7 Jun 2026

Bideford & District Angling Club – Junior Competition

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Bideford and District Angling Club.

Junior competition No.1.
Results:
1st Max Chappel. 9kilo 200 grams
2nd Lydia Maurice. 5 360
3rd Harrison Maurice 5 065
4th Tyler McKeowen 4 445
4th Xavier French 4 445
6th Jenson Kiff. 4 150
7th Alfie Scorer. 3 330
8th Harry Watkins 3 320
9th Sebastian French 2 485
10th Seb New 2 165
11th Amber Chappel 1 850
12th Jack Scorer 1 165
13th Jack Chappel 880
14th Oakin Tuffnell 815
15th Logan Williams 640
15th Olie Mckeowen 640
17th Miro Tuffnell 510.
Our first junior competition of the 5 match summer series attracted 17 youngsters.
The weather forecast , wet and blustery , kept a few away.
They missed a great match !
Everyone caught and the winner Max landed over nine kilos of quality fish on peg 8.
Lydia and Harrison, brother and sister, had a next platform battle for second and third places on pegs 2 and 3. The fairer sex came out the victor
Lydia’s catch of carp just beat her brother’s net of bream.
Xavier and and Tyler shared fourth place on pegs 5 and 14.
Huge thank you to all our helpers today,
Special thanks to Martin Cox baits for his very generous sponsorship, also to all those who have donated prizes.
1 Jun 2026

ANGLING BRINGS CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD

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ANGLING BRINGS CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD

                        One of anglings greatest gifts is the connection that participants enjoy with nature. As anglers we are privileged to witness many wonders of the natural world. Last week I spent a day fishing on Chew Valley Lake in Somerset. Our target species was pike that grow large in this vast rich lake. It was the hottest May Day on record and not the day we would have chosen but having booked a boat in advance we proceeded ensuring that we had plenty of water and sunscreen. The fishing proved hard going with just four small pike tempted by our large flies.

A highlight of the day was an encounter with a juvenile grass snake that was swimming across the lake. I lifted the snake from the water and admired it before slipping it back into the lake hoping it would survive as it seemed to be extremely vulnerable with so many potential predators in the vicinity. Dragonflies and damsel flies fluttered over the mirror calm lake and bird song filled the air.

Each day at the water’s edge has the potential to bring exciting encounters with the world around. I have witnessed whales, otters, kingfishers, foxes, osprey, deer, nightjar, eagles, crocodiles, scorpions, moose, witnessed lunar eclipses, comets in dark star studded skies, spectacular sunsets, misty dawns and many more phenomena. Not to mention the many fish that are the target of the day. Whilst I could have seen some of this without a rod and line it is for me the tactile connection with that unseen world beneath the surface that seals the deal.

It is for this reason that many anglers are passionate conservationists who get involved with campaigns for cleaner rivers and nature friendly farming practices.

River Fly Monitoring

16 May 2026

Bideford Angling Club Match Results

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Monthly coarse competition
Tarka Swims.
Results:
1st Nathan Underwood 62lb 2oz
2nd Craig Lamey 53lb 14oz
3rd.Martin Turner 35lb 14oz
4th.Les Polden  33lb 13oz
5th Paul Elworthy 31lb 10oz
6th Keith Copland 23lb 6oz
7th Richard Jefferies 23lb 3oz
19 members fished.
George’s lake was the venue for the May competition, the weather remained dry all day however a cool North Easterly breeze dropped the temperature down , this seems to be the trigger for a bout of spawning activity.
Some carp did feed and our league leader Nathan sat on peg 21 ,fished to the tip of the island on 14 metres of pole with meat and maggot over pellets ,
Despite losing several large fish his winning net was 8lb clear of second place Craig , who drew peg10 and fished close in on luncheon meat .
Match organiser , Martin , fished worm over micros on a long pole off peg 4 to just pip fellow veteran Les who was on peg 22..
Our next competition is the first of our 10 match evening series, commencing on Wednesday 13th May.
Evening series No.1 
Tarka swims. 
Results: 
1st Martin Turner  31lb 
2nd Keith Copland 29lb 4oz 
3rd Nathan Underwood 26lb 10oz 
4th Warren Thornton25lb 12oz
5th Antony Bentley  21lb 1oz 
14 members attended. 
Our first competition in the 10 match series was fished on a cold and blustery evening . 
The winner, Martin, match secretary, drew peg 6 and fished the margins with paste and meat over hemp.
In form , Keith sat on peg 1.,and fished with maggots on the pole , his mixed bag was enough for second place. 
Ever reliable Nathan was third on peg 4.
5 May 2026

BUDE BAIT & TACKLE – OPENS

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Bude Bait and Tackle offers anglers in North Cornwall and North Devon a wide range of tackle covering all disciplines. Close to the coast and premier coarse angling venues the store is ideally placed to serve anglers within the area. I wish Chris and the team all the best for a successful and prosperous future.

