Bulldog Carp

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Following a short closure to allow repairs to a water pipe Bulldogs Carp Lakes re-opened  and group of six anglers enjoyed great fishing on a lake exclusive. They banked 42 carp two of which where over 30lb one common 32lb 10oz and a mirror at 33lb 13oz loads of mid twenties and smallest being 9lb 6oz all lovely and strong fighting fish, “can’t thanks Nigel and Tom enough very welcoming and even done us burger and chips for our exclusive booking”.

 

WEEKLY ANGLING REPORT – August 28th 2025

            Members of Combe Martin SAC spent a day off Ilfracombe fishing on Daniel Welch’s boat Predator 2. Whilst the hoped for tope failed to show members found ten different species fishing on the seabed as cloudy water hampered lure fishing. The species caught included mackerel, scad, black bream, bull huss, smoothound, gurnard, conger, pollock, bass and dogfish.

             Combe Martin SAC host their annual fun fishing event this Sunday on Ilfracombe Pier with fishing starting at 2.30pm and ending at 4.30pm. This easy going event has been running for several years in conjunction with the Sea-Ilfracombe Festival. All young anglers should be accompanied by a responsible adult. The club would like to thank the ongoing support of High Street Tackle, Barnstaple Bait and Tackle and Ilfracombe Aquarium. Prizes are awarded for anglers under 16 who catch the most species and longest fish. The heaviest fish caught by and the top family points total.

 

            Late summer and early Autumn offer a wide range of species to target in saltwater as the seasons transition. All tactics can work at this time of year with both bait and lure tactics proving effective dependant on the prevailing conditions. An increasing number of anglers are now compiling records of the fish species they catch. A branch of angling I would compare to keen birdwatchers often referred to as twitchers. This can become very addictive with anglers traveling long distances and adapting tackle to target species not caught on standard sea tackle. Some mini sea species are caught using tiny hooks and gossamer thin lines paired with miniature rods. I recently bought Jack Perks excellent book “Field Guide to British Fish- Freshwater and Marine”. The book contains information and quality photo’s of 200 species found in UK waters. It has a useful tick list in the back of the book to record your own tally of species.

The book is a perfect companion to Alwynne Wheeler’s Key to the Fishes of Northern Europe that was first published in 1978. It is fascinating to compare the two books that illustrate the significant changes that are happening in both marine and freshwater eco systems.

            Ben Evenden won Stafford Moor’s Sunday Open with 197lb 9oz.

            Stafford Moor’s Carp Lakes are in fine form with plenty of multiple hauls. Dan Hoskin and his son fished Beattie’s Lake to bank sixteen carp twelve of which were over twenty pounds with the best a fine fish of 28lb. Martin Burton banked four carp to 32lb and Owen Thrumble banked forty carp over five days to 30lb 5oz.

Weekly – ANGLING REPORT – August 21st 2025

Grey Mullet offer exciting summer sport

Graham Snow won Bideford Angling Clubs forty eight hour rover with a fine thin lipped grey mullet scaling 5lb 4oz. Runner up was Dale Kiff with a smoothound of 10lb 13oz and third Graham Snow with a thin lipped grey mullet of 4lb 3.5oz.

The hot sunny summer weather provides ideal conditions for mullet fishing with all three species seeming to thrive in hot settled conditions. There are three types of grey mullet in UK waters, thick lipped grey mullet, thin lipped grey mullet and golden grey mullet. All can be caught using light tackle more often associated with freshwater tactics. Thick lipped mullet are generally tempted using bait, generally bread presented on float tackle or legered. The thin lipped mullet are fished for with baited spinners and inhabit estuaries. The golden greys haunt the shallow sandy surf beaches and can be tempted using small bunches of ragworm.

All three species can also be caught using fly fishing tactics a style of fishing that has recently gathered almost cultlike status. These challenging fish offer an exciting alternative for trout anglers whose sport is impacted upon by reservoirs and rivers suffering from a prolonged summer drought.

Tench and carp are providing great summer sport in lakes across North Devon and can tolerate high water temperatures.

