Happy New Year from Jo Minoprio
A New Year Message from Jo Minoprio who held regular art exhibitions at Landacre Barn.
For now I am continuing with my fish impressions, and if you click on the link below you can look at my website.
or follow me on Instagram at: fish_fabulous_fish
Here’s wishing the artists among you a year of inspiration and high productivity!!
And to you all good health and happiness. Jo
South West Fly Fair 2026 – February 22nd
The season may be over but there is plenty to look forward too.
The 2026 Fly fair is taking place on Sunday 22nd February @ Roadford lake. Its a firm favourite of the south west trout fishing community and a fantastic day out. We will have casting demonstrations for a range of experts as well as a change to have a go yourself. Fly tying and a number of talks by a range of experts, as well as loads of exhibitors in the main hall.
Get your tickets here
Fly Fair Guests
We are delighted to announce that Charles Jardine has once again agreed to be our guest of honour for the 2026 Fly Fair @ Roadford lake.
Charles will open the fair and then will be giving a casting demonstration out on the lawns in front of the Roadford building, always a massively popular part of the day.
Keep your eyes fixed on this page 
for more exciting announcements. We cant wait to see you there, tickets are available now via the link below and are £7 in advance and £10 on the door.
for more exciting announcements. We cant wait to see you there, tickets are available now via the link below and are £7 in advance and £10 on the door.
Big Brown Trout From Bulldog
Already delighted with the 4lb brown landed early doors,Garth then went on to land this magnificent brown! Weighing in at a touch over 10lb! We’ve been told he’s ‘over the moon’ with this one.
Winter Mullet Win Festive Fish
Combe Martin SAC members held their annual festive fish over the Christmas and New Year period with a handful of members braving the elements. Several members targeted grey mullet a species that just a few decades ago would have been considered a fish of the warmer months. The winner of the competition was Daniel Welch with a specimen thick lipped mullet of 4lb. Runner up was Wayne Thomas with a dogfish of 2lb 7oz.
Combe Martin SAC member John Shapland did not enter the club competition but still continued to seek the thick lipped grey mullet that are his speciality. A personal best of 5lb 7oz and a smaller specimen of 4lb 6oz were his reward for enduring a bitingly cold North East wind.
END OF SEASON FLOUNDER MATCH – Barnstaple Bait & Tackle
As the flounder fishing season comes to its end Barnstaple Bait and Tackle are hosting an end of season New year Flounder bash on the Taw estuary this Sunday. Fishing is between 7:30am and 12:30pm with the weigh in at the Union Inn at 1.00pm. Book in at Barnstaple Bait and Tackle or at the Union Inn ( Fluckeys Bar).
A Danglers Diary – December 2025
SHORE FISHING
Its starting to look a lot like Christmas at the local harbour and after a succession of dogfish a moderate Bull huss takes the bait.
TROUT FROM STILLWATERS
The Fluff Chucker’s Stillwater event is held on the calm waters of the Arundell’s lake. After coffee and bacon rolls a friendly competition is held and I am pleased to secure the biggest fish and runner up in the event netting eight trout the biggest brown trout of 43cm. Many thanks must go to Rodney Wevill who does the bulk of the work in organising these get togethers.
FLOUNDER FISHING
The Triple Hook Turkey Flounder Open is a popular fixture and its good to visit the estuary to dig a few ragworm before the competition. Angling certainly takes you to some interesting places.
The day of the competition coincides with the Winter Solstice and I savour the sunrise above Barnstaple as the tide ebbs. Skeins of geese fly over and the haunting cry of the curlew drifts through the morning air.
I even manage a brace of flounder the biggest of which secures turkey Christmas Dinner
Beach Fishing
Its Combe Martin SAC’s Festive Fish so I head out to fish a local beach sheltered from the bitter North East Wind I reel in a few dogfish and a small Bull huss. The best doggie is 2lb 7oz the biggest I have caught or a while.
PIKE FISHING
James and I spend a day exploring Tiverton Canal hoping to tempt pike or perch on lures. Its a bitter cold lazy east wind but after enjoying a full English at the appropriate Fishermans Cott we have a good day. A few small jacks follow the lures but we cannot get a hit. The kingfishers entertain and James manages to capture them with his camera.
Winter Mullet
On the last day of 2025 I fish for the elusive grey mullet. I glimpse a few good fish and the rod tip trembles a few times but I fail to connect. Its cold but there is not a breath of wind as the sun slowly sets on the year.
The time must come to all of us, who live long, when memory is more than prospect. An angler who has reached this stage, and reviews the pleasures of life, will be grateful and glad that he has been an angler, for he will look back on days radiant with happiness, peaks and peaks of enjoyment that are not less bright because they are lit in memory by the light of a setting sun.
From Fly Fishing by Edward Grey of Fallodon (1930 Edition)
The Arundell – Winter – The Place that time forgot
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A Contrast in fish and fishers
I am an avid collector of angling books and was delighted to receive these excellent books at Christmas. Whilst I have not yet read them on glancing through them I noted how diverse angling is and how different species can attract across a wide spectrum of anglers. The Last Cast book by David Nickson is a reflection upon the life of a 95 year old salmon angler. The Anguilla book is the work of the National Anguilla Club whose members fish for eels. Both books have migratory fish as their focus both incredible species that travel vast distances in both fresh and saltwater.
The salmon anglers tend to be very much traditional members of the Upper classes whilst the eel anglers would be very much what would have been classed as working class. The waters fished are also generally contrasting with salmon very much connected to powerful fast flowing rivers. Eels are more likely to be dwelling within dark mysterious stillwaters. Its all angling to me and I relish each species with my favourite very much the species I am fishing for at the time.
Christmas Greetings
posted in: Articles, At the Waters Edge, Carp Fishing, Casting around North Devon, Club Page, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Match Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar |
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