23 Oct 2025

Weekly Angling Report -October 23rd 2025

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Articles, At the Waters Edge, Casting around North Devon, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Lure Fishing, Match Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

UNDERWOOD SECURES WIN AT BIDEFORD CLUB WATER

Bideford Angling Clubs monthly Coarse Match on their home water was won by Nathan Underwood with 84lb 2oz. Runner up was Darren Polden with 52lb 12oz and third Keith Mountjoy with 39lb 14oz.

Jamie Steward caught a stunning lure caught bass of 71cm to give him a narrow lead in Combe Martin SAC’s lure fishing league sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe with five bass for 353cm. The league ends on October 31^st with several members in contention. Runner up spot is currently held by Mark Drewer with five bass for 351cm and Seth Tuson third with five bass for. 347.5cm.

Combe Martin SAC members have been catching specimen mullet from the North Devon Coastline with Daniel Welch catching a 4lb 2oz specimen and Graham Snow a specimen of 4lb 1.5oz.

The Fluff Chucker’s Fly Fishing Group followed up on a successful Brown Trout Masters series with a West Country Grayling Cup hosted by the Arundell on the Devon and Cornwall border. Roger Truscott once again demonstrated his skill with the Fly Rod winning the event with a fine grayling of 45cm. Runner up was Rodney Wevill. Winner of the morning session was Gary Brazier and Ozzie Gough winner of the afternoon session.

Grayling offer winter sport on a limited number of rivers across Devon with the Arundell waters offering fishing on the Tamar and its tributaries. The Upper Exe waters controlled by the Dulverton Anglers Association offer several miles of fishing for these ladies of the stream.

Bulldog Fishery is in fine form with big brown trout, spartic’s and rainbows being caught. The venue is launching its winter competition program of events with the first competition this Sunday.

Several North Devon based anglers have travelled to Cornwall and South Devon ports to sample the exciting tuna fishing that is currently thriving to bring a welcome boost to local economies. I joined four good friends out of Looe to share an awesome angling adventure that saw us bring nine tuna to the boats side all between 200lb and 300lb. The power of these fish is immense and a true test of an anglers stamina. It is truly amazing to witness such an abundance of life as these magnificent fish feast upon a shoal of fish along with dolphins and sea birds. It is to be hoped that this valuable catch and release big game fishery can thrive and focus minds on the long term conservation of our coastal waters.

23 Oct 2025

MATCH FISHING RESULTS

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Bideford & District Angling Club –

B.D.A.C.ROD AND REEL MATCH RESULTS date 19.10.25 at Tarka.

A very wet and windy match with only 7 anglers fished, all anglers caught fish although fishing was hard. 1st place today went to Richard jefferies on peg 16 with 31lbs 1oz manly carp,2nd place was Reg Sutton on peg 6 with 29lbs 1oz and 3rd place went to Keith Copland on peg 10 with 23lbs 14oz. Next Rod and Reel match date 23.11.25 at Tarka.

NORTH DEVON MATCH GROUP

North Devon Match Groups latest Match at Stafford Moor on Willow and Oak and some tight weights separated the winners on both lakes . Winners on the day were….

Willow.

1st Nathan Underwood 132lb 08oz

2nd Tom Downing 123lb 4oz

3rd Dave Johnson 89lb 1oz

Oak.

1st Paul Morris 106lb 11oz

2nd Dave Stockton 92lb 1oz

3rd Mark Lynch 74lb14oz

13 Oct 2025

Bideford and District Angling Club Coarse Section Monthly Competition.

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Bideford and District Angling Club

Coarse section monthly competition.

Results, :

1st Nathan Underwood 84lb 2oz

2nd Darren Polden 52lb 12oz

3rd Keith Mountjoy 39lb 14oz

4th Craig Lamey 32lb 10oz

5th Keith Copland 27lb 1oz

6t Dave Wilkins 26lb 10oz

7th Paul Elworthy 26lb 9oz

22 members fished.

The largest residents of George’s lake ,Tarka swims have shown this month . Nathan straight off a week long festival at Stafford Moor, has caught a fantastic net including some large carp on unfancied peg 7 .Maggot over groundbait on the pole in open water was the successful technique.

Second in the match was Darren on peg 9

moving him up to 5th in the yearly league table.

Keith retains third place in the league with his third position off of peg 13.

