4 Oct 2019

Autumn Bass

by | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

A short session to a local venue produced a pleasing 5lb 12oz bass  tempted on a trout dead-bait. On autumn nights presenting big fish baits close in on light tackle is exciting sport. Not sure it matters too much what bait is used blueys, mackerel, squid and trout all work as would I suspect pouting or rockling.  Use a light bass rod or carp rod, 20lb b.s main line with 30lb to 40lb b.s hook length. If there is current free-line the bait or use a small weight to keep the bait down. Use big hooks, 6/0 is ideal. Keep light off the water. Hold the rod and feel for bites, gentle tap is often followed by a heavy pull sighted as the fish moves confidently away with the bait. Its exciting stuff at close range.

4 Oct 2019

GOODING IS BEST OF THE BEST FOR THE THIRD TIME…

by | posted in: Game Fishing, Sidebar | 0

GOODING IS BEST OF THE BEST FOR THE THIRD TIME…

 

Andy Gooding has won the annual Snowbee Best of the Best competition at Kennick Reservoir for the third time in five years. Andy scooped a cool £1000 for his efforts, catching 8 fish for 15lbs 12oz with the successful flies being Damsel Nymphs fished high in the water on a floating line with 20 foot leader. Andy’s largest fish was 2lb 14oz.

32 anglers fished on the day and a huge congratulations goes out to all of them in qualifying for the final. The weather was very unsettled with sunny spells and gentle breeze turning into gale force winds and very heavy downpours! Casting in some zones was very difficult but the anglers really stuck at it well.

A cracking BBQ was provided by South West Lakes Trust (SWLT) Countryside Warden Mark Baxendale and the presentations were made at the Kennick Lodge.

The event was sponsored, yet again, by Snowbee UK who are a leading manufacturer of fishing equipment and clothing. The products they supply are simply superb – www.snowbee.co.uk.

Ben Smeeth, Head of Angling for SWLT, thanked Simon Kidd and Russell Weston of Snowbee for supporting the event and being very generous in the prizes they provided.

Full results and prize winners:
Result                                          Fish Weight  
Winner – Andy Gooding 8 15.12 £1000 BOB trophy & Snowbee Hat
Runner up – Paul Jones 5 10.07 £400 BOB trophy & Snowbee Hat
Third – Ron Wilday 5 9.02 £250 BOB trophy & Snowbee Hat
Heaviest Fish (not finishing in the top three) John Huckings 2.06 £200 & Snowbee Hat
Second heaviest fish (not in top three) Dave Perks 2.05 Snowbee Stowaway Bag
Blind Pairs winners: A Gooding/R Gale 9 17.11 £50 each (£100)
Blind Pairs runners up: P Jones/M Sinclair 6 12.11 £25 each (£50)
4th  – John Huckings 4 8.00 Snowbee Nivalis Jacket
5th – Andrew Alger 4 7.04 Snowbee Onyx Cass. fly reel system
6th – Al Lawson 2 3.14 Snowbee Breeze Bloc Softshell Jacket
7th – Roger Truscott 2 3.11 Snowbee Ultralite Chest Pack
8th – Allan Brown 2 3.08 Snowbee 14740 Fly Box Tool Kit
 

9th –

  

Dave Perkls

 1 2.05 Snowbee Easy vue competition fly box L

 

 

 

 

QUALIFYING PRIZES

 

Weight

 
Heaviest Fish Kennick  –

 

 Janet Till 4lb 8oz Snowbee Softshell Gilet
Heaviest Fish Burrator  –

 

 Mark Sinclair 3lb 11oz Snowbee Softshell Gilet
Heaviest Fish Siblyback –

 

 Ron Wilday 3lb 14oz Snowbee Softshell Gilet
Best Qualifying Junior  –

 

 Alex Venn – Kennick 2lb 4oz Snowbee 16203  Classic Trout Bag L

 

 

