Many thanks to the Summerlands Team for welcoming me into their treasure trove of fishing tackle to promote my book “I Caught A Glimpse”. It was an enjoyable couple of hours spent chatting with local anglers and reminded me of the importance of tackle shops in maintaining angling rich community.
Combe Martin Sea Angling Club Secretary Nick Phillips won the clubs latest Open Match at Woolacombe beach with a fine bass of 10lb 1oz caught on the last cast of the competition.
The specimen bass seized a mackerel bait fifteen minutes before the end of the four hour match that attracted twenty keen anglers. The club organised the competition following the ongoing success of their Putsborough competition held each summer. Members had speculated that a match held during the autumn could offer the chance of a good specimen fish or two with ray and bass high on the agenda.
After a week of atrocious weather with strong winds and heavy rain the likelihood of the competition taking place was in question. But on the night the winds dropped along with the swell and even the rain ceased for the four hour duration of the match.
Anglers assembled at the booking in and anticipation was high as competitors ambled down the steep slopes to the vast expanse of Woolacombe Beach. A brisk breeze was blowing from the south east and a moderate surf surged against the sands. The next four hours passed and a range of species were brought to the shore including small eyed ray, small bass, turbot, whiting, codling, conger and the inevitable dogfish. The fishing was for most slower than hoped and spirits had slipped since the start with talk reflecting a lack of fish. As always though at the meet up to collate results a good few fish had been caught. At first it appeared that a dogfish could win the match despite the temporary raising of the specimen size for the competition to 3lb 8oz.
The announcement of Nicks 10lb 1oz bass brought a buzz of excitement and congratulations. The picture taken by Nicks son Jack was eagerly viewed by the huddle of tired anglers. The bass injected a much needed surge of enthusiasm ensuring that many will return to the beach again in search of that dream fish. A double figure bass is much sort after and many have not seen such a fish. I have witnessed several over the past fifty years but never been fortunate enough to actually land one. It is very high on my bucket list and is one of the goals that keeps me going. Autumn is the month if you want a double.
Results :-
1st Nick Phillips – Bass 10lb 1oz
2nd Mark Jones – dogfish – 2lb 4oz
3rd Wayne Thomas – dogfish 2lb 2oz
4th – Dan Miles Redmore – dogfish 2lb 1oz
Best ray – Dan Welch small eyed ray – 3lb 4oz
There is a tendency to frequent familiar marks and do the same things year in year out basing ones fishing on previous history. This is perhaps a good policy most of the time as fishing proven marks with a good track record will eventually bring success. However times change and perhaps we need to change our habits to widen our experience and to continue learning.
I recently persuaded a friend to join me at a local beach where I hoped to catch a bass. The weather was a touch blowy and he questioned our wisdom when we parked the car to see flags fluttering as a brisk North Westerly blew onshore.
The tide was ebbing and I intended to fish down to low water fishing with one rod each using a big bait in the hope of that elusive big bass. We clambered onto rocks that were being battered by a good sized surf. I gentle lob would put our baits onto clean sand and shingle.
I was using a 12ft bass rod, with 25lb b.s line straight through to simple paternoster with a 3oz lead and whole joey and a pennel rig with 6/0 and 5/0 Sakuma hooks. I love this direct contact fishing holding the rod feeling for that electrifying jolt through the line. Stood with waves crashing over the rocks and wind whistling past is invigorating stuff especially if your well dressed up to repel the elements.
Ten minutes after casting out I received a rattle and to my surprise swung in a small pouting neatly hooked on the 5/0 top hook. This gave encouragement that was increased when Rob brought in a small codling followed by a school bass.
A fresh joey was employed and resulted a decent Pollock of around 2lb. This came as a surprise as we were fishing in shallow water buffeted by a heavy surf. As the tide dropped back the bites ceased despite what I thought were perfect bass fishing conditions.
We packed away as low water approached as with work in the morning neither of us wanted to be late. A full moon shone brightly when the clouds parted driven swiftly across the sky by the brisk North West Wind. The short session had given us food for thought and we will revisit the beach again soon when tide and conditions are right.
Chris Flook from Ivybridge in Devon caught his biggest ever Wels Catfish at 72lb 2oz from the Specimen Carp Lake at Anglers Paradise. Fishery owner Zyg Greogorek believes that this is the biggest Wels Catfish born and bred in the UK which is one of the offspring of an original stocking in the early 90’s following a long fight with MAFF to get official permission to stock them. The original fish were stocked as 10” babies which were born in the UK. A couple of original fish are now over 100lbs.
HUSBAND AND WIFE CARPY ACTION – Pat and Liz Curley always love fishing together and this year wanted to target the bigger Carp on the Main Carp Lake and that they did! Pat caught a pristine 26lb 9oz Leather Carp and a 22lb 3oz Mirror, while Liz caught her personal best Mirror at 25lbs 13oz! We’ll send Pat for some photography lessons though!!
PB GOLDEN TENCH – Russ Robertson-Browne was a very lucky man catching this beautiful personal best 5lb Golden Tench from the Tench Lake as the hook pulled right at the last minute when he was fighting it out of the lillies, but he still managed to have it in the net!! He hasn’t a clue how he managed to still have it in the net but said “he was the luckiest man in Anglers Paradise that day!!”
