18 Aug 2018

RIVER UPDATE

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After a prolonged drought; the most significant since 1976 there has been some welcome rain though not enough. Local rivers have only risen slightly with each spell of rain and have dropped back quickly. Reports of any salmon and sea trout are scarce with a couple caught on the Lyn last week. If you have any news of fish from the Taw or Torridge please let me know.

I ventured onto a Middle Torridge beat in the middle of last week and found the river extremely low despite it having risen 18″ two days before my visit.

It was good to be back on the river however and I was initially hopeful that a few fish may have moved up with the rise in water. After a couple of hours without seeing a fish move I began to have concerns that the river was devoid of life. As I stepped into the river at the top of the beat I caught a fleeting glimpse of electric blue as a kingfisher flashed past. Following its flight up river I admired the view as evening sunlight broke through illuminating the trees.

I fished my way downriver searching the lies and noting the contours that were exposed by the low river. I would hopefully retain some of this info later in the season when the river is once again running at more healthy level. A savage pull on the line yielded a pleasing brown trout of close to a pound.

Its not been a good season for the salmon angler with no water equaling no fish. A few signs of autumn brought a slightly melancholic atmosphere  to the session as I wondered slowly back to car in the fading light.

18 Aug 2018

Stafford Moor Carp Catches

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Clive Ashford Key and his son Charlie  fished up on Swim 13 on the spit on Lodge lake. Clive & Charlie banked  fourteen fish in total up yo 20lb 4oz. Clive was using blow back k-d rigs, Urban nutcracker/Sticky baits Manilla & Bloodworm boilies, some caught on Wafters snowman style. Charlie had a new personal best of 14lb 8oz  fishing with Manilla tipped with corn and Manilla wafters.

(Below) Adam Barnett

(Below)Paul Blake enjoyed a great day fishing Lodge lake at Stafford Moor, caught 2 mirrors, 14lb 9oz and 17lb 14oz.

 

14 Aug 2018

Charles Inniss to Give Torridge Talk

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Angling Heritage are delighted to announce that Mr Torridge, Charles Inniss, author of the classic book Torridge Reflections is giving a talk about the River Torridge and its history, his life on the river and thoughts on the future at Torrington Museum (in the middle of Torrington) on Thursday 23rd August at 2.30pm. Entry is FREE, refreshments are provided so make sure that don’t miss this opportunity to meet the man and learn about the River Torridge.

Charles Inniss – A one-river man

13 Aug 2018

Bideford Angling Club – Latest Match Result

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Tarka Swims Monthly Comp.

1st Steve Bailey 42lb 5oz

2nd Colin Gorman  34lb 15oz

3rd Tyler Scott   20lb 4oz

4th Martin Rushton  18lb 7oz

5th Martin Turner  15lb 2oz

Silver winner  Richard Jefferies  8lb 8oz .

Todays match was fished by 15 competitors, in heavy rain showers, Steve drew on peg P. ,which was the golden peg on the day and therefore added a bonus £50 to his winnings. He fished into the dense weedbed and managed to extract some big carp on the pole on pellets and corn. Colin Gorman who finished in second spot, drew on the opposite corner on peg L, he has fished a method feeder with banded robin red pellets for 7 good carp, Junior member Tyler Scott who drew on peg K did very well to land 2 large carp on the pole for third place,  Martin Turner fished the straight lead to land 4 carp on peg I for fourth place. The Silvers prize went to Richard Jefferies with a feeder caught net of skimmer bream from peg R. The overall standings with 4 matches remaining Martin Tuner 88 John Lisle 70 Steve Bailey 59

13 Aug 2018

North Devon Tackle Club – Match Result

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Darracott Reservoir Results 12/08/18

Winner on the day was Norman Martin
Norman fished a combination of the method feeder & the whip for a total of 31lb 7oz which included a 14lb 3oz carp.

2nd was day from the shallow end was Dean Vickery who put 200+ small roach / rudd on the scales for a 18lb 1oz total.

3rd  was Peter Seward who had a 15lb 7oz mixed bag.

