Chew Valley Lake 8:00am, it’s an excited gathering of anglers as always struggling to the boats with masses of piking tackle. There were the normal sprinkling of BIG NAMES in pike fishing amongst the eager group. I Have fished Chew on numerous occasions since it opened to pike fishing in October 2001 and always relish the challenge.
The early morning sun illuminated the vast lake as Bruce Elston and I loaded our gear into the boat. We discussed where we would fish and decided to go against the general wisdom and head for deep water close to the dam. The well known Stratford area would undoubtedly be packed with boats and we just didn’t want to be amongst the crowds. Big pike have been caught from all around Chew Valley Lake so whilst location is the key it is a big lake and it might not always pay to follow the crowds.
To some extent my approach to fishing has changed over the years and enjoyment of the day is undoubtedly my number one aim. This may to some extent have been influenced by catching a 38lb pike earlier in the year a fish of a lifetime that I may never surpass. That fish was caught on a fly and both Bruce and I now question the benefits of targeting the pike during the trials at a higher cost when the fish can be caught on fly tackle.
That said there is something special about watching floats bobbing upon a lake and the expectation of their disappearance at any moment. I cannot say for certain which approach I prefer or which is the. most effective.
We agreed to troll lures on the way to our first location and were rewarded with a jack each. Using an echo sounder we located the boat close to where the bottom contours indicated a significant drop off. We then dropped anchors to ensure the boat remained stable and cast out dead-baits spread around the boat. It was now time to pour a fresh coffee and gather our thoughts.
Bruce was first into a fish on a horse mackerel dead bait a small jack of perhaps 4lb.
The conditions were certainly very pleasant for early autumn with a gentle breeze and brilliant blue sky.
After an hour anchored up with dead baits and the occasional search around with various spinners we decided upon a move to a bay further along the West bank.
After dropping anchor, I had a cast with the lure and immediately connected with a pike of around 8lb. We enjoyed further success from this location with Bruce adding another couple of jacks to dead-baits.
Throughout the day we tried a few different spots, trolled a bit and varied our lures searching each area carefully. The autumn colours were showing on bankside trees. Swans and geese occasionally flew over and grebes glided on the water hunting for fish. High in the sky large planes flew to a fro from nearby Bristol Airport and wondered where they were headed?
Bruce and I both watched our pike floats intently willing them to disappear. Time as always ebbed away and our dreams of monster pike slowly evaporated as the sun sank in the Western sky.
We had boated 14 jacks between us, ten to Bruce and four to me.
Bruce fished with his good friend Stuart Calder the following day. They chose to anchor up in the renowned Stratford area as thick mist hung over the lake. Early in the day Stuart boated a fine pike of 26lb 10oz. Bruce blanked. Chew is a big lake and each day deals a different hand there are many variables that go to make the game so fascinating and addictive.
26lb 10oz of prime pike
We will be back in the Spring Fly rods in hand casting in hope and hopefully connecting with one of those famous Chew Valley Giants.
October’s comp definitely had an autumnal feel, with a brisk South Easterly and a cool start.
Nathan’s winning streak continues , with a resounding victory on peg 21,fishing a long pole to the point of the island, worm baits over groundbait accounted for his mixed bag.
Second and third place came off consecutive pegs 12 and 13 . A pound separated Warren and Martin, both had nets of mainly carp on pole tactics.
Les came in fourth with a mixed bag on peg 10.
Nathan now leads the points table 107 to Craig’s 102
Daniel Welch dominated Combe Martin SAC’s Lyn Fish competition taking the top three places with grey Mullet of 5lb 5oz, 3lb 8oz and 3lb 2oz. His son Solly also enjoyed success tempting a mullet of around 2lb.
Ten anglers fished the competition with Open coast fishing for heavyweight species proving difficult with just a few dogfish caught on baits intended for ray, bass and huss.
“Lovely 32 hour session on SW Lakes Melbury reservoir in North Devon.
Arrived at 0400 in the rain. It took some time to get a bite on the end of a south westerly, but the effort of an early start and 1.5 hour drive in darkness through the damp Devon lanes was worth it.
The bites started to come through observation and different tactics using DNA baits 18mm Bug boilies. 12 bites and 11 landed
The carp scaled from 13lb to 24lb 4oz.
The biggest came in darkness on a relatively heavy baited rod left all day and into the night.
Plus just being here is amazing given the views.
Andrew and Jack Willis also fished at Melbury banking ten carp to 27lb8oz.
