The Winner of Stafford Moors November Silvers Festival weekend is Gary McClair who caught 31lb from Woodpecker Lake.
Weekly Angling Report, October 30th, 2025
BIG WEIGHTS AT STAFFORD MOOR
North Devon Match Groups latest Match at Stafford Moor was won by Nathan Underwood with 132lb 8oz. Tom Downing was runner up with 123lb 4oz.
The latest Open Match at the Moor was won by Mark Wyne with 108lb10oz.
The October Fisho 2025 Final was fished at Stafford Moor’s Woodpecker lake last Sunday. The winner of section one was Mark Layzell with 157lb 1oz and the winner of section 2 Martin Preston with 139lb8oz.
BIDEFORD & DISTRICT ANGLING CLUB
Bideford Angling Clubs Rod N Reel Match on their home water was won by Richard Jefferies with 31lb 1oz. Runner up was Reg Sutton with 29lb 1oz and third Keith Copland with 23lb 14oz.
LURE FISHING SUCCESS
Lure anglers have been enjoying some late season bass sport with several fine specimens taken from estuary marks. Jason Hayes and his friend banked a fine brace of bass each measuring 72cm.
SEA ANGLING
Bideford Angling Clubs forty eight hour sea rover was won by Paul Ackland with a dogfish scaling 2lb 2oz.
Kevin Legge took first and second place in Combe Martin SAC’s October Rover with small eyed ray weighing 8lb 12oz and 6lb 13oz. Third place was taken by Nick Phillips with a bull huss of 6lb 4oz.
Strong North West winds have curtailed the end of season boat fishing season out of Ilfracombe with many trips cancelled throughout October. This late Autumn period is historically a time of plenty for shore angling enthusiasts with a vast range of species worth targeting. If species fishing is your thing then Ilfracombe Pier and many local beaches can provide red mullet and perhaps sole. Big bass, ray, smoothound and even tope can be tempted from the surf beaches if conditions permit. Grey mullet sport is at its peak in harbours with five pound plus fish a real possibility. The flounder season is also in full swing with these obliging flatfish a popular target in both the Taw and Torridge estuaries.
TROUT FISHING
Wimbleball Reservoir is producing great sport from both bank and boat as Autumn brings cooler conditions with fish feasting on fry in the margins.
At Bulldog Fishery quality brown trout have been the reward for anglers visiting the lake with good numbers banked along with rainbow trout and spartic’s. Several big brown trout have been stocked recently and are proving surprisingly elusive with anglers glimpsing the fish in the clear water and occasionally hooking big fish that break free or slip the hook after stripping yards of line from the reel. It is always fascinating how big fish can remain uncaught for months even in relatively small waters.
Bude canal angling club V Bideford and District Angling Club
Bude canal angling club V Bideford and District Angling Club
Bideford’s team of 15 ventured across the border to take on the Cornish on their canal and the outcome was very close. Bude scored 234 points to Bidefords 230,.
Our club carried a 30 point lead from the first leg on Tarka swims therefore won overall by 26 points
Conditions on the canal were cold and windy with North Westerly squally showers.
The Bude captain led his team home with a terrific bag of 20lb of bream and skimmers on the second basin.
Our top performance was Keith Copland on the bottom basin.
Big thanks to the lads representing Bideford and a special thank you to Tom Wade Anglers Heaven for supporting the team with a generous bait sponsorships and the Brendon Arms for a great breakfast and a fine after match spread.
FISHING WISDOM – By Dominic Garnett
posted in: Article, Articles, At the Waters Edge, Carp Fishing, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Match Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar |
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FISHING WISDOM
A Miscellany of Angling Anecdotes, Facts and Folklore.
By Dominic Garnett
GMC Publications. ISBN 9781784947200
Dominic’s latest book delivers an array of wisdom and comment in his unique and at times quirky entertaining style. The book strips angling back to basics in the first few chapters adding clarity to tactics that will sharpen any anglers approach to the varied waters into which lines are cast.
The design of the book certainly oozes tradition and it is in many ways a timeless tome packed with information for anglers making their first tentative casts or reflecting upon a life time searching for that connection with those creatures that dwell within a fascinating and mysterious realm.
Dom is a multi-discipline angler like myself and I can relate to much within the book and found myself benefitting from the straight forward analysis of angling. It also stimulated my own thoughts on why we fish and its wider benefits.
As those darker winter nights approach it is a book well worth delving into deserving a place on any anglers bookshelf. My own personal favourite section is perhaps the Fishing and Culture section that celebrates anglings rich history and mythology.
It is a book that will never become outdated for its key themes are the timeless essence of angling through the ages.
Weekly Angling Report -October 23rd 2025
posted in: Articles, At the Waters Edge, Casting around North Devon, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Lure Fishing, Match Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar |
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UNDERWOOD SECURES WIN AT BIDEFORD CLUB WATER
Bideford Angling Clubs monthly Coarse Match on their home water was won by Nathan Underwood with 84lb 2oz. Runner up was Darren Polden with 52lb 12oz and third Keith Mountjoy with 39lb 14oz.
Jamie Steward caught a stunning lure caught bass of 71cm to give him a narrow lead in Combe Martin SAC’s lure fishing league sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe with five bass for 353cm. The league ends on October 31st with several members in contention. Runner up spot is currently held by Mark Drewer with five bass for 351cm and Seth Tuson third with five bass for. 347.5cm.
Combe Martin SAC members have been catching specimen mullet from the North Devon Coastline with Daniel Welch catching a 4lb 2oz specimen and Graham Snow a specimen of 4lb 1.5oz.