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13 Aug 2018

Latest news from the coast

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The recent change in the weather could bring a few opportunities for bait fishers in particular as the water colours up following a couple of months of calm hot weather. Several reports of mackerel from marks along the coast. A big mackerel bait will often sort out that monster bass with the next couple of months the prime time to get that double figure specimen. Bideford Angling Clubs Festival next weekend see poster below.

Bideford Angling Club 24 hour results

Graham Snow took the top two spots in Bideford Angling Clubs twenty four hour rover

1st Graham Snow mullet thick 3 lb 9 1/2oz

2nd Graham snow mullet thick 3 lb 2 1/2oz

3rd  kyle Blackmore dogfish 1lb 14oz

 

 

(Below)Daniel Welch enjoyed an excellent evening  session at a local harbour landing nine mullet to 4lb 15oz.

(Below)Stefan Jones spotted a window in the weather and decided to venture out on his boat. With a lively swell and big tide options were limited but a sheltered venue produced several smoothound, a bass of around 5lb, plenty of mackerel and a fine tope of close to 38lb.

Combe Martin SAC Member Kody Chugg landed this fine bull huss of 10lb 9oz during a session at a local rock mark.

 

12 Aug 2018

Wimbleball – Wistlandpound Club

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I had been looking forward to Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Clubs Competition at Wimbleball  as I had been hearing good reports of hard fighting rainbows despite the hot summer weather. I was hopeful that the heavy rain prior to the trip would liven up the trout but dipping my hand in the lake it was obvious that the water temperature was still exceptionally warm. We were advised to fish deep and slow using a lure on the point and small imitative patterns on the droppers.

I was sharing a boat with Andre Muxworthy and we headed for the deep water off the dam. After a couple of hours searching the depths we had both failed to connect and realized that it was not going to be an easy day.  Matt Kingdon was fishing with Paul Grisley and we noticed that they were catching a few drifting across the middle of the lake. Andre eventually hooked into a hard fighting rainbow that fought way above its weight before eventually sliding over the waiting net.

Up until this point I had not even had a pull and was starting to fear a blank trip. A move to another area  eventually brought a change of fortune when I felt the welcome pull on the line and for a few seconds a bent rod. Sadly this one came adrift but it wasn’t too long before I hooked another that battled hard before succumbing. The next hour brought a few encouraging twitches through the line and my confidence climbed. Andre added a second rainbow shortly after this. I was using a black and green booby on the point with two droppers, a Diawl bach and a cormorant. It was now gone 2.00pm and the day was ebbing away far too quickly.

A move close the bank to start a fresh drift brought a solid take from a fish that fought deep before appearing beside the boat to reveal golden flanks and dark spots. A fine wild brown trout of 2lb that had unfortunately engulfed the fly and was bleeding profusely from its gills. Despite my attempts to release it turned belly up and floated away before being retrieved to take home for tea.

With just a few minutes remaining of the competition a savage take resulted in a full tailed rainbow that made the reel sing as it surged away cartwheeling out of the water. This fish was the heaviest of the day and scaled 3lb 8oz.

Back at the fishing hut for the results and Matt Kingdon once again proved how he has qualified to fish for England and the commonwealth having boated five trout. Matt had elected to fish on a catch and release ticket bringing back just two trout weighing 5lb 7oz. It was decided to award Matt the trophy his estimated total bag being around 12lb. Matt caught his fish on a variety of flies and changed his line three times during the day as the fish moved up and down in the water. Runner up was Dave Mock who fished from the bank to take three trout for 6lb 1oz. In third was myself with two for 5lb 9oz a bag that included the biggest trout of the day at 3lb 8oz.

August is a very difficult month for the still-water trout fishers and today’s result was far better than could be expected on many lakes at this time of year. As the water temperatures begin to drop I am sure Wimbleball will fish exceptionally  well with September fishing something to look forward to as these full finned rainbows go on a feeding frenzy before autumn and winter set in. There is also every chance of big wild brown trout from the fry filled margins.