Name Number of Fish Biggest Fish Total Weight Position Prize
Andy Gooding 8 2.14 15.12 1 £1000 BOB cheque & Snowbee Hat
Paul Jones 5 2.06 10.07 2 £400 BOB cheque  & Snowbee Hat
Ron Wilday 5 1.15 9.02 3 £250 BOB cheque  & Snowbee Hat
John Huckings 4 2.06 8 4 Snowbee Nivalis Jacket
Andrew Alger 4 2 7.04 5 Snowbee Onyx Cass. fly reel system
Allan Lawson 2 2.04 3.14 6 Snowbee Breeze Bloc Softshell Jacket
Roger Trustcott 2 1.14 3.11 7 Snowbee Ultralite Chest Pack
Allan Brown 2 2 3.08 8 Snowbee 14740 Fly Box Tool Kit
D Perks 1 2.05 2.05 9 Snowbee Easy vue competition fly box
Graham Watts 1 2.04 2.04 10
Mark Sinclair 1 2.04 2.04 10
Malcolm Ure 1 2 2 12
John Rumbold 1 1.15 1.15 13
Rob Gale 1 1.15 1.15 13
P Brown 1 1.14 1.14 15

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Lobb 1 1.13 1.13 16
Chris Bolt 1 1.11 1.11 17
Alec Hoare 1 1.1 1.1 18
Janet Till 1 1.09 1.09 19
Darren Penfold 1 1.09 1.09 19
John Hern 1 1.07 1.07 21
Alan Behan 0
Terry Diamond 0
Stuart McCullough 0
Tom Hendy 0
Paul Wicks 0
Barry Ware snr 0
Andy Lawson 0
Alex Venn 0
Darren Everitt 0
Mike Stone 0
Barry Ware Jnr 0

 

Andy Gooding has won the annual Snowbee Best of the Best competition at Kennick Reservoir for the third time in five years. Andy scooped a cool £1000 for his efforts, catching 8 fish for 15lbs 12oz with the successful flies being Damsel Nymphs fished high in the water on a floating line with 20 foot leader. Andy’s largest fish was 2lb 14oz.

32 anglers fished on the day and a huge congratulations goes out to all of them in qualifying for the final. The weather was very unsettled with sunny spells and gentle breeze turning into gale force winds and very heavy downpours! Casting in some zones was very difficult but the anglers really stuck at it well.

A cracking BBQ was provided by South West Lakes Trust (SWLT) Countryside Warden Mark Baxendale and the presentations were made at the Kennick Lodge.

The event was sponsored, yet again, by Snowbee UK who are a leading manufacturer of fishing equipment and clothing. The products they supply are simply superb – www.snowbee.co.uk.

Ben Smeeth, Head of Angling for SWLT, thanked Simon Kidd and Russell Weston of Snowbee for supporting the event and being very generous in the prizes they provided.

 

Full results and prize winners:
Result                                          Fish Weight  
Winner – Andy Gooding 8 15.12 £1000 BOB trophy & Snowbee Hat
Runner up – Paul Jones 5 10.07 £400 BOB trophy & Snowbee Hat
Third – Ron Wilday 5 9.02 £250 BOB trophy & Snowbee Hat
Heaviest Fish (not finishing in the top three) John Huckings 2.06 £200 & Snowbee Hat
Second heaviest fish (not in top three) Dave Perks 2.05 Snowbee Stowaway Bag
Blind Pairs winners: A Gooding/R Gale 9 17.11 £50 each (£100)
Blind Pairs runners up: P Jones/M Sinclair 6 12.11 £25 each (£50)
4th  – John Huckings 4 8.00 Snowbee Nivalis Jacket
5th – Andrew Alger 4 7.04 Snowbee Onyx Cass. fly reel system
6th – Al Lawson 2 3.14 Snowbee Breeze Bloc Softshell Jacket
7th – Roger Truscott 2 3.11 Snowbee Ultralite Chest Pack
8th – Allan Brown 2 3.08 Snowbee 14740 Fly Box Tool Kit
 

9th –

  

Dave Perkls

 1 2.05 Snowbee Easy vue competition fly box L

 

 

 

 

QUALIFYING PRIZES

 

Weight

 
Heaviest Fish Kennick  –

 

 Janet Till 4lb 8oz Snowbee Softshell Gilet
Heaviest Fish Burrator  –

 

 Mark Sinclair 3lb 11oz Snowbee Softshell Gilet
Heaviest Fish Siblyback –

 