Looe in Cornwall has been a constant throughout my life and a significant stopping off point for fishing adventures for close to sixty years. We were staying in an apartment overlooking the estuary and we delighted in watching the ebbing and flowing of the tides from our vantage point.
Pauline and I had booked the short break to coincide with a boat trip I was joining organised by my friend Keith Armishaw. The trip was to be a reef fishing trip giving the chance of a wide variety of species.
A strong North Westerly wind had been blowing throughout the week making conditions difficult for trips to fishing grounds further off the coast. Keith had organised a week’s fishing that included reef fishing, Shark and tuna fishing. I was heading out on the Thursday and Pauline and I met up with members of the fishing entourage and their families in the ‘Old Salutation Inn’. This old Inn situated in the heart of East Looe has a wealth of old shark and fishing images upon its walls. Old black and white portraits of huge shark hanging at the weigh station beside their proud captors. Fortunately, such slaughter is now a thing of the past as a more enlightened generation now return all shark alive in the hope that a thriving sport fishery can be maintained for future generations.
Fishing was of course high on the agenda as we dined and it appeared that the days shark fishing had been challenging with a very rough sea making conditions difficult for even seasoned anglers. A good shark had been brought boat-side and was estimated at 95lb. A qualifier for the Shark Angling Club of Great Britain that has its headquarters in Looe.
Optimism for the reef fishing day was high and with fishing likely to be on reefs closer to the coast there would be a degree of shelter from the prevailing North West wind.
I arrived quayside at 8:00 and met with fellow anglers for the day. Keith Armishaw, Dom Garnett, Mark Everard, Reg Talbot, Peter Evans, Nick Roberts and Tony Christou. Whilst waiting we chatted to the film crew who were busy filming a spin off drama of ‘Death In Paradise’. It was enlightening to see how many technicians and support were involved in such a production that undoubtedly brings significant income into the town.
The boat departed Looe harbour and passed the unique Banjo Pier where I had started my lifelong angling journey close to sixty years ago. I always relish the trip out to the fishing grounds with the splendour of the Cornish coast as a magnificent back drop. We passed the historic Looe Island that provides shelter for Looe and its foreshore.
Shortly after passing the Island, we stopped to catch fresh mackerel for the days bait. It was a joy to find them in abundance. Strings full of writhing mackerel were swung on board to be unhooked by a busy crew.
After catching a good supply of bait, we set off for a reef a couple of miles off the coast. As the boat bounced over the waves I caught sight of gannets diving in a feeding frenzy and thrilled at the sight of a tuna bursting out of the sea in a flurry of spray.
On arriving at the reef Dan throttled back and set up a drift. A variety of tackles and baits were employed. Live mackerel on long flowing traces, baited feathers and slow jig lures.
Within moments mackerel and scad were swung aboard along with whiting and pouting. Larger specimens proved elusive with no bass or pollock succumbing to the bigger baits and lures. After one more short drift Dan positioned the boat and lowered the anchor. The engine was cut and it was good to bob around in the lively sea as we lowered our baits. I elected to start off using small strips of squid on size 6 Chinu Sakuma hooks and fluorocarbon hook lengths. Within seconds of the bait hitting the bottom the light rods tip rattled and I reeled in a small pouting and small male cuckoo wrasse. Second drop and a better rattle on the rod tip resulted in a small red bream one of five i went on to land up to around 1lb. The last time I had caught red bream was on a reef fishing trip in the mid-seventies when they were a common catch. The species had declined with very few caught for several decades. A recent increase in numbers caught is encouraging. A handsome female cuckoo wrasse of close to a pound was also tempted with the small bait tactic.
Mark Everard fishing closer to the cabin also tempted a brace of red bream his first of the species. Mark was also delighted to catch a huge scad that would probably have tipped the scales close to 2lb.
The sight of bent rods around the boat prompted me to send down a larger bait. A mackerel flapper on a 10/0 Sakuma Manta was lowered to the sea bed and was soon devoured by a conger of around 10lb. Conger sport continued and I watched my fellow anglers rods bending in a typical scene of traditional deep sea boat fishing.
For the following hour or two conger, wrasse, scad and pouting were caught as regular teas and coffees were delivered by Dan and his helpful deckhand.
Dom Garnett with a colourful cuckoo wrasse
As the day drifted past Dan discussed an option to try a new mark close inshore where he had received reports of specimen small eyed ray. Ray are not a common feature of boat catches off this part of Cornwall and with a brisk North West Wind buffeting the boat the sheltered waters close to the coast seemed worth a try.
