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
Autumn is one of the best months for the shore angler with plenty of species to target from both the open coast and estuary. Several ray have been landed from Ilfracombe Pier so I suspect local beaches could bring excellent results. Big bass and conger could also show on many beaches at this time of year with the outside chance of a tope. Below are a few recent catches from the North Devon Coast.
(Above) Ollie Passmore landed this fine small eyed ray of 9lb 13oz whilst fishing from Ilfracombe Pier a mark that can throw up a wide variety of species during the Autumn months.
(Above) James Thomas with a small eyed ray of 6lb 15oz also caught from Ilfracombe Pier.
Above – Brad Munden landed this small eyed ray of 10lb 8oz.
Above -John Shapland landed this stunning red mullet from a local shore mark.
Above -Rob Scoines fished the Taw estuary and found the flounder on the feed landing several to 1lb 6oz.
Graham Snow won Appledore Shipbuilders Monthly Rover with a thick lipped grey mullet of 3lb 6oz. Jazza John was runner up with a flounder weighing 1lb 107/8oz and Graham Snow third with a thin lipped mullet of 3lb 51/4oz. This success for Graham Snow seals victory for him as this years club shore champion with 46 points. James Atkinson and Andrew Atkinson are runners up with 24 points each.
Graham Snow also dominated Bideford Angling Clubs monthly sea match landing thick lipped mullet of 3lb 6oz and 3lb 5/7oz to take first and second and thin lips of 3lb 51/4oz and 3lb 5oz for third and forth. Dick Talbot took fifth with whiting of 1lb 3oz.
Kevin Hainsworth, Rich Mullans and Rich Drays had an exciting day on Ilfracombe based Charter Boat ‘Reel Deal’ they decided that they were all going to have a go at enticing the porbeagle they hooked to the boat in a team effort. The porbeagle was caught on Veals Mail order terminal tackle and reels on a 10/0 circle hook. The fish measured 70 inches by 38inches girth and weighed 127lb she fell to a blast frozen Ammo mackerel.
FUN FISHING EVENTHoping to see plenty of participants at this fun fishing event organized by Combe Martin SAC. Weather forecast looks just about perfect so enjoy the sun before autumn sets in.
Danny Watson of High Street Tackle wrote this account of their trip on Reel Deal
Today was an excellent day Pauline Chard opened her boat fishing account! We arrived at the harbour at 8.30am to meet Daniel Hawkinsfor a four hour deep sea trip. It was glorious morning and the sea was flat calm! A little steam round the coast got us to the mark, anchor down and the fishing began. Was not too long before she was into the fish with a couple to add to her species list a couple of nice small eyed rays and a smoothound. (there was obviously a couple of dog fish as well) She did not get a tope – I did and upped my PB by just 2lb. Still standing at 27lb, got some way to go yet to be respectable!!! Pauline enjoyed it though and I am proud of her for doing it – thanks to Dan and Archie for their tuition and encouragement – oh, and obviously some banter!! She really enjoyed it and wants to go again!
Anglers have being enjoying regular sport on Reel Deal landing tope, bull huss and ray.
Tope are still showing Off Ilfracombe as Cameron Mckenzie found out when he landed this fine tope of 40lb whilst fishing on ‘Bluefin’ Off Ilfracombe.
http://www.redgill.co.uk
COMBE MARTIN SAC
ILFRACOMBE PIER
Saturday September 2nd
09:30am until 12.30pm
Special Guests: –
Mat Mander
Deputy Chief Officer (Enforcement)
Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
Safe Fishing – With the coastguard
Fun Fishing Competition – Free Entry
Sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe
Tope are providing great sport off Ilfracombe with Reel Deal putting anglers amongst these hard fighting members of the shark family. There is also a very good chance of contacting these powerful fish from shore marks all along North Devon.
Ammo baits and Veals mail order gear at work on Reel Deal Charters a tope estimated at 40lb made a great start to a recent day afloat.
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.