 Ron Wilday 3lb 14oz Snowbee Softshell Gilet
Best Qualifying Junior  –

 

 Alex Venn – Kennick 2lb 4oz Snowbee 16203  Classic Trout Bag L

 

 

Name Number of Fish Biggest Fish Total Weight Position Prize
Andy Gooding 8 2.14 15.12 1 £1000 BOB cheque & Snowbee Hat
Paul Jones 5 2.06 10.07 2 £400 BOB cheque  & Snowbee Hat
Ron Wilday 5 1.15 9.02 3 £250 BOB cheque  & Snowbee Hat
John Huckings 4 2.06 8 4 Snowbee Nivalis Jacket
Andrew Alger 4 2 7.04 5 Snowbee Onyx Cass. fly reel system
Allan Lawson 2 2.04 3.14 6 Snowbee Breeze Bloc Softshell Jacket
Roger Trustcott 2 1.14 3.11 7 Snowbee Ultralite Chest Pack
Allan Brown 2 2 3.08 8 Snowbee 14740 Fly Box Tool Kit
D Perks 1 2.05 2.05 9 Snowbee Easy vue competition fly box
Graham Watts 1 2.04 2.04 10
Mark Sinclair 1 2.04 2.04 10
Malcolm Ure 1 2 2 12
John Rumbold 1 1.15 1.15 13
Rob Gale 1 1.15 1.15 13
P Brown 1 1.14 1.14 15

 

 

Andy Lobb 1 1.13 1.13 16
Chris Bolt 1 1.11 1.11 17
Alec Hoare 1 1.1 1.1 18
Janet Till 1 1.09 1.09 19
Darren Penfold 1 1.09 1.09 19
John Hern 1 1.07 1.07 21

 
3 Oct 2019

Another Stafford Moor Thirty

by | posted in: Carp Fishing, Sidebar | 0

John Jobson had a cracking day today on Stafford Moors Lodge Lake back Island on the spit banking 20lb 11oz mirror. Followed by new personal best  30lb 2oz mirror. Both succumbed to 12mm krill and pink ccmore northern specials snow men, loose feed of crushed edge boiles very happy days accompanied by Barney the faithful hound.

2 Oct 2019

Anglers Best Week EVER ! In Paradise

by | posted in: Carp Fishing, Coarse Fishing, Sidebar | 0

If Carlsberg made Fishing weeks then this would be right up there!! Scott Brown had a week he’ll never forget and achieved Angling dreams he never thought would come true!! The start of the week he had a 65lb Cat from the Specimen Cat Lake. Then he went on the Main Carp Lake and had Carp 22lbs, 21lbs, 20lbs, 18lbs & 16lbs. He had Catfish of 27lbs & 20lbs from the Easy Access, 12lb Grass Carp from the Tench Lake as well as lots of big Golden Tench, Koi, Crucians, Rudd, Orfe and a Blue Tench for Dad too!

Scott’s story –

The highlight of the entire holiday was a 72 hour session on The Kracking Carp lake here’s my story. Arriving early morning the lake had two other anglers on in peg 1 and peg 2 so I decided to head to the total opposite end of the lake hoping that the lower angling pressure that end would increase my chances.
After some careful baiting of crushed Nash Scopex Squid, hemp and sweet corn I got my casts spot on with a good land. The first day and night went without a bleep but I knew I’d got everything right so I decided to not recast or add more bait yet the patience paid off as at first light the left hand rod slowly beeped away I struck into it and immediately knew this felt a good fish. A slow and ponderous fight which normally indicates a big fish took place as the fish rolled I couldn’t believe my eyes with the sheer size of it, i knew straight away I’d hooked the legendary Silverback! Guiding her over the landing net was one of my greatest angling moments I was buzzing! 52lb 3oz a new Pb and my first ever 50lb carp.

That afternoon the Baliff came to see me and I said I’d had Silverback so the Parrot was next on my list, never in my wildest dream did I think this would become reality. But about the same time the next morning the alarm screamed off and a much more aggressive fight took place. A much darker fish came up to surface and I saw the distinctive mouth that gives the fish it’s name. Knees shaking at this point I managed to land the beast at 47lb 2oz! That session will live long in my memory as one of my greatest angling achievements, 11 oz off a 100lb total from just two fish will more than likely not be repeated fir me ever again. Both fish came on Nash Scopex squid absit I have had total confidence in ever since its release and after results like this I can’t see me deviating from any time in the near future. A brilliant holiday and one that’s going to take some topping, but I’ll be back again next year as always and give it my best shot.”

