Kyle Rundle banked this fine 21lb mirror carp on cold winters day on the summer hut swim fishing with Spotted Fin Catalyst and Mainline cell snowman style.
Five Carp Catch On Lodge Lake
Martyn Green banked five carp during a session in swim 2 of Stafford Moor’s Lodge lake using Mainline cell & Essential cell boilies
http://www.staffordmoor.co.uk
A Good Read prior to a new season!
Its less than a month until the start of a new salmon season and optimism will as always be high. The rivers are running brimful at present so hopefully they will be in fine trim in for the seasons start. Its time to start sorting out the tackle and buying a few bits and pieces. Check those waders and nets. Another new rod! In the mean time why not have an inspirational read of the latest Eat Sleep Fish Magazines. Just click on the links.
Why not have a warm up session on a local still water like Blakewell, Bratton Water or Exe Valley.
Winter Carp Haul at the Moor
Matt Luscombe caught 13 carp up to 23lb 8oz from swim 3 on the dam wall of Stafford Moor’s Lodge lake fishing with munch bait Cream seed and good old Mainline cell boilies.
Jons on the trail of spurs
North Devon angler Jon Patten has been on the trail of spurdog landing a couple of double figure specimens on his latest sessions. The biggest above pulled the scales to almost 15lb and the fish below to almost 11lb.
The Don at 34lb 4oz from Upper Tamar
Ben Smeeth of South West Lakes Trust is thrilled to announce the first capture of ‘The Don’ from Upper Tamar after it was stocked in September 2017. The fish was banked by Ashley Bunning at 34.04. Ashely had this to say: ‘It went 34lb 4oz, to say i am over the moon is an understatement. Had the fish over a big bed of Burton bait rollers ‘Magnet’ and the new test bait’. Congratulations to Ashley on the capture. The capture was part of a great weekend on the venue with anglers catching multiple numbers of fish and other fish over 20lbs being recorded.
Reel Deal Cod Competition Latest.
There’s a month left in Bristol Channel Charters and Reel Deal cod competition with a few decent cod likely to be boated when the weather permits.
Summers coming time to book those shark excursions!
Bluefin – Trip Extra
Steve Dawe is on a mission to catch 52 species in 52 weeks and is doing it to raise money for The Stroke Association following a massive stroke that impacted upon a close angling friend of Steve’s. Steve has agreed to write about his aims on NDAN in a feature that will follow soon. In the mean time above is a picture of the huge 19lb spurdog Steve boated on Tuesday January 30th whilst fishing on John Barbeary’s boat Bluefin.
A link to Steves blog follows :- https://stevedawe189.wixsite.com/fishtytwochallenge
Pete Gregory was also on the trip and enjoyed sport with spurdog and bull huss. ( Below)
http://www.bluefincharters.co.uk
RNLI Rescue Anglers From North Devon Rock Mark
The North Devon Coast is a dangerous location especially during the winter months and keen sea anglers live on the edge. Despite plenty of warnings of the dangers of the sea events make the news every year some of them tragic. I have with kind permission of the Ilfracombe RNLI repeated their latest news post from social media.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning both boats were launched to the assistance of three fishermen cut off near Sandy Cove, Combe Martin.
The pagers sounded at 1.25am and the volunteer crew soon mustered to launch both boats despite a frosty start for their vehicles. The All Weather Lifeboat, The Barry and Peggy High Foundation and our Inshore Lifeboat, The Deborah Brown II, made their way to Broad Sands beach and soon located the casualties.
All three were caught out by the tide, although experienced fishermen they had underestimated the rise of tide, and a 1.5m swell was running in choppy seas. When realising their difficulty one took the decision to raise the alarm but with no phone signal, he moved across the rocks and was taken into the water by the swell. The casualty was wearing a flotation suit but had a backpack and waders on, so had a struggle to free himself. He managed to kick off his waders but was battered on the rocks, he then wrestled to make his way to land and picked up a phone signal to call the Coastguards and raise the alarm.
The Ilfracombe Coastguards brought him back to Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station, while his two friends were picked up by the Inshore Lifeboat and transferred to the All Weather Lifeboat, and taken back to Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station.
The injured casualty said ‘ I never imagined I’d end up in the water and had serious concerns for my safety’
These anglers normally carry vhf but felt it was such a good evening it wasn’t worth carrying. Also mentioning that 112 can be picked up more easily would be advantageous. The casualty had to climb to the main road barefoot to get a call out.
The Coastguards administered first aid and the casualties were picked up for home. Volunteer Second Coxswain Carl Perrin said ‘ it was a very favourable outcome which could have been so easily a far worse result’
Both boats were back and ready for service at 3.45am.
If we are honest most experienced sea anglers have had a few close calls. There are always lessons to be learnt and one of those has to be knowledge of the tide and weather conditions. I know Outer Stone Broadsands well and have fished there many times. It is a low water mark that I would only fish during settled conditions. Access is via a gulley that dry’s out for a short time over low water. An observation I would make is that it is easier to cross the gulley as the tide drops but far more difficult to get back if the water is at the same level on the flood. It is imperative that the rock is vacated in plenty of time as the tide floods.
The wearing of waders adjacent to deep water is questionable as falling in wearing these will make getting back to shore difficult. The wearing of flotation suits or aids is to be recommended but is not common practice. The carrying of a mobile phone to raise the alarm if all goes wrong is essential. The carrying of a lifeline is also a wise addition to the anglers pack. It is also unwise to fish alone. Always let someone know where you intend to fish and an approximate time of return.
The RNLI and Coastguard do a sterling job in rescuing those that get it wrong and are to be applauded.
Steve Pinn Enjoys a frosty session
Steve Pinn gives an account of his second session on Willow Lake. Almost a blank until the sun came out on the last day. This was when the larger fish came out, just before an amazing Devon sunset (only 17Ib but another willow, mint beauty). Had to wait until an alarm call at dawn on the last day when the smaller fish of the 2 woke me with a screaming run, I’d had similar runs from a swans leg but this time it was for real. I emerged to temps of -4, a heavy frost and the smaller of the 2 fish which wasn’t weighed but was a beautiful linear. You can tell by my disheveled appearance that I have literally just woken up in the picture!! Both fish were had on a new delivery of 12mm nuts tipped with a very chopped down fake corn and a red hair stop on a bed of red maggots and freeby 12 millers. A memorable second session of 2018 not just for the fish but also the wonders of nature. Angling Artist Thanks to David Blackaller for supplying the good luck, the sunshine and the camera skills.