4 May 2026

ANGLERS PARADISE FOUNDER ZYG GREGOREK HAS DIED

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ANGLERS PARADISE FOUNDER ZYG GREGOREK HAS DIED

I am sad to report that Zyg Gregorek founder of Anglers Paradise has died. Zyg leaves a lasting legacy in Anglers Paradise a holiday complex with lakes that has become famous across the angling world. Zyg excavated lakes driven by an ambitious vision. He worked tirelessly with his family to grow the complex from a marshy plot of land back in the early eighties to become the thriving holiday venue of today.

Zany Zyg as he was often affectionately referred to was  a larger than life character who travelled the world in search of specimen fish. His robust humour and passion for angling endearing him to many within a wide angling community. A trip to the Safari bar at the heart of Anglers Paradise gives a glimpse into a life well lived, its walls adorned with trophy fish and images that reflect many big names from across the angling world and beyond.

 

Zyg his family and the angling community have helped to raise many thousands of pounds for good causes and local charities.

Zyg’s infamous homebrewed wine fuelled many late nights of fun and laughter as anglers and their families gathered after a hard days fishing forging many lifelong friendships.

 The angling world will be poorer without Zyg, his legacy lives on with the Gregorek family, the fabulous fish and the lakes that provide a great platform for the future of angling.

19 Apr 2026

Bideford and District Angling Club versus Bude Canal Angling Association.

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Bideford and District Angling Club versus Bude Canal Angling Association.
Bideford played host to the Cornish anglers on George’s lake, Tarka swims.
The first leg of our 11 aside competition was held in glorious spring sunshine.
The Bude anglers joined us for a Pollyfield breakfast ,then on for a five hour match on our lake.
Home advantage certainly played its part, with Bideford and District taking the top 5 places.
Best of the bunch , Keith Copland with 58lb 4oz on peg 12, closely followed by Craig Crash Lamey on peg 16 with 57lb 4oz. Both nets were mainly carp on meat and pellets on the pole.
Stace N Dazza Polden landed 40lb 8oz on peg 18
again, mainly carp on a top kit on maggots for third spot. Fourth place on peg 4 , a mixed bag for Warren Thornton .
Top weight for Bude anglers was their Captain Simon Allen on peg 15 with 27lb 7oz .
Bideford take a substantial lead into the away leg , on the Bude Canal on October 25th.
Bideford and District Angling Club 161 points
Budes Canal Angling Association 92 points
19 Apr 2026

Bideford and District Angling Club Coarse section monthly competition. April 12th.

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Bideford and District Angling Club
Coarse section monthly competition. April 12th.
Tarka swims.
Results:
1st Craig Lamey 54lb 10oz
2nd kevin Shears 38lb 15oz
3rd Nathan Underwood 32lb 5oz
4th Darren Polden 28lb 9oz
5th Paul Elworthy 28lb 9oz
6th Roger Ackroyd 23lb 10oz
18 members fished.
George’s lake Tarka swims hosted the 4th leg of our year long league,
Craig put another impressive net of carp on the scales for victory on peg 16.
He has caught a few on luncheon meat but switched to maggot over groundbait later taking advantage of the empty peg between him and Kevin, who came in second with some good carp and silvers on maggot on the short pole off of peg 14.
Ever consistent Nathan retains his dominance in the league with a single carp and a net of silvers for third place, shallow maggot accounted for his net.
Darren’s all skimmer 4th placed net was next-door to Nathan on pegs 10 and 11, short pole maggot over groundbait.
Next weekend we host the first leg of the inter club match against Bude Canal Angling club.
25 Mar 2026

Bideford Angling Club – ROD AND REEL MATCH RESULTS DATE 22.3.26 at Tarka.

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First place today went to Martin Turner on peg 17 with a nice net full mainly carp for a weight of 36lbs 15oz, 2nd place was Kevin Shears on peg 4 with a weight of 32lbs 13oz ,3rd place was Stefan Clarke on peg 9 with 27lbs 1oz and 4th place today went to Antony Bentley on peg 6 with 27lbs. The next Rod and Reel match will be on the 26.4.26 at tarka. If you would like to book on to the next Rod and Reel match you can do so 30days before the match in advance on clubmate.