Plenty of fish to chase from the North Devon Shoreline at the moment with ray, bass, rockling and mullet amongst the specimens caught over the last week.
John Shapland landed this fine thick lipped grey mullet of 3lb 8.5oz from an estuary mark
Toby Bassett enjoyed a beautiful day bobbing about on John Barbeary’s Bluefin with plenty of fish tempted throughout the day afloat.
Several bass were tempted drifting over the reefs with the biggest around 5lb. Anchoring brought sport with several tope to 30lb along with huss and the inevitable dogfish. One angler hooked a large fish that came close to spooling him before dropping the bait. The guess was that it was shark?
bass and scad
As winter approaches anglers will be looking forward to targetting the spurdog, huss and conger that prowl the mid channel marks giving some exciting and frantic sport when the weather permits access.
Matt Thomas caught this brace of fine huss weighing 9lb 4oz and 8lb whilst fishing from a popular North Devon Shore mark. The huss were both tempted using bluey hook-baits.
Bideford Angling Club and Appledore Shipbuilders hold their monthly sea rovers on the first Sunday of each month and both clubs allow competitors to fish over a very wide area of the South West including Devon, Dorset and Cornwall. Their results highlight the vast the vast range of species available to anglers in the South West.
Bideford Monthly Rover results
1st – Antony Smith garfish 15 1/2 oz 77.5% (Above)
2nd -Andrew Clements dogfish 1 lb 13 60.416%
Appledore Shipbuilders Monthly Rover Results
1st- Josh Atkinson – black bream 2lb 7.5oz
2nd – Michael Hammett – garfish 1lb 2oz
3rd – James Mayhew – small eyed ray 7lb 1/8oz
Junior section – Jack Pike – ballan wrasse 4lb 3oz
Triple Hook Club – WYCO EWB – Club Flounder
1st – Mark Hancock – flounder 1lb 1/4oz
2nd – Kevin Hancock – flounder 15oz
Combe Martin SAC’s Lyn Fish Competition saw competitors fishing between Hartland Point and Watchet with some fine fish registered from both boat and shore.
The winner of the event was Jack Phillips (above) with a fine thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb.
Runner up was Alex Mcleish with a stunning boat caught pollock of 10lb 10oz
3rd – Dan Miles Redmore – Blonde ray 10lb 6.5oz
4th – Nick Phillips – Thick Lipped grey mullet 3lb 2oz
5th – Mark Jones – small eyed ray – 7lb 5oz
6th – Matt Jeffery – dogfish – 2lb 1oz
The after competition meet up and presentation was held at the Rising Sun Lynmouth where competitors enjoyed a fine platter of delicious food.
(Above) A grey mullet caught bu myself on the Saturday of the competition when a strong North East Wind made fishing difficult.
(Above) First light bass fishing with the lures.
Lower Slade Reservoir is closed for maintenance from October 8th until 27th October.
Prospects for the coming weekend are looking good with a wide range of species available to target. Weather wise Sunday is the best looking day with light winds and sunshine. Fish don’t always worry about the weather though and night sessions could be profitable for bass, huss, conger and ray.
Combe Martin SAC are holding an Open competition over the weekend so this will encourage a few anglers to get out and see whats about. Might even win a prize from the sponsors Sakuma and Ardosia slate.
(Below)Mark Jones fished a local rock mark and landed a fine smoothound and beautiful wrasse.
(below) John Shapland caught this fine grey mullet earlier this week.
Jon Stevens landed this fine small eyed ray during a session at a North Devon Rock mark.
Prospects are excellent for the next few weeks with a wide variety of species to target. Bass, grey mullet and flounder should provide sport on lighter tackle with conger, tope and ray for those using heavier beach rods. I welcome your news and pictures for North Devon Angling News and Sea Angling News.
Ali Laird caught this hard fighting 24lb 8oz tope from a North Devon Rock mark it is his second of the year. Ali lost another tope that picked up a spider-crab and squid cocktail chomping through 80lb mono!
(Below)Dan MIles Redmore enjoyed a successful session on one of North Devon’s local beaches catching six small eyed ray to just over 7lb & a blonde 11lb 10oz.
(Below) Ian Hooper and Nick Job set out in search of spotted ray and enjoyed success with Nick landing this pleasing ray of 2lb 8oz.
