his biggest to date having not really done much eel fishing. I joked. “Imagine what one 3 times the size fights like!”. Ross then illustrated his point landing an eel of 30lb 3oz!
(Above)Ross Stanway with a proper conger – 30lb 3oz
Specimen Spurdog and big conger on Bluefin
A party of local anglers enjoyed some hectic sport off Ilfracombe aboard John Barbeary’s ‘Bluefin’. Spurdog provided the bulk of fish caught with upwards of 50 brought to the boat. Several quality conger to almost 40lb were also boated putting a serious curve into the anglers rods.
The biggest spurdog of the day was a fine specimen of 16lb 8oz to the rod of Bill Caasar. (Below)
It is likely that the spurdog sport will continue for some while yet with bull huss also likely to increase in numbers.
Josh Atkinson with a specimen spurdog on of several double figure specimens he landed to 14lb 4oz
Bideford 24 Hour Rover Result
Bideford & District Angling Club 24hr rover results 18/19/2017
1st Dan Redmore – thornback ray 9lb 10 1/2oz 107.291%
2nd Taz wotton conger eel 20lb 100%
3rd Dan Redmore thornback ray 8lb 13 1/4 98.089%
SLIPPERY AS AN EEL
Combe Martin SAC member Ross Stanway fished a rock mark near Ilfracombe and hooked a specimen conger weighing 22lb 8.5oz after carefully weighing the eel in a weigh sack it was time for a photo. The eel proved camera shy and took its opportunity upon being released from the weigh sack and in Ross’s words; “Took off like a Bob sleigh team down over the rocks.”
The eel was one of twelve eels caught with four of them over 10lb.
(Above) 10lb eel that posed for the camera!
Ilfracombe shore marks are producing conger, whiting, dogfish and occasional ray. Proceed with caution particular if fishing at Capstone one of North Devon’s most productive marks but also one with many dangers.
Rod bending action off Ilfracombe
Anglers fishing aboard John Barbeary’s Bluefin have been catching some quality fish off Ilfracombe in recent weeks with bull huss, spurdog and big conger putting bends in anglers rods. Over the next few months spurdog numbers are likely to increase with every chance that someone will break through the twenty pound barrier. Thirty pound plus conger are frequently landed with a fifty plus on the cards if anglers have strong enough tackle. Whilst cod are elusive it would be no surprise if one or two big fish are tempted.
Dave Clements with a big huss of 15lb
News from the coast
Daniel Welch fished a local rock mark to land a specimen conger eel scaling 20lb 12oz. The eel was one of several and was significant in that it had a bite mark that had partially severed its tail. Likely candidates are seals, tope or shark?
While most sea anglers are targetting big fish from the coast with baits Jeremy Johnson and Antony Jestin followed a hunch and set out with their lure rods and enjoyed some fine sport landing nine bass between 2lb and 2lb 8oz. Nothing big but a great catch at this time of the year when most anglers have put such tackle away. In these times of changing climate it is vital that anglers experiment and try to think outside of the conventional. Fish according to the prevailing conditions, challenge normality and experiment.
Appledore Shipbuilders – 24 hour Competition Result
Chris Slade landed a 21lb 11oz conger to win Appledore Shipbuilders latest 24 hour competition. In runner up spot was Jack Pike with a bull huss of 8lb 9oz.