Dan set off and we were soon anchoring over clean ground just a few hundred yards offshore. It was good to survey the rocky shoreline from the boat places I had visited on coastal walks with Pauline on numerous occasions over the years. The area undoubtedly had huge shore fishing potential and I couldn’t help formulating plans to one day visit and fish. There are so many places to cast a line in this world and so little time!
I tried small baits first on my light rod hoping to tempt something different. Whilst I like catching small eyed ray they are abundant up off the Somerset coast and if I want to catch them I can go to Minehead. A mackerel seized my small squid strip and was swung aboard and added to the bait store.
On the opposite side of the boat Keith Armishaws rod took on an impressive curve as something large pulled back on the end of the line. We all watched in anticipation as the battle ebbed and flowed. The head of a large conger estimated at between 30lb and 40lb appeared and writhed at the side of the boat. I suggested we get a picture but the trace failed as Dan tried to pull the fish through the gate. This counted of course as the trace had been touched.
Dan is a very keen skipper and works hard to try and find fish willing to experiment to build on his already extensive experience. When it became clear that sport was slow close inshore it was back out to drift the reefs once more. Sport soon resumed with wrasse, mackerel, pouting and scad.
Dan suggested we try one more mark on the way back to Looe. By now it was late in the day and the afternoon sun illuminated Looe Island. Gannett’s dived into the calming waters. A short drift brought a few mackerel and a large pouting succumbed to my slow jig.
Sowenna bounced back towards Looe and we chatted about the day and past and future trips. Seagulls wheeled and turned behind the boat as a few fish were filleted for the table. The ride home after a day’s fishing as the light fades is something I always savour as I gaze back into the boats wake.
The tide was well in as we chugged into Looe and its familiar lively harbour.
I walked back towards the car park with Dom and Mark chatting about our trip. All three of us reflected upon an enjoyable day but all conceded that a dabble after large gobies with LRF tackle had perhaps been the highlight of the trip a chance perhaps to rekindle a connection to childhood adventures beside the sea.
Rich Parker and his brother Chaz fished on the spit and Back Island up on lodge lake. Rich smashed his personal best four times with carp up to 31lb all fish were caught on Sticky baits krill boilies.
{Below) Neil Liddicott banked four fish out of Lodge Lake up to 26lb all fish caught on Sticky baits krill boilies.
A happy customer review….from Dave Walsh AKA ‘French Dave’
Morning Jo, here is my short blog…. Back home after yet another great week at Stafford Moor and this time accompanied by my old friend Frank Oakman who I haven’t fished with since 2012 in France and this was Frank’s first trip to Stafford and he is already`planning his next in 2023. A friendly competition between the 2 of us with plenty of banter which I managed to win 21-10, hard week though as 18 of my fish were caught in a 36 hour spell (mid week). A few pictures for you Jo, not sure showing 2 old fa.ts is good publicity for you. Thanks again for the usual hospitality and everything that makes Stafford Moor so special. See you again before the end of the year
Chris Dawson and Sebastion Shillaker fished off Reel Deal to hook and bring to the side of the boat a thresher shark estimated at 480lb. The shark was measured at 96” to the fork of the tail with an overall length of five metres. The mighty fish judged to be close to twenty years old was released at the side of the boat.
Dan Hawkins has now taken Reel Deal to Plymouth for the tuna season and has got off to a flying start,
Sometimes we have to make hard decisions as skippers none are taken lightly. With the weather we are due to have this week combined with big tides we have this week that will stir up the bottom we made the hard decision to end our Ilfracombe shark season on reel deal early. So with that said I took the chance on the weather yesterday to get her round to Plymouth for our chart tuna season and we have arrived at mayflower marina that said it would have been rude not to have a little dabble with Jerry Day and Archie Porter while waiting for our lift home thanks to Sam Narbett, Jerry Rogers, Tom Walker, Chris Gill and Dan Margett’s for the tips and info we managed to get our first tuna to the boat to say we were excited was an understatement now we’re buzzing for the autumn spaces available tuna fishing call or message if you keen.
Combe Martin SAC members Daniel Welch and his son Solly had great fun mullet fishing landing a number of fish between them the two biggest came in the first hour of fishing both on float fished bread Solly had a personal of 4lb 4oz and about 20minutes later Daniel hooked a good fish as well which also weighed 4lb 4oz.
