14 Apr 2019

Brace of two pound roach in Red Letter hour!!!

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The below report from Ben Smeeth has to be one of the most spectacular I have reported on since starting North Devon Angling News three years ago. Two pound plus roach are few and far between in Devon now and many would see the capture of one as the fish of lifetime. It makes you wonder what else this large body of water on the Devon boarder has to offer? I believe he venue has the potential to produce a record perch, eel or even roach not mention those big brown trout.

Red Letter “hour”……..Milo & Bait-Tech sponsored angler Simon Poynter pleasure fished Lower Tamar recently, using it as practice for up and coming feeder matches.

“Lower Tamar Lake takes me back to my childhood, where the anticipation of the bite & what could be on the end, fills me with excitement and causes sleepless night’s before each visit” Simon added.

Simon fished a cage feeder at 72mtrs & a 60g window feeder at 92mtrs, targeting the lakes big bream.

Groundbait of choice was the new Bait-tech Pro Natural Bream Dark…… lovely smell & great mix.

Simon commented that as a match angler he feels that he does not approach Lower Tamar in the correct way for the specimen sized bream, feeling that most fish have gone nocturnal, possibly with a dawn and dusk approach being better than his usual 10am till 3pm sessions!

After 3 hours Simon had one 2lb brown trout to show for his efforts, his travelling partner had two trout at this point.

At 2pm Simon’s tip slammed around & after a very spirited fight he landed his first roach, it was a stunning fish of 2lb 3oz, “I could not believe it the size of it when it broke the surface” really chunky and scale perfect.

This started a crazy 50 minutes with Simon catching seven fish in as many casts, one 3lb brown trout and six other roach between 1lb 7oz and 2lb 6oz graced his net….. the roach were beautiful, indeed four of the seven roach were over 2lb.Even though one of the lakes massive bream failed to put in an appearance, the roach were a catch of a lifetime, caught in lovely surroundings.

Kind regards

Ben Smeeth

Head of Angling

13 Apr 2019

Cats on the prowl at Paradise

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Congratulations to Tony Trenerry who caught a 55lb 3oz Catfish from  Day Ticket  Nirvana’s Specimen Cat Lake. The fish was tempted using good old luncheon meat.

Zenia at Anglers Paradise advises anglers that they should avoid holding the fish off the ground. “There’s no need to hold Cats but much better to position them like this or lying beside them on a unhooking mat.”

Anglers Paradise
24 Feb 2019

A Visit to the Tackle Shop

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I called into Summerlands Tackle at Westward-Ho! to pick up my Sponsorship Form for Neilsen Jeffery’s charity Match later in the year. ( More on that later) I also took along a bundle of old line keen to make use of the line recycling scheme I helped promote earlier this month. Line is the vital link between  angler and fish. It is prone to damage and degradation over time and for this reason it is prudent to change it on a regular basis. Line both mono and braid is particularly hazardous to wildlife and should be discarded with care. In the past I have cut it into short lengths or burnt it. This new scheme is a great idea and should be embraced by all anglers. North Devons premier tackle shops are all participating in the scheme.

 

Line recycling

Heather at Summerlands places my old line in the recycle bin.

Summerlands have just updated their impressive stock of carp tackle with an impressive range from Korum and Guru.

19 Feb 2019

Line recycling

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Line is probably the most harmful material anglers use and experienced anglers change their line on a regular basis as it is the vital link between them and the fish they hope to persuade to the waters edge. Discarded line has long been an issue that causes concern even when put out with the rubbish it can get onto landfill where it can entangle birdlife. I have in the past cut my line into short lengths or burnt it on the fire. Now there is a scheme to recycle old mono and braid and the good news is that North Devons tackle shops are participating in the scheme so please bag up your old line and take it to your local tackle shop and place in the designated receptacle. For more information on the scheme please click on the below link.

https://www.anglers-nlrs.co.uk

 

18 Feb 2019

Litter an ongoing issue

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Last year I reported on a local angling clubs efforts to clean up their local sea angling venue following threats to close it off following unacceptable litter left by careless and uncaring anglers.

Litter a sad reflection!

Anglers embark on Beach Clean to show they care

Sadly a year later I still get reports of issues relating to angling litter and whilst anglers are not exclusive in leaving litter they should be appreciative of the environment that is surely an integral part of what angling is about? I recently received this sad image of a popular North Devon Rock Mark the angler who sent this is to be commended for picking up the rubbish and removing it from the venue. We must all make every effort reduce litter and leave nothing at the waters edge accept memories.

Line is one of the major angling related litter issues and a new scheme is being launched to encourage responsible disposal. I will be speaking with local tackle shops and perhaps clubs to see if we can get access to the scheme here in North Devon.

Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme see link below :-

https://www.anglers-nlrs.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR1lhCN-VIzOq5YTBezeiWD5i_V7CCzMeJAoOrrddA6fx-cpFXfE46nsw20

 

 

 

18 Feb 2019

Bideford Angling Club – Latest results

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Bideford and District Angling Club 24 hour sea results

1st Kyle Blackmore spur 11lb 110%

2nd Rick eavis rockling 1lb 8 100%

3rd Rob Harris bull Huss 8lb 14 1/2 89.062%

I was privileged to attend Bideford Angling Clubs recent presentation night where it was good to catch up with members of Bideford Club. The club has a long history and continues to thrive in todays ever changing world and has even managed to attract some valuable young anglers. The youth of today are an essential ingredient for the future of angling clubs and angling as a pastime that can enrich a lifetime bringing valuable engagement with the environment.

4 Feb 2019

FROZEN WATERS

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North Devon Match Group are generally a robust bunch fishing through the worst of the weather each month. Last Sunday they were however beaten buy a thick coating of ice when they turned up to fish at Oaktree Fishery forcing them two cancel.

Furzebray Carp Lakes were also frozen over at the weekend. A return to milder weather today should see all lakes fishable agin and after a few days I am sure the fish will respond by feeding hard. It would be good to get that picture of a carp in the snow here on North Devon Angling News. I hope  for the sake of all businesses relying upon angling for their income that we do not not get another Beast from the East this year.