It’s been a good start to the flounder fishing season in the Taw estuary with plenty of quality flounder being tempted. These obliging flatfish offer relaxing fishing amidst the splendid scent of the estuary. Ian Laird caught four flounder over 1lb on light tackle the best 1lb 8oz.
Cooler temperatures a bit of fresh and the flounder season is well underway. Flattie fanatic David Jenkins has been targeting the Taw flatties catching close to 100 up to 1lb 8oz during a weeks fishing for his favourite fish. He also caught several bass with several over 3lb.
Bideford Angling Clubs monthly Rover was dominated by flounder.
1st Julien Stainer – flounder 1lb 8.5oz 76.562%
2nd Andy Sanders – flounder 1lb 7oz 71.875%
3rd Dick Talbot flounder – 1lb 5oz 65.625%
3rd Julien Stainer flounder – 1lb 5oz 65.625%
Appledore Ship-Builders
Bidefords and District Angling Club
24 hour results
1st Stephen Found flounder 1lb 6 1/4oz 69.531%
2nd Nathan Clements flounder 1lb 5oz 65.625 %
Flounder devotee David Jenkins caught this 1lb 14oz flounder on his latest visit to the Taw estuary. David says that the fishing has not been easy and expressed concerns regarding anglers not backfilling after digging for ragworm. This is a perennial issue with a significant minority failing to follow well established codes of conduct relating to bait collection. It is important that anglers do all they can to maintain a good public image and the actions of few tarnish the good name of angling. This also relates to litter and failure to respect private property.
Re-scheduling the October Rover to avoid storm Alex proved a wise decision for Bideford Angling Club with members enjoying improved weather and some good fishing. Phil Vanstone lead the way with a superb ballad Wrasse of 5lb 5oz a superb fish for the North Devon Coast.
The flounder were also all North Devon fish which bodes well for the coming months of the flounder fishing season.
1st Phil Vanstone wrasse 5lb 5oz 106.250%
2nd Andrew Clements flounder 1lb 15oz 1/4 97.656%
3rd Stephen Found flounder 1lb 13 1/4oz 91.406%
4th Andrew Clements flounder 1lb 12oz 87.500%
5th Antony Smith flounder 1lb 8oz 76.562%
6th Stephen Found flounder 1lb 7 3/4oz 74.218%
David Jenkins caught this fine 1lb 13oz flounder from the Taw estuary. The recent flood conditions will have flushed some of the crabs out of the estuary increasing the chance of catching the humble flounder a favourite species of Barnstaple’s anglers for many years.
An impressive 72 anglers lined the banks of a wind swept Torridge Estuary to take part in Bideford Angling Clubs Christmas Competition and plenty of flounder were tempted.
1st R. Slade flounder 1lb 9 1/2oz
2nd D. Jenkins flounder 1lb 5 1/2oz
3rd D. Talbot flounder 1lb 4 3/4oz
4th M. John’s flounder 1lb 4 1/4oz
5th R. Harris flounder 1lb 3 1/4oz
6th A. Mccourt flounder 1lb 3oz
7th M. Druce flounder 1lb 1 3/4oz
8th C. Curtis flounder 1lb 1 3/4oz
9th D. Bailey flounder 1lb 1 3/4oz
10th A. Clements flounder 1lb 1 1/2oz
Prizes went all the way to 26th place.
JUNIORS
1ST B. Lee flounder 0.310g
2nd B. Lee flounder 0.306g
3rd B. J. Less flounder 0.302g
4th B. Phipps flounder 0.288g
5th B. Phipps flounder 0.256
Nathan Clements wrote :-
“I would like to say thank you to everyone that fished today 72 angler’s produced 39 flounder it’s been a brilliant day.
Thanks to Paul and Lisa done a fantastic job again.
Thank you to all are sponsors.
Thanks to the reds for letting us host the competition.
Congratulations to all the winners
See you all again next year”
Appledore Shipbuilders fished their Christmas comp today. Winner and 2nd was Owen Atkinson with Flounders of 1lb 14 3/4ozs and 1lb 12ozs 3rd was Cameron Atkinson with a flounder of 1lb 2 3/8ozs 22 members fished.