Craig found the only carp caught in the shallower end to secure 4th place on peg 24..

12 Oct 2025

October Festival 2025 at Stafford Moor.

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Robbie Taylor winner with a total weight of 634lb 10oz over the week & had a score of 5 points.

Second Place was

Tom Downing who had a total weight of 517lb 9oz & had a score of 5 points.

Third Place was

Andy Dare who had a total weight of 503lb 11oz & a score of 5 points.

The largest Carp Bag of the week was won by Robbie Taylor with 261lb 4oz

The Largest Silvers Bag of the week was won by John Newton with 38lb 4oz

Donation from the event have gone to The Devon Air Ambulance Fund

Below is the Leader Board & the top three winners

9 Oct 2025

Looking back at a project that has brought joy to many……Great Memories

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Coarse Fishing, Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Neilsen Jeffery shared this post on Facebook today and he has kindly allowed me to share here on North Devon Angling News.

It’s a really positive post showing how flourishing Bideford Angling Lakes started since being dug out of a field over twenty years ago. Credit must go to Nielsen and Paul Carter of the Environment Agency who worked closely and tirelessly to create a lasting legacy.

On a personal level it brings home how long I have been contributing to the local angling scene with my reporting in the NDJ and here on North Devon Angling News.

Since this endeavour Neilson has continued to build angling opportunities with Horwood Lakes offering excellent fishing for both match and pleasure anglers.

Neilsens post

One good thing I’ve found out today about moving house is that you go through everything tucked away in the loft, I came across these great memories from 20 years ago when I actually had a bit of hairand I took on a massive challenge to build a lake for the local club solely helped by Paul Carter from the EA three years later it was completed and three years of bloody hard work I might add, however a great achievement if I might say so myself and very proud

First photo L-R

Danny Hill

Paul Carter

Simon McCarthy

Mark Lewis

Andy Merrick

Myself

Andy Grey

Tom Downing

Dave Lewis

7 Oct 2025

OAKTREE FISHERY – FISHING MATCH

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Coarse Fishing, Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

REMEMBERING GEORGE

Oaktree Fishery are holding a celebration of the life of the late, great George Eury who sadly passed away earlier this year.

The celebration will take the form of a fishing match with all profits going to Devon Air Ambulance

Places are expected to go fast so get your name down asap for a great cause

Plenty of prizes, breakfast and dinner available!! For full details simply click the link below

Oaktree Fishery

5 Oct 2025

A Celebration of Forty years at Anglers Paradise

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Articles, At the Waters Edge, Carp Fishing, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

The Angler’s Paradise complex created by Zyg Gregorek celebrated forty years in September 2025. The venue has become one of the region’s top fisheries boasting over thirty lakes that are home to a vast range of freshwater species including specimen carp, grass carp, orfe, tench, perch, pike, trout and catfish to name but a few. The holiday complex has brought a wealth of happy memories for many family generations and it’s waters are now a thriving natural eco-system. The fishery is testament to the vision of Zyg who transformed a marshy piece of scrubland to create Anglers Paradise a for-runner that has become the template for complexes across the country. The venture is very much a family business with Zyg’s daughter Zenia Drury-Gregorek and her husband Joe very much at the helm continuing the sterling work undertaken by Zyg and his wife Rose. My wife and I joined the celebrations last weekend to witness a thriving community of anglers and their families forged over the past four decades.

Trophies and memories from around the world

Zenia and son Zee-Jay demonstrate fish care and how to get the best catfish pics

Bingo Time!

Zenia and Zyg working with the Angling Trust at a previous event.

A specimen tiger trout caught from the trout lake

Team working

The latest capture from the Nirvana syndicate lake….CLINT WITH THE FREAK OF THE NIRVANA SYNDICATE, ‘JOY’ at 54lb 8oz
This fish is stacking on the lb’s and has plenty more growing to do. Will Joy be our first 60?
Silverback is among the elusive and if the other fish are anything to go by he may already be at 60lb…

16 Sep 2025

Bideford and District Angling Club September’Monthly Coarse Competition

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Coarse Fishing, Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

A wet and bedraggled bunch of happy anglers!