The final match of Bideford Angling Clubs Junior Summer league was held last Saturday and was won by Leo Davies with 6.540 Kilo. Runner up was Archie Thorne with 5.1 Kilo and Hawkon Wilson with 4.720 Kilo. The junior league has proved a popular series with all matches well attended with over twenty young anglers fishing each event. The events were generously supported by Anglers Heaven, Barnstaple Bait and Tackle and other local businesses. Club members Martin Turner, Richard Jefferies and Keith Mountjoy invested a great deal of time and effort into running the events. The overall winner of the league was Leo Davies.

Bideford Clubs Coarse fishing sector is thriving with their two club lakes providing excellent fishing for carp, tench and silver fish. The club matches are generally fully subscribed and the recent extension to their portfolio with access to fishing at Higher Shorston Lakes near Holsworthy ensures that members get excellent value for their moderate membership fees.

North Devon Match Group fished Upper Tamar lake where Ian Grey won the match with 67lb 5oz. Runner up was Nathan Underwood with 48lb 6oz and Ian Croxton third with 43lb 8oz.

Stafford Moor’s lakes continue to produce stunning Match weights. Benn Hagg won last Sundays Open match with 277lb 1oz. Jamie Bradshaw won the weekends residents match on Oak Lake with an amazing 487lb 1oz.

Martin Burton with a 32lb Mirror carp caught from Albert Square on a 16mm Sticky Krill Active wafter up on lodge lake

The venues specimen lakes are also in fine form with Riley Saunders and Kirsten Parkhouse enjoying a forty eight hour session on Beatties Lake during which they banked sixteen carp to 30lb 4oz.

WEEKLY – ANGLING REPORT – August 14th – 2025

BIG CARP FROM PARADISE SYNDICATE

George West enjoyed success at Angler’s Paradises Nirvana Syndicate lake banking a fine brace of mirror carp scaling 39lb each. The lake holds a stock of large carp grown on at the venue.

Anglers Paradise

Comment

Carp fishing is constantly evolving as the desire to catch bigger carp drives the sector resulting in  varied venues offering a gradual progression for carp anglers. Day ticket waters that offer large numbers of carp progressing to syndicate waters that have long waiting lists to enter with a high price tag that now exceeds the cost of a rod on an exclusive West Country salmon beat.

Match Fishing

Craig Lamey secured top spot in Bideford Angling Clubs monthly coarse match at their home water with 87lb 10oz. Nathan Underwood was runner up with 44lb 15oz and Keith Copland third with 44lb 10oz.

Sam Powell won last Sundays Stafford Moor Open Match with 248lb 5oz. The Saturday  residents match was won by Martin Heard with 321lb 7oz.

Sea Angling

South Molton Angling Club members enjoyed a boat trip out of Lyme Regis where they enjoyed great sport catching eleven species that included black bream, thornback ray, and bull huss.

Stephen Found has been enjoying some great smoothound sport from the North Devon shore landing specimens of 14lb, 15lb 6oz and 18lb. Recent seasons have seen unprecedented numbers of these hard fighting fish move close inshore and at times moving into the estuary an area that historically did not see these fish in any numbers.

Several bonito have been caught from boats fishing the water at the mouth of the Bristol Channel. These powerful fish that average 2lb to 4lb are a hard fighting predatory fish that can be glimpsed as they erupt from the water as they smash into shoals of baitfish.

I enjoyed a day fishing for porbeagle shark on Ilfracombe boat Predator 2 and ventured to the recognised sharking grounds West of Hartland Point. Whilst we caught no shark we caught numerous tope, gurnard, bass, mackerel, gurnard and scad. Several shark have been caught in recent weeks but fishing seems to have been impacted upon by frequent algal blooms that are unusual for this time of year.

Rivers

Barnstaple and District Angling Club have once again suspended fishing on their river beats as high water temperatures and low oxygen levels bring grave concern for the rivers wildlife.

Comment

As I add the finishing touches to this week’s angling report the BBC news is reporting on the fact that ‘The UK’s seas have had their warmest start to the year since records began, helping to drive some dramatic changes in marine life and for its fishing communities’.

In my weekly angling report above I mention the influx of smoothound, unusual algal blooms and river temperatures that are concerning for fish survival. All of these could be linked to climate change and as an angler I observe these changes from the water’s edge.

            I personally accept that the evidence points to rapid change in our climate and yet this is tempered by the fact that climate change is linked to events that have happened before as marine eco systems are cyclical and complex. Tuna are not new to UK waters and were abundant during the mid-twentieth century. Octopus population explosions occurred previously at the start and middle of the twentieth century. I would also point out that the frequently used phrase since records began is emotive terminology as since 1980 when records started is probably less alarming as forty odd years is little more than a blink of the eye in the evolving climate of the planet.