MAIN CARP LAKE BEAUTIES – The Main Carp Lake just continues to produce! Matthew Pearson joined us for his annual family holiday and had a session on the Main and caught this stunning 21lb 12oz Common and a 25lb 8oz Mirror. Both fish fell to mainline wafters in pva bags and made a great holiday memorable despite the weather!
Tom Leighton after 10 years of coming to Anglers Paradise finally caught his first ever ‘Twenty’, a 21lb 8oz beautiful Mirror from the Main Carp Lake and won our Fish of the week competition too!
Tom’s story –“I have been coming to AP for 10 years now and for the last 5 I have wanted to get a 20 pound Carp but always fallen just short. Having had lots of help and advice from friends I headed to Main Carp Lake to have another go. Setting the alarm for 5 o’clock I managed to get the swim I wanted Nevs point. I set up in the half dark and rain and started feeding the swim.
In the morning I hooked into a heavy fish. It fought hard and I got her in close and up to the surface to see a beautiful fish that must be a 20, then she came off! Much despair at the missed fish but I got the rod back out. This was followed by catching an 18 06 which cheered me up and then it went quiet.
At 16:00 the rod twitched a little and I struck it expecting a small fish to find there was a lump on the end. The fish new what it was doing burying me in the lilies 3 times but eventually it went in the net and weighed at 21 08. Jim said I looked like a kid on his birthday that came downstairs to find his new bike. Finally done it and great to do it on my birthday week!”
Sarah Robertson-Browne caught a personal best 20lb 2oz scaley Mirror Carp from Anglers Eldorado’s bottom Cat and Carp Lake 2. She’s only been fishing for the last couple of years and now she’s hooked for life!!
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.
Ian Collins fished Stafford Moors Beatties Lake to bank this magnificent carp of 33lb 10oz.
Woods and Ford win £2000 at Upper Tamar’s Mainline carp open
The third and final Mainline Baits carp open pairs at Upper Tamar took place from 4-6 October. 33 pairs turned out for the final event of the year with £3500 up for grabs. Anglers chose their swims, collected a mainline goody bag and were transported to their pegs. Fishing began at 4pm on the Friday and ended after 45 hours at 1pm on the Sunday.
The weather was rough to say the least, very strong winds hammered the anglers through Friday evening giving way to a much calmer Saturday and Sunday. The fishing was hard, but this made for a really great competition which went right down to the wire.
Nigel Woods and Rich Ford (Launceston) scooped the top prize of £2000 with 4 carp for a weight of 49lb 1oz from peg 20 on the Cornwall bank. Nigel and Rich’s win followed on from winning the July competition and finishing third in the March event to cap a fine year at the prolific venue.
They held off a fantastic late flurry from Dave Bellew and Steve Lovell (Somerset) who caught three fish on the Sunday morning to finish on 47lbs 12oz and less than 2lb behind the winners. Dave and Steve collected £1000 for the runners up spot.
Jeff Watts and Simon Sweet (St Austell) were third and won £500 for their 3 carp with a total weight of 30lbs 13oz.
Largest fish winning 2kg of Mainline spod and PVA mix was Daniel Comaneci (London) who had a cracking 21lb 14oz mirror carp. Smallest fish, winning 2kg of Mainline spod and PVA mix was Karl Yates (Bude) who had a 9lb 13oz common carp.
Section winners winning 5kg of Mainline freezer baits boilies were:
Mervyn Beal and Danny Peters
Jamie Rusling and Nick White
Ben and Matt Cooper
Daniel and Tiberiu Comaneci
Massive thank you to Mainline Baits for their sponsorship.
The next Mainline pairs competition is 27-29 March 2020 and bookings can be made on 01566 771930.
Distinctly autumn looking results for the sea angling club results on the first Sunday of October. Matt Thomas enjoyed success catching a plump 4lb codling from a North Devon mark on whole squid a promising sign for the coming months perhaps.
Bideford rover results
1st Julien Stainer flounder 1lb 10 1/2oz 82.812%
2nd Terry Dymond flounder 1lb 10 1/8oz 81.640%
3rd Andrew Clements flounder 1lb 10oz 81.250%
4th Terry dymond flounder 1lb 8oz 75%
Triple Hook Club – SWW Water Flounder Open
1st Mark Hancock – Flounder 1lb 8/2oz
2nd – Kevin Hmcock – Flounder – 1lb 61/2oz
3rd – Robert Hancock – Flounder 1lb 61/8oz
Appledore Shipbuilders- Rover
1st Jazza John – Flounder 1lb 12 1/4oz
2nd Terry Dymond – Flounder 1lb 10 1/8oz
3rd – Jazza John – Flounder 1lb 8 3/4oz
North Devon Match Group Winter League No. 1 @ Wooda Fishery
Results
1st Paul Morris 73lb 14oz
2nd Colin Cherrington 53lb 10oz
3rd Kevin Shears 47lb 14oz
4th Shaun Stenton 44lb 6oz
5th Damian Lawrence39lb 15oz
6th Ian Croxton 31lb 0oz
7th Wayne Murton 30 lb 6 oz
8th Chris Morris 29lb 8oz
9th Keith Copland 29lb 1oz
16 fished, Paul Morris has begun the Winter League campaign with a resounding victory on peg 2 ,the reed beds on lake 3 , he has fished the short pole with pellets , and switched to shallow occasionally.2nd place went to Colin on peg 9 beside the inlet on pool 4 , again a short pole job. Kevin’s 3rd place was on peg 3 on pool 3. Conditions were breezy but dry, and Wooda Fishery again produced a good match.
