Calm weather has enabled John Barbeary to take anglers off Ilfracombe to enjoy some frantic sport with spurdog and bull huss. Each winter huge packs of spurdog prowl the Bristol Channel hunting for whiting, herring and sprats. The commercial ban on fishing for these members of the shark family has resulted in a population explosion that is generally welcomed by anglers who return the fish to the water.
Large packs of spurdog are on the hunt in the deep waters of the Bristol Channel off Ilfracombe. This 15lb specimen was tempted by John Passmore and was one of sixty plus fish taken early in the day!
Keith Armishaw enjoyed a Red letter day off Ilfracombe on Bluefin . Thanks to Keith for this report .. I had the chance to escape for days fishing with son Lee who had never caught a spurdog – so we got on board Bluefin out of Ilfracombe with John Barbeary. I took plenty of muppets seeing the difference they made to the catch rate last time out. We started trying for bass but only had a couple on the flood tide, so it was on to the spurdog. Lee had a two bait rig and I used a single bait and what a trip it turned out to be, we had around 90 on the boat between 7 of us with Lee catching 30 up to 14lbs against my meagre 18. Jonathan weighed in with a couple of good huss and a conger but what a session. We then tried for bass on the return trip catching around around 30, and only 5 dogfish caught all day. We even headed in early as we were all fished out and didn’t fancy an inshore mark after the bass as this is where the dogs were taken. An unbelievable day…
Combe Martin SAC member Rob Scoines landed a fine conger of 39lb whilst fishing from Charter boat “Lorna Doone” off Watchet.
Spurdog and bull Huss are giving sport off Ilfracombe with John Barbeary putting anglers on the fish. The early arrival of spurdog will bring hope amongst shore anglers that this season could be a good one for the species that have filled the winter gap in shore sport from diminished cod runs.
As Autumn descends and days grow colder many sea anglers hope to catch cod. Sadly cod have become rare along the North Devon shore line so if you want cod its best to head up Channel and get out on one of the many charter boats that operate. Dan Hawkins has relocated to Watchet after the summer at Ilfracombe and continues to find quality fish.
Massive thanks to Dan Hawkins, Reel Deal charters, for a great days fishing, Saturday 5th Oct, and finally helping me get my lump of a cod and pb @ 9lb 2oz after years and miles of trying. Thanks again to a great skipper who works so hard to get you on the fish.
Sea anglers have been enjoying some fine autumn sport from both boat and shore as summer temperatures linger on. Kevin Pike won Appledore Shipbuilders latest boat competition with a fine tope of 46lb. David Atkinson was runner up with a triggerfish of 3lb 81/2oz and Kevin Pike third with a triggerfish of 3lb. Triggerfish are a tropical fish that move into Britain’s Coastal waters during late summer and autumn and are a shoal fish that can offer great sport once located. Large numbers were first caught from the North Devon area in the mid-nineties. I recall one of these fish being caught in the early eighties when no one knew what type of fish it was. It is widely speculated that the arrival of triggerfish and gilthead bream is linked to climate change.
Olie Passmore and Kody Chugg fished a North Devon rock mark and landed trigger fish of 2lb 12oz and 2lb 14oz.
Daniel Welch and family headed out in their Private Boat to enjoy some sport afloat off Ilfracombe. Young Effie was delighted to boat fine tope. Bass, pollock and bull Huss also put in an appearance.
This happy lady tamed this 30lb tope whilst fishing off Ilfracombe on John Barberay’s boat Bluefin.