Anglers Paradise – Syndicate Success

The new Nirvana syndicate lake is producing some stunning fish withon its first few weeks of opening. The lake was well knwon as the specimen catch and release trout lake and is one of the most picturesque lakes across the venue.
GEORGES SYNDICATE SUCCESS🎣
Well done to George West who on his first session on the Nirvana Syndicate landed two 39lb+ Mirror Carp 👏
George said it felt he was on a mini France Carp fishing holiday with the hot sunshine and big fish, and thoroughly enjoyed his peaceful three nights on the lake. He also commented saying they are the hardest fighting fish he had ever caught!
Jay also got in on the action with a lively Grass Carp 👏 (pic in comments).
The third session starts tomorrow as the lads on the weekend 2 rota take to the lake for the first time.

created by Polish

Anglers Paradise

Weekly ANGLING REPORT – August 7th 20205

Stunning Carp Brace

Shaun Thorne tempted a stunning brace of carp from Lower Tamar lake including a stunning common carp of 32lb 12oz and a mirror carp of 25lb 2oz. The lake on the Devon Cornish Border holds a stock of stunning specimen fish including carp, bream, roach, tench, perch and eels.

Carp sport

Carp anglers are enjoying sport across the regions lakes with Hacche Lane producing several thirty pound plus specimens. At Stafford Moor Owen Thrumble fished four nights on Beattie’s Lake to bank forty carp to 30lb 5oz. Adam Atkins banked sixteen carp to 35lb 7oz.

Bass Fishing

Bass anglers continue to enjoy good sport with lure tactics from both boat and shore.  I took a good friend to a local shore mark recently and despite lots of weed in the water and a brisk wind we managed a fish each. I was delighted to introduce him to the excitement of bass fishing in shallow water and enjoyed his success as much as my own.

Rivers

High water temperatures are still a concern for river anglers across the region. Barnstaple and District Angling Association have extended their advice to members requesting a refrain from fishing until water temperatures drop below 20 degrees. Abundant algae is also causing concern as it clogs the river bed and reduces oxygen levels.

Match Fishing

Stafford Moor continues to produce excellent bags of fish for match anglers. Scott Puddy won the mid-week open match at the venue with 274lb 3oz and Rich Yeo won last weekends match with 250lb 1oz.

Sea Angling 

Bideford Angling Clubs Monthly sea rover was dominated by smoothound with Richard Jefferies heading the field with a specimen of 11lb 9oz. Tony Gussin was runner up with a hound of 10lb 10oz and Dale Kiff third with a hound of 10lb 4oz.

Appledore Shipbuilders monthly rover was also dominated by smoothound with Andrew Atkinson taking first and second with hounds of 12lb 4.25oz and 9lb 3.75oz. Third was Michael Hammett with a hound of 8lb 12oz.

Comment

The summer holidays are now upon us and it is to be hoped that some young anglers will take their first steps into a pastime that can provide a lifetime of enjoyment at the water’s edge. The world today is very different to when I started fishing over fifty years ago. Many believe it is the online and gaming  world that has taken many young people away from outdoor pursuits whilst others consider cost to be a major issue. Reflecting upon my own journey as a young angler I would suggest that the main obstacle is the lack of freedom given to young people in an increasingly protective society. This is perhaps ironic when the world of social media may well pose more threats to mental well- being than those physical dangers of a life at the water’s edge.

Bideford Angling Club have been running a brilliant series of Summer competitions for junior anglers at their home water. Bailey Bramley won the latest event with 7.840 kilo. Max Chapple was runner up with 6.085 kilo and Leo Davies third with 5.795 kilo. Twenty one young anglers took part in the latest match that has been generously supported by local tackle shops. This Saturday is the last in the series in which close to forty young anglers have taken part over the five events.

