Kody Chugg tempted this fine tope of 37lb whilst fishing a North Devon Shore Mark. The next few months of winter should see some of the years best specimens landed from our shoreline. Take care out there and don’t take risks. Good fishing often follows a big storm with the inshore waters stirred and food in abundance.
Combe Martin SAC member Kyle Bishop tempted this fine specimen tope of 49lb from a North Devon shore mark earlier this Autumn. An indication of the dedication sometimes required to tempt such a fish Kyle commented that he has blanked on twenty five follow up trips.
Tope are providing good sport off Ilfracombe. This specimen was tempted from Bluefin skippered by John Barbeary.
Daniel Welch has boated a stunning tope of over 70lb whilst fishing from his Private boat out of Ilfracombe. The tope is one of the largest ever recorded from the area and should be considered the fish of a lifetime. The tope was tempted on a whole fresh pollock fished on a running ledger with a 300lb nylon trace and 10/0 hook. The tope was the highlight of a day that saw Dan boat pollock, bass, smoothound and bass.
Combe Martin SAC members caught plenty of fish in their rescheduled Lyn Fish competition with members fishing boat and shore.
Rob Scoines secured top spot with a fine specimen pouting of 1lb 15oz a species that is not as prolific as it once was in North Devon. ( “The local name for pouting was glower”)
Runner up in the competition was Dan Welch who fished from his Private boat with his friend Ross Stanway. Dan boated several specimens including a tope of 47lb and a bass of 8lb 12oz.
Dan and Ross also boated smoothound, Bull Huss and rockling.
Dan also targeted grey mullet during a short evening session and tempted a fine thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb 2oz
I was fishing with Rob when he caught his pouting; a session that provided a hectic few hours. During the four hour session we beached 13 Bull Huss to around 6lb, 3 dogfish,1 pollock, 1 conger and a bass.
A short lure fishing session from a shore mark on the final afternoon of the competition brought me three bass to 5lb 4oz.
Jamie Stewards efforts were rewarded when he landed this specimen shore caught tope of 47lb 13oz. Tope are one of the shore anglers greatest challenges and often require many hours of dedication to hook and land. The landing of such fish is often a team effort as in this case with Jamies good friend Chay Boggis lending a hand at the critical moment.
Combe Martin Sea Angling Club Member Rob Scoines has enjoyed considerable success over the past few weeks landing several quality fish from the North Devon shoreline and from his friends boat.
Combe Martin SAC member Daniel Welch has been enjoying some great summer sport from both boat and shore. Fishing from his private boat he has boated several tope to forty pounds along with some quality Huss. He also scaled down to apply a little more finesse tempted a thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb.
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”
Anglers have enjoyed some superb sport off Ilfracombe aboard Reel Deal with Skipper Dan Hawkins. Tope fishing as at times been hectic with a few larger predators showing including blue shark to 90lb plus and a some chunky porbeagle. One large porbeagle even enjoying a chunk of fresh bass for dinner! The anglers have also enjoyed frequent glimpse of dolphins and whale in the deeps.