The Fluff Chucker’s Fly Fishing Group followed up on a successful Brown Trout Masters series with a West Country Grayling Cup hosted by the Arundell on the Devon and Cornwall border. Roger Truscott once again demonstrated his skill with the Fly Rod winning the event with a fine grayling of 45cm. Runner up was Rodney Wevill. Winner of the morning session was Gary Brazier and Ozzie Gough winner of the afternoon session.
Grayling offer winter sport on a limited number of rivers across Devon with the Arundell waters offering fishing on the Tamar and its tributaries. The Upper Exe waters controlled by the Dulverton Anglers Association offer several miles of fishing for these ladies of the stream.
Bulldog Fishery is in fine form with big brown trout, spartic’s and rainbows being caught. The venue is launching its winter competition program of events with the first competition this Sunday.
Several North Devon based anglers have travelled to Cornwall and South Devon ports to sample the exciting tuna fishing that is currently thriving to bring a welcome boost to local economies. I joined four good friends out of Looe to share an awesome angling adventure that saw us bring nine tuna to the boats side all between 200lb and 300lb. The power of these fish is immense and a true test of an anglers stamina. It is truly amazing to witness such an abundance of life as these magnificent fish feast upon a shoal of fish along with dolphins and sea birds. It is to be hoped that this valuable catch and release big game fishery can thrive and focus minds on the long term conservation of our coastal waters.
MATCH FISHING RESULTS
Bideford & District Angling Club –
B.D.A.C.ROD AND REEL MATCH RESULTS date 19.10.25 at Tarka.
A very wet and windy match with only 7 anglers fished, all anglers caught fish although fishing was hard. 1st place today went to Richard jefferies on peg 16 with 31lbs 1oz manly carp,2nd place was Reg Sutton on peg 6 with 29lbs 1oz and 3rd place went to Keith Copland on peg 10 with 23lbs 14oz. Next Rod and Reel match date 23.11.25 at Tarka.
NORTH DEVON MATCH GROUP
North Devon Match Groups latest Match at Stafford Moor on Willow and Oak and some tight weights separated the winners on both lakes . Winners on the day were….
Willow.
1st Nathan Underwood 132lb 08oz
2nd Tom Downing 123lb 4oz
3rd Dave Johnson 89lb 1oz
Oak.
1st Paul Morris 106lb 11oz
2nd Dave Stockton 92lb 1oz
3rd Mark Lynch 74lb14oz
Bideford and District Angling Club Coarse Section Monthly Competition.
Bideford and District Angling Club
Coarse section monthly competition.
Results, :
1st Nathan Underwood 84lb 2oz
2nd Darren Polden 52lb 12oz
3rd Keith Mountjoy 39lb 14oz
4th Craig Lamey 32lb 10oz
5th Keith Copland 27lb 1oz
6t Dave Wilkins 26lb 10oz
7th Paul Elworthy 26lb 9oz
22 members fished.
The largest residents of George’s lake ,Tarka swims have shown this month . Nathan straight off a week long festival at Stafford Moor, has caught a fantastic net including some large carp on unfancied peg 7 .Maggot over groundbait on the pole in open water was the successful technique.
Second in the match was Darren on peg 9
moving him up to 5th in the yearly league table.
Keith retains third place in the league with his third position off of peg 13.
Craig found the only carp caught in the shallower end to secure 4th place on peg 24..
October Festival 2025 at Stafford Moor.
Robbie Taylor winner with a total weight of 634lb 10oz over the week & had a score of 5 points.
Second Place was
Tom Downing who had a total weight of 517lb 9oz & had a score of 5 points.
Third Place was
Andy Dare who had a total weight of 503lb 11oz & a score of 5 points.
The largest Carp Bag of the week was won by Robbie Taylor with 261lb 4oz
The Largest Silvers Bag of the week was won by John Newton with 38lb 4oz
Donation from the event have gone to The Devon Air Ambulance Fund
Below is the Leader Board & the top three winners
Looking back at a project that has brought joy to many……Great Memories
Neilsen Jeffery shared this post on Facebook today and he has kindly allowed me to share here on North Devon Angling News.
It’s a really positive post showing how flourishing Bideford Angling Lakes started since being dug out of a field over twenty years ago. Credit must go to Nielsen and Paul Carter of the Environment Agency who worked closely and tirelessly to create a lasting legacy.
On a personal level it brings home how long I have been contributing to the local angling scene with my reporting in the NDJ and here on North Devon Angling News.
Since this endeavour Neilson has continued to build angling opportunities with Horwood Lakes offering excellent fishing for both match and pleasure anglers.
Neilsens post
One good thing I’ve found out today about moving house is that you go through everything tucked away in the loft, I came across these great memories from 20 years ago when I actually had a bit of hair
and I took on a massive challenge to build a lake for the local club solely helped by Paul Carter from the EA three years later it was completed and three years of bloody hard work I might add, however a great achievement if I might say so myself and very proud
and I took on a massive challenge to build a lake for the local club solely helped by Paul Carter from the EA three years later it was completed and three years of bloody hard work I might add, however a great achievement if I might say so myself and very proudFirst photo L-R
Danny Hill
Paul Carter
Simon McCarthy
Andy Merrick
Myself
Andy Grey
Dave Lewis
OAKTREE FISHERY – FISHING MATCH
REMEMBERING GEORGE
Oaktree Fishery are holding a celebration of the life of the late, great George Eury who sadly passed away earlier this year.
The celebration will take the form of a fishing match with all profits going to Devon Air Ambulance
Places are expected to go fast so get your name down asap for a great cause
Plenty of prizes, breakfast and dinner available!! For full details simply click the link below