15 Apr 2018

Sea Angling Results Round Up

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Sea Angling sport is starting to slowly improve with several good fish boated by Appledore Club members in their boat competition. Dogfish are abundant from some areas of the shore line but fortunately scarce in other areas. Grey mullet are present in good numbers but are not feeding well. Warmer weather forecast for the coming days will hopefully raise water temperatures and trigger feeding amongst various species.

Michael Toogood won Appledore Shipbuilders Boat Competition with a fine bull huss of 13lb 5oz. In runner up spot was David Atkinson with a bull huss of 13lb 2oz.

Kevin Pike and Thomas Atkinson tied for third with bull huss of 12lb 6oz. Michael Toogood also boated a huss of 11lb 2oz. (Below)

Cameron Atkinson boated a fine smoothound of 11lb 4oz (Below)

(Above) Cameron Atkinson with a huss of 11lb 10oz.

Combe Martin SAC’s Spring Rover saw nine members fishing and the fish were hard to find. Rob Scoines won the competition with a dogfish of 2lb 3oz. Dan Welch was runner up with a thick lipped grey mullet of 2lb 2oz. The weigh in was held at The Rising Sun Lynmouth where members shared tales of the day over a delicious platter of sandwiches and chips.

Bideford Rover April 24hour  Rover
 1st Lee Watts dog 2lb 8oz 83.333%
2nd Phil Vanstone   Thornback ray 7lb 4oz  80.555%
3rd Andrew Clements spotted    3lb 3oz  70.832%
(Above) Phil Vanstone with a fine brace of thornback

8 Apr 2018

Bass are about!