Bideford and District Angling Club

September’Monthly coarse competition

Results:

1st Craig Crash Lamey 56lb 2oz

2nd Kevin Shears 39lb 1oz

3rd Keith Copland 36lb 10oz

4th Keith Mountjoy 33lb 10oz

5th Warren Thornton 29lb 1oz

6th Paul Elworthy 28lb 12oz

17 members fished.

Continuous rain and cold blustery winds left our contestants soaked , but didn’t deter the fish from having a feed.

First and second places have come from each end of George’s lake.

Craig has drawn peg 14 and caught his winning net of carp on the pole using sweetcorn over Micros.

League leader, Kevin, has fished peg 1 in the shallow end and had a late run of carp on the long pole to secure second place.

Committee member , Keith has come third on peg 19.

12 Sep 2025

WEEKLY ANGLING REPORT – September 14th -2025

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Articles, At the Waters Edge, Carp Fishing, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Match Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

BIDEFORD SECURE IMPRESSIVE WIN OVER PLYMOUTH

Bideford & District Angling Club secured an impressive victory against Plymouth and District Angling Club at Bake Lakes. Bideford totalled weight was 147lb 6oz with Plymouth only managing 35lb 14oz. The individual winner on the day was Bideford’s Craig Lamey. The combined weight totals after the two legs were Bideford 447lb15oz to Plymouth’s 150lb 12oz.

42lb carp – Stafford Moor

Scott Cowling banked a fine mirror carp of 42lb whilst fishing Stafford Moor’s Lodge Lake. The venue also produced eight fish for Rob Gibbon and his friends the biggest 36lb.

Smoothound Dominate

Smoothound dominated Bideford Angling Clubs monthly sea rover with Stephen Found landing a fine specimen of 14lb 10oz. Andrew Clements was runner up with a thornback ray of 9lb 2oz. Dale Kiff and Jenson Kiff took the remaining places with smoothound scaling 9lb 11oz, 9lb 9oz, 8lb 1oz and 7lb 4oz.

Bass Wins Appledore Rover

Michael Hammett took top spot in Appledore Shipbuilders rover with a bass of 4lb 5oz.

Triggerfish wins CMSAC Competition

Kevin Legge won Combe Martin SAC’s rover with a specimen triggerfish scaling 3lb 15oz. I took second and third place with thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb 14oz and 4lb 1oz.

Trevor Telling Memorial 2025

The Annual Trevor Telling Memorial Competition at Wimbleball was won by Colin Combe who boated five trout for a total weight of 12lb 8.5oz. The bank trophy was won by Roger Truscott who banked three trout for 5lb 12oz. The prizes were presented by well- known and respected fly fishing writer and instructor Peter Cockwill. All monies raised go to the Exeter Hospice Care Team.

As water levels at local reservoirs recover and water temperatures drop trout sport is expected to improve with late September and October often providing some of the seasons best sport.

RAIN BRINGS HOPE OF SILVER

Heavy rain showers have brought hope that salmon will move into North Devon’s rivers bring a late flourish to what has been a poor season with drought conditions dominating throughout the summer.

FLOUNDER FISHING SEASON

Late September is the traditional start of the flounder fishing season and competitions are already planned for the coming months. The Barnstaple Bait & Tackle Dan Miles Memorial Open Competition is on Sunday November 30^th and is proving a popular event with over 100 entrants in last year’s event. All proceeds go to Children’s Hospice South West Little Bridge House, Fremington.

10 Sep 2025

Plymouth and District Coarse Angling Club. Versus Bideford and District Angling Club.

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Plymouth and District Coarse Angling Club. Versus Bideford and District Angling Club.

Second leg away at Bakelakes.

Overall team result:

PADCAC 35lb 14oz

BDAC 147lb 6oz

Bakelakes near Saltash prove a difficult but interesting venue for the second leg of our annual 10 a side interclub match.

The weather has played its part , although relatively mild a number of very heavy downpours have certainly kept weights lower than expected.

Bideford filled the top six individual places, our winner on the day was the on-form Craig Lamey with a 7 carp haul for 38lb from peg 12 , he has fished with the pole and meat in the margins.

Darren Polden has had some larger carp on paste on peg 2 for the second spot with 24lb 6oz.

Plymouth’s top scorer with 7lb 4oz was Paul White on peg 6.

We thank Keith Escott for arranging the away leg, and look forward to next year’s event

After both legs BDAC 447lb 15oz

PADCAC. 150lb 12oz.