Bass are top of the agenda for many anglers at this time of year. Kody Chugg employed big mackerel to tempt several bass between 4lb and 6lb during recent sessions. Calm seas and easterly winds are not ideal for seeking bass but the clearly water may well make lure fishing very worthwhile. Get ready with the baits when the winds turns SW and embrace those darker evenings.
Ryan Hardman fished a North Devon rock mark to tempt a fine specimen pollock of 6lb 4oz. The fish was tempted on a whole squid bait presented on a 6/0 Aberdeen hook. Ryan was delighted to report that the sea was full of life with porpoises and jumping fish showing within a couple of hundred yards of the shoreline.
Tarrant Wotton fished a North Devon Rock mark to tempt a fine tope of 52lb 11oz. The huge fish was landed with assistance from his good friend Julian Stainer as a heavy swell made conditions difficult. The tope was returned alive after carefully weighing and photographing.
“No words can say when I pulled this bootiful girl out the water, had some epic battles in my time but the swell made her a nightmare to land but quick photos and weighing with me old mate Julien Stainer made it a pleasure to watch her swim off”
It’s been a good season for bass fishing so far with both bait and lure anglers enjoying success. There have been good numbest of quality fish too with plenty of fish in four to six pound range. As the summer moves towards autumn bigger bass normally show with double figure fish expected. Big mackerel baits anchored out in the surf are often successful.
Kody Chugg enjoyed success with bass tempting three bass over 4lb the best 6lb 4oz during the past week. All taken on large fresh mackerel baits. . He also tempted a small eyed ray off k]just under 8lb from an up channel mark.
Dan Welch enjoyed an action packed lure fishing session in rough water conditions bringing nine fish up to 55cm ( Approx 5lb) to the shore.
Ian Laird and Ali Laird enjoyed a hectic session targeting smoothound landing over twenty of the hard fighting hounds the best weighing 12lb 9oz and 10lb 8oz.
Ollie Passmore landed this specimen 13lb Spurdogs from a popular North Devon shore mark. The fish was returned after a couple of pictures and swam away strongly.
Nick Job and Ian Hooper enjoyed a great night fishing at a popular North Devon Mark landing more than they bargained for a when a 9lb 4oz Spurdog seized a tiny strip of squid on a size 4 hook intended for dabs. Nick hooked the spur towards the end of the session and Ian was able to scramble down to the waters edge to secure the fish.
They also caught several tasty dabs.
Jonathon Stanway and Ross Stanway enjoyed a successful session from a North Devon Rock mark landing conger of 19lb 6oz and 16lb 4oz.
Matt Jeffery made the best of a session between the storms tempting a hard fighting tope of 34lb 2oz. The fish was tempted using whole squid.
(Below) Early this autumn Matt caught a tope of 39lb.
