A flashing silver flank in the cold clear water.
A pleasing tussle, a well bent rod and a brace of January mullet to 3lb 8oz.
When I started fishing for mullet over forty years ago we considered the season to run from May until the end of October. Now it’s 12 months of the year on the open coast.
I am please to add to Pure Fishing to North Devon Angling News Sponsors.
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A smashing first trip to Bulldog Trout Fishery for Keith, Dave and Howard. Braving the cold weather the lads had great results, keith finished the session with 4 fish, biggest of which 4lb6oz and a combined weight of 15lb8oz! Dave also managed 4 fish of a similar size and Howard ended with just the two.
The last few weeks have seen sea anglers investing plenty of effort into unlocking the secrets that dwell within the deep and murky waters. When conditions come right windows of opportunity open and the fishing can be good as Combe Martin SAC members Ali Laird and Jamie Steward discovered when they enjoyed success fishing from the Rocky shoreline.
During a couple of hectic sessions they successfully landed tope, Bull Huss, spurdog and conger. The fish are pictured below.
It is easy to glance at these images and believe that the anglers make these sort of catches every trip. I can assure you that many trips result in little more than tackle tangling encounters with small conger and dogfish. On many occasions everything feels right and yet the better fish fail to show. I invest a moderate number of hours fishing the coast and my number one priority is to enjoy my fishing. I know that if I persist the right tide will come and my bait will be in the right place and hopefully my knots will hold and the fish will be held aloft for that pleasing trophy shot and another fishing memory in life’s bank of experiences.
01409221559 strictly between 9am to 4.30pm.
Combe Martin SAC member Mark Jones fished an up channel shore mark to land a fine small eyed ray of 10lb 4oz. The fish was landed during some horrendous weather making it difficult to get a good photo.! The fish was tempted on a blue and squid cocktail.
On the 2nd Jan 2022.
The South West’s first major event in 2022 attracted 111 anglers to the South Hams to fish the annual Angling Trust Wyvern Open Festival, with some competitors traveling from South Wales & the Isle of White, the weather conditions on the day saw a strong, west / south westerly wind with occasional heavy showers for the five hour event. Whiting, Dogfish, Pouting, flounder, dab, spotted ray & an excellent Small Eyed Ray were caught during the event, 64 competitors returned to the scales with fish to record. The results were announced within half an hour of the close of scales at the Festival Headquarters at the Stokeley Farm Shop.
The main sponsor was Julian Shambrook of Anyfish Anywhere Ltd, a major fishing tackle manufacturer, based in Torquay. All of the sponsors for the day were thanked for their continuing support each year, also a big thank you to Stokeley for their hospitality & providing an excellent venue.
The worthy winner, was the main sponsor Julian, Julian apart from being our sponsor for the event had fished it for over 30 years but had never won the competition before, he recorded a specimen Whiting of 1.775lb & a L.S.D. of 2.220lb (207.14%),he was presented with the top prize of £200 cash and the Brixham Bowl. The other tackle prizes were valued at over £800 and were awarded down to 12th place, these were announced by the Chairman of the Wyvern Region Alex Parker, and presented by Julian Shambrook.
The first Twelve Places are as follows:-
First : £200 Brixham Bowl
Julian Shambrook Torquay Whiting 1.775 lb
L.S.D. 2.220 lb Total: 207.14%
Second Pick of the Prize table & Bideford Cup Cup
Claire Loder Newport S E Ray 11.245 lb
Whiting 0.965 lb“ Total: 204.91%
Third Pick of the Prize table & Appledore Cup
Tony Honeywell L.S.D. 1.605 lb
Whiting 1.96 lb Total: 194.87%
Fourth Pick of the Prize table & Sidmouth Cup
Mike Rose 3 counties Whiting 1.37 lb
L.S.D. 2.415lb Total: 187.94 %
Fifth Pick of the Prize table
Ben Bradstock Honiton S.A.C. Whiting 1.68 lb
L.S.D. 1.85 lb Total: 186.00%
Sixth Pick of the Prize table
Paul Rohrabaugh Sidmouth S.A.C. Whiting 1.705 lb
L.S.D. 1.575lb Total: 176.67%
Seventh Pick of the Prize table
Dave Lane Weymouth AC Whiting 1.485 lb
L.S.D. 1.925lb Total: 176.00%
Eighth Pick of the Prize table
Marcus Ward T&B A.S.A Whiting 1.375 lb
L.S.D. 2.045lb Total: 173.47%
Ninth Pick of the Prize table
Dave Reed S.W.A.F.S.A.C Whiting 1.39 lb
L.S.D. 1.965 lb Total: 171.27%
Tenth Pick of the Prize table
Mark Barnett Kingsbridge S.A.C. Whiting 1.33 lb
L.S.D. 1.965lb Total: 167.27%
Eleventh Pick of the Prize table
Darren Newland Isle of White Whiting 1.505 lb
L.S.D. 1.67 lb Total: 167.14%
Twelfth Pick of the Prize table
Nick Snow Whiting 1.535 lb
L.S.D. 1.60 lb Total: 166.34%
Best Team Team Shield: ( Team of four anglers, Best fish by each angler)
Team: Anyfish Anywhere
Rob Marshall
Julian Shambrook
Marcus Ward
Ben Bradstock
Total 394.01%.
Pool (best individual species)
1/ 50% Claire Loder 140.57% Newport
2/ 30% Tony Honeywell 130.67%
3/ 20% Julian Shambrook 118.34% Torquay
Fly fishers enjoyed some great sport over Christmas and New Year at Bulldog Trout Fishery with plenty of hard fighting rainbows and sone cracking browns.