Twenty-Three anglers fishing in Triple Hook Clubs Open Flounder Match with good numbers of flounder landed. Mark Beer was first in the senior section with a flounder of 1lb 6.75oz. In runner up spot was Joan Cairns with a flounder of 1lb 4.5oz.
In the Junior section Lennox Pine took top spot with a flounder of 1lb 63/8oz and Levi Beer was runner up with a flounder of 1lb 33/8oz. Ian Cairns was runner up in club only Junior section with a flounder of 1lb.
The ladies section was secured by Joan Cairns with her flounder of 1lb 4.5oz. Runner up in the ladies section was Levi Beer with her flounder of 1lb 33/8oz.
Jamie Steward caught this brace of flounder weighing 1lb 5oz and 1lb 6oz during a pleasure fishing session on the Taw Estuary. With calm conditions and easterly air stream fishing was hard over the weekend with most competition anglers targeting flounder. Out on the coast whispers of few early spurdog and a few codling.
1st Jazza John. Flounder 1lb 10 1/2ozs
2nd Richard Boon Flounder 1lb 8ozs
3rd Terry Dymond Flounder 1lb 5 1/8ozs
18 seniors and 2 Juniors Fished
1st Terry Dymond flounder 1lb 5 1/8oz
The flounder fishing season is in full swing in the estuary with several competitions this weekend. Results were mixed during the competitions with flounders prolific in some areas and very scarce in other areas. A few bass were also caught and returned in line with present regulations.
Matt Jefferey secured the top three places in Combe Martin SACs Flounder competition winning the competition with a fine flattie of 1lb 12oz.
1st Matt Jeffery 1lb 12oz
2nd Matt Jeffery 1lb 7oz
3rd Matt Jeffery 1lb 5oz Joint
4th with 1lb 2oz Jamie Stewart Dave Jenkins Daniel Laird
1st Tracey Phipps 1lb 4oz
2nd Tracey Phipps 15oz
3rd Tracey Phipps 14oz 3rd Ian Anderson 14oz
John Passmore secured victory in Triple Hook Clubs Open flounder competition with a flounder scaling 1lb 105/8oz. In runner up spot was Mark Beer with flounder of 1lb 101/8oz and third Joan Cairns with a flounder of 1lb 71/2oz.
1st John Passmore – Bull huss 11lb 51/8oz and dogfish 1lb 11.5oz
The humble flounder of the estuary have a certain appeal that I had somehow forgotten having neglected the species for several seasons. Our son James seemed keen for a short session so having gratefully secured a pound of worms from a local bait digger we found ourselves surveying the bleak cold and grey expanse of the estuary. We had arrived just before the flooding tide and the first hour passed by without any action. But it was good to be by the water watching the plentiful bird life on the exposed mud banks.
I have fond memories of fishing the area back in the late seventies with my cousin who would take me fishing on cold frosty evenings to fish from the railway line that was at that time still in partial use running to Bideford. As the tide started to slow the downstream flow I caught the first flounder of the day that was quickly slipped back.
Shorty after retreating onto the higher bank my rod tip gave a couple of nods. A few minutes later I was pleased to feel a weighty flattie pulsating on the line and hanging deep as it approached the shoreline. A plump flounder of 1lb 11oz was a good result and a good omen for Combe Martin SAC’s Flounder competition and Triple Hooks Open Flounder Competitions this weekend.
Having caught a couple I was hoping James would get in on the action before we packed up. His rod tip gave a few gentle nods resulting in a double shot of flounder to end the session.
I really must make sure I enjoy a few more sessions after these obliging flatfish that will often give sport when little else is happening. I intend to try caching a few on ultra light LRF tactics as I have caught them on the open coast using jig heads and Isome worms. The latest book on Lure Fishing by Dominic Garnett has a chapter dedicated to this type of fishing. I have also caught flounder in the past trotting a bunch of ragworm beneath a float using ultra light coarse tackle; great fun!