Anglers Paradisehttp://www.anglers-paradise.co.uk

 

30 Sep 2019

Bude Canal Angling Club v North Devon Match Group 2nd leg @ Bude Canal .

by | posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Bude Canal Angler Club v North Devon Match Group 2nd leg @ Bude Canal .

Bude take victory 164 points to 136. Overall 321 to 276. Despite filling the top 3 individual places NDMG lost their away leg on a very windy canal,  Chris Morris sat on peg 19 on the bottom basin and landed a 15lb 2oz net of bream on the groundbait feeder for victory, 2nd John Lisle ,on the top basin , 13lb 8oz including a 10lb carp , 3rd spot also on the top basin was Kevin Shears with a pole caught 8lb 10oz . Top Bude rod Mark Gratton 8lb 6oz peg 16, Well done Bude a thoughly well deserved victory. Thanks Simon John Allen  and the Brendon Arms .

30 Sep 2019

Big bass on light tackle

by | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

 

Dan Welch enjoyed an evening catching up with old fishing friends on a North Devon rock mark. They had a few fish Including this lovely bass of 8lb 4oz. “Taken on light gear fishing big baits with small weights the next best thing to lure fishing.”

29 Sep 2019

End of Season Flourish

by | posted in: Game Fishing, Sidebar, Uncategorised | 0

Len Francis ended his salmon fishing season in style tempting a brace of 11lb 8oz and 4lb 8oz from the Weir-Marsh and Brightly Beats of the Taw. Ed Ruell caught a fish of 4lb 8oz. Several salmon were also seen in the high water conditions that would have deterred many anglers. A large salmon was also hooked and lost after a battle in the high water. Heavy overnight rain has now almost certainly brought an end to this season. The heavy rain has come too late to save what has been a difficult season hampered by low flows.

28 Sep 2019

SEASONS and CHANGING TIMES – A few thought from the waters edge.

by | posted in: Carp Fishing, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Autumn seems to be setting in early this year with the salmon fishing seasons end almost upon us and no prospect of wetting a line with heavy rain bringing a big spate that has come too late to save what has been a lacklustre season as a result of low flows for much of the year. On the plus side the swollen rivers will enable salmon and sea trout to forge upriver and with no anglers or nets to impede their progress they will hopefully successfully spawn ensuring fish for future seasons.

Autumn colours are already showing on many trees on higher ground; martins and swallows are glimpsed as they head south battling the autumn gales as they start their epic journey. In a few weeks they will be swooping over a different landscape in Africa with elephants, lion and wildebeest instead of red deer, foxes and badgers. Each year these natural migrations take place and to some extent we take it all for granted expecting it all to continue year on year. Sadly things don’t always go on and we should watch with concern as nature faces troubled times. I read today of a threat to the Horse Chestnut trees and a shortage of conkers. Ash die back threatens to decimate our woodland.

As I drive around North Devon I am dismayed at the number of houses being built. Have we the infrastructure to cope? How will all of this impact upon the natural landscape and wildlife of North Devon? My recently published book “I Caught A Glimpse” reflects upon a North Devon I grew up in. Each year the stories within its pages seem far removed from the present day.

The coming months are often the best of the year for many anglers with carp already showing from our local lakes at impressive weights their bronze flanks reflecting autumns hues. Stillwater trout are likely to bring exciting sport. On the coast sea anglers will be relishing the chance to catch tope, bass, conger, Huss and grey mullet. In the estuary flounder anglers will enjoy simple fishing as rod tips rattle as bunches of ragworm are engulfed.

These autumn storms will of course pass and warm sunshine will bring reminders of summer warmth. November generally gives those first chill days but even then garfish and mackerel can bring a pleasant surprise on the coast. Part of the joy of angling is not knowing what will happen next and being out there by the water is a constant adventure. What better place to watch the drama of life on earth unfold?