I joined with Adrian Bryant and the National Trust at Combe Martin Community Centre to show the acclaimed film Riverwoods to close to fifty attendees. The film was followed by a short presentation by myself on the dramatic decline of salmon in the West Country. National Trust Wetlands Ranger James Thomas lifted sprits with an inspiring presentation on work being undertaken across North Devon to improve wetland habitat and reduce flooding.
The Community Centre was previously the Primary School that I attended as a child back in the late 1960’s. Less than fifty yards from this building the River Umber flows on its journey through the village to the sea. It sad that in those fifty years, (a very short time in the grand scale of nature) the wild brown trout have dwindled dramatically and sea trout are perhaps no longer present. The eels that thrived in the river have also declined alarmingly as they have across the whole of the UK. It is tragic that our generation have overseen this trashing of the natural world.
This was the tenth showing of the Riverwoods Film to audiences across North Devon with over 300 watching the film at various venues. It is to be hoped that our efforts have helped put the health of local rivers higher on the public and political agenda. Keep up to date on North Devon Angling News for future events
Novembers weather so far has been exceptionally benign and settled with high pressure, light winds and mild temperatures.
I Arrived at Bulldog Fishery to join fellow members of Wistlandpound Club for the first heat of their Winter challenge series and was encouraged to see anglers already there enjoying sport with rods bending as good sized rainbow trout were undoubtedly feeding.
It was good to catch up with fishery owner Nigel Early who was as always bubbling with enthusiasm as he chatted about the fishery and future plans.
The enlarged trout lake can comfortably fish up to a dozen anglers and has easy access with several fishing platforms that have had overhanging trees pruned to make casting easier. Nigel is keen to encourage visiting groups to make use of this excellent venue that has a comfortable fishing lodge overlooking the lake. I was fascinated to study the cast of a rainbow trout weighing 25lb 3oz that was supplied by Bulldog and held the Welsh Record.
I caught up with fellow club members as we tackled up before heading out to the calm waters.
I had set up with a floating line in conjunction with a relatively long leader of 8lb b.s fluorocarbon to the end of which I had tied my trusted gold headed damsel nymph. I have great faith in this pattern that sinks slowly its marabou tail adding life as it is retrieved.
I headed to the riverside bank and started to search the water allowing the lure to sink before starting a slow erratic retrieve watching the tip of the fly line intently.
After twenty minutes or so I felt a gentle tug transmitted through the line and watched as a trout followed the lure nipping the tail but failing to nail it. Encouraged I recast and after pulling a yard of line felt that satisfying connection as a good sized rainbow devoured the lure.
A spirited tussle was successfully concluded and the trout despatched. It’s always good to get the first fish and remove the dreaded blank from the agenda.
As I fished on I tried to take in the surroundings. A kingfisher darted across the lake its electric blue a stark contrast to the mellow colours of Autumn. Fallen leaves and bare branches reflected the season as I enjoyed the act of casting and searching the water.
The occasional trout showed breaking the mirror calm surface and slurping down a fly or emerging nymph. I put my offering close to a rise and was rewarded as the feeding fish converged on my fly. The full tailed rainbow gave a good account spending a good part of the battle air-borne.
With just one trout left to complete my three fish limit I changed over to a foam daddy pattern as I had a hunch this would work. After ten minutes without success I reverted back to the tried and trusted damsel.
I put the fly adjacent to a large swirl and began a quick retrieve. A bow wave materialized behind the fly and I saw a white mouth open followed by a delectable tightening of the line. A handsome brown trout of close to 4lb completed my three fish bag.
I took the opportunity to have a walk around the lake and capture action and images of the day.
Andrew Facey had enjoyed a good morning banking three good rainbows to 6lb along with a stunning brown trout of over 4lb.
Whilst we chatted Andrews friend Chris Dunn tempted a fine rainbow of 5lb 8oz. The successful fly a slow sinking daddy long legs pattern.
Close to the lakes inlet Graham Snowdon and Grant Jefferson were enjoying good sport completing their limit bags by midday.
Andre Muxworthy and Grant JeffersonAndre Muxworthy with a 5lb 5oz rainbow
My fellow Wistlandpound Club members were all enjoying good sport with some hard fighting brown and rainbow trout. It seemed as is often the case that a wide variety of fly’s and lures had tempted the lakes trout. Black and green Vivas, cats Whiskers, and damsel nymphs amongst the successful offerings.
The competition weigh in was as follows : –
Dave Mock – 3 trout – 11lb 10oz Best a brown trout of 6lb 3oz
Andre Muxworthy – 3 trout – 11lb 10oz Best trout – Rainbow Trout 5lb 5oz
Wayne Thomas – 3 Trout – 9lb
Colin Combe – 3 Trout – 7lb 15oz
Dave Mock with a 6lb 3oz brown troutColin Combe was delighted with this fine brown trout and dedicated its capture to his much loved dog Winston that died a week before.
A welcome facility at the lake is a sink, running water and cutting board permitting anglers to gut and clean their catch before returning home.
The first weekend of November brought the 2024 season to a close for most Charter boats operating out of Ilfracombe. The calm weather resulted in a good end to the season. Last weekend Bluefin Charters, Predator 2 and Carrick Lee all had successful trips with tope to 42lb boated with several large fish lost. Bass, bull huss, pollock, scad, conger, wrasse, whiting and dogfish were caught and the trips were even more made memorable with sightings of porpoise, seal and tuna.
South Molton Angling Club – Bluefin
A quick report from Edward Rands on the clubs last sea trip of the season from Ilfracombe.
We set sail from the harbour at 07:30, early enough for me!, but the days are shorter now.
Our destination was Lundy, about 90 minutes later we were there jigging feathers and retrieving all sorts of plastic lures and began catching mainly pollack with a few wrasse now and again. Although the weather was overcast we were on the west side in some shelter from the easterly wind.
We drifted various marks and then decided to anchor for a while to finish the day off where we caught a little conger, some bull huss and a couple of scad which were used as bait and helped Chris Allin catch a 42lb tope which will take the Tope cup.
The shout was reel in and we headed home with a bucket full of pollack fillets which we shared around. The journey home was quite lumpy with wind against tide but everyone managed and no motion sickness occurred.
The list was
40 pollack to 5lb
6 ballan wrasse
3 scad
4 pouting
10 huss to 10lb
1 strap conger
1 tope 42lb
A very enjoyable day out with plenty of fish, good company and good banter.
Thanks to John and Ted for looking after us again on “Bluefin” and everyone else for supporting the cause.
PREDATOR 2
I enjoyed the last trip of the season on a mates trip on Predator 2 skippered by Dan Welch relishing a last chance to explore the reefs and deep channels West of Ilfracombe.
Big tope and big bass were on our agenda though it was good to be out fishing once again whatever we managed to catch.
The sea was calm as we left Ilfracombe just a light Easterly blowing down the channel. The grey November sky was mirrored by the sea the North Devon cliffs dark and sombre as we watched familiar landmarks pass by.
We explored close to the rocky shore at first casting lures to be rewarded with a few hard fighting pollock and wrasse.
Robin Bond with a good pollock
With the tide easing Dan suggested we get out and drop the anchor in hope of a big late season tope or ray.
We soon reached our intended mark and a variety of baits were sent down onto the sandy ridges that have a reputation for tope and ray.
I had baited with a mackerel head and guts impaled on a 6/0 Sakuma Kong Hook with heavy wire trace. To my surprise after just a few minutes I felt a savage tug. I let out a few yards of slack and waited until the rod tip pulled over before leaning back into the fish. The rod hooped over and line was ripped from a moderately tight drag. I held on relishing the battle confident in my tackle as whatever had taken the bait started to accelerate away. Suddenly without warning the rod tip sprang back and I felt deflated knowing that I had lost contact with something special. I reeled in to find that the fish undoubtedly a big tope had come off.
Heartened by this we all fished on expectantly catching a succession of small huss and dogfish before the tide eased.
Dan suggested moving further out into faster tide to fish a channel between rocky reefs.
The anchor went down once again and fresh baits were sent down. For the next two hours a steady stream of decent huss and conger ensured regularly bent rods typical of Bristol Channel reef fishing. I also lost a large fish after a very brief connection.
Jonathon Stanway with a conger
Ross Stanway with a huss
Skipper Dan Welch with a well bent rodA well marked huss of close to 10lb Skipper Dan Welch with typical Bristol Channel huss and conger
When the tide strength demanded close to 2lb of lead to hold bottom we headed back close inshore to search a tide rip for bass. Here we enjoyed an hours great sport with bass, pollock and wrasse falling to lures the black fiiish minnows bringing most success.
We headed back to Ilfracombe against a lively sea driven by the East breeze. Pollock were filleted along with a couple of good table sized bass. We all chatted about more trips next year with plenty of excursions planned for 2025.
As Winter approaches the number of anglers venturing out will inevitably drop but those that continue to fish will enjoy some of the years most exciting fishing. Make sure you support your local tackle shop.
Combe Martin SAC member Ollie Passmore with a fine trigger fish caught as the summer species depart.
When your rod hoops over and line starts screaming off is a hard feeling to beat. Proper scrap and big thanks for the top landing skills and pic from a good mate @kevlegg This girl going 36lb 10! Roll on winter and hopefully be blessed to catch another and can beat my pb
@sakuma_fishing 8/0 manta extra and 7/0 Octopus circle as my pennel hook can’t rate enough. New sakuma wire for my bite trace!
And as we approach those Christmas shopping days remember the angler always needs something!
Join the National Trust and myself at Combe Martin Community Centre on Wednesday November 6th to watch the acclaimed Riverwoods Film and hear about efforts to restore our rivers.
Senior Fisheries Scientist Dr Dan Osmond
“When a species heads towards extinction, you might expect public outcry. But as our Senior Fisheries Scientist Dr Dan Osmond suggests in his article about a keystone fish, this is not quite the case for the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).
But all is not lost, as Dan shares not only details of how our charity is working hard to remedy the decline, but how others are too, including short and long-term solutions.
We know how important the Atlantic salmon is and how crucial to the overall structure and functioning of an ecosystem they are – we will continue to do all we can to turn the tide on their predicament.”
5C’s member Joe Dietrich had a great overnight session on Anglers Eldorado’s Cat and Carp 2 catching 6 Carp to 24lb 6oz and a mid twenty Cat!
Joe shared –
“Was nice to get out on the banks again last night even though it was a very wet one! Had a nice scaley mirror of 21lb 12oz and then a nice common of 24lb 6oz to finish a busy night off nicely! 6 carp and a mid 20 cat. First night for a few weeks! No pics of the rest as was hammering it down and dark!”
Another chance to see the acclaimed Riverwoods Film followed by talks by National Trust Wetlands Ranger James Thomas and Wayne Thomas talking about salmon decline.