🎉Celebrating 25 years of South West Lakes Trust 🎉

Catch up offers 25% discount on its fisheries across the region.
https://www.gocatch.fish/?_kx=sara5Zvxxq8XI8PKXNwxg-NbTec2I1-cnoxQR72kYxw.VCaURL

 

🎉Celebrating 25 years of South West Lakes Trust 🎉 SWLT turns 25 this year, and to celebrate we are offering 25% off day and 24hr permits when purchased between 25th July – 31st August 2025. Discount will be automatically applied on the Catch app. Use the interactive map on the App or search “South West Lakes” to choose one of our 13 stunning fisheries 🎣 Anglers using the Catch App also get other great discounts including 25% off camping, glamping, equipment hire and self-launch for the rest of the summer using code CATCH25 ✨ Find our camping options here https://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/Pages/Site/activities/Category/camping And our water sports options here https://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/activities Don’t forget – children fish for free with a paying adult 🐟

CARP FISHING at Roadford Lake

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We are pleased to announce that we will be offering carp fishing for a limited period on Roadford lake, as part of our ongoing removal programme.🎣
A vast and beautiful lake covering a huge 780 plus acres set in stunning countryside Roadford offers the opportunity to fish in a unique environment which is very difficult to find in the UK. Much more akin to fishing on the big lakes on the continent, big skies and a big expanse of water offers anglers a unique opportunity for some very atmospheric fishing.
The fishing is from Friday Oct 17th until Nov 30th. Tickets are now available via the website at £25 for 24 hours and are limited to 12 anglers at any one time.
Please note: Our objective is to remove the Carp and improve the trout fishing along with the ecology of the lake. All fish caught must be placed in the holding tanks, and no fish are to be returned to the lake, these fish will then be collected by the fisheries team.
Strict Biosecurity measures will be in place and all anglers’ slings; nets and unhooking mats must be placed in the dip tanks provided. This is due to the presence of non-native invasive crayfish in Roadford, please help protect our fisheries in the southwest and further afield.

Weekly – ANGLING REPORT – July 31st 2025

MAINLINE CARP PAIRS RESULT

South West Lakes Trust’ Mainline Carp Baits Open Pairs Competition at Upper Tamar Lake has been won by Terry Vincent and Ben Combes with three fish totalling 63lb 7oz. The pair take home a prize of £2000 plus trophies. Runners up receiving £1000 were Jason McEvoy and Paul Thomas with three carp for 61lb 15oz. In third place was Nigel Woods with 57lb 1oz. Over thirty carp were registered in the popular event held on South West Lakes Trusts premier carp water on the Devon and Cornish border.

Zenia Drury-Gregorek of Angler’s Paradise took a break from her busy schedule to celebrate her birthday and a enjoy fishing session with her husband Joe on the complex’s new Nirvana Syndicate Lake. The session proved very successful with Zenia banking a complex record common carp of 44lb, a 45lb mirror carp along with grass carp to 32lb and a 29lb mirror carp.

 

Anglers Paradise

Bideford & District Angling Clubs Rod N Reel match at Tarka Swims was won by Kevin Shears with 67lb 14oz. Runner up was Keith Copland with 61lb 14oz and Paul Elworthy third with 45lb 10oz.

Andy Edge won the latest Open Match at Stafford Moor with 255lb 14oz.

Boat anglers are enjoying some fine bass sport off Ilfracombe with Predator 2 Charters putting anglers amongst some large shoals of feeding bass, Skipper Dan Welch took time out for a bit of fishing himself and registered a brace of 58cm bass and one of 55cm.

Combe Martin SAC’s Lure Fishing League Sponsored by High Street Tackle is attracting a good number of entries from club members reflecting an excellent year for the species. Mark Drewer and Seth Tuson are currently joint first with five bass for 344.5cm. In runner up spot at present is myself with five bass for 313cm and in third place Reece Woolgar with four bass for 263cm.

Reel Deal Charters has taken anglers to the North Cornish Coast where several porbeagle shark have been brought boat-side.

The regions rivers are continuing to suffer from a lack of significant rain and warm temperatures. Barnstaple and District Angling Club control fishing on two beats on the River Taw and have closed both beats after recording water temperatures in excess of 24 centigrade. Water temperatures this warm are very concerning and can cause stress for both salmon and trout. The advice of the West Country Rivers Trust is to cease fishing above 20 degrees C.


BIg carp brace from Lower Tamar

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Shaun Thorne tempted a stunning brace of carp from Lower Tamar lake including a stunning common carp of 32lb 12oz and a mirror carp of 25lb 2oz. The lake on the Devon Cornish Border holds a stock of stunning specimen fish including carp, bream, roach, tench, perch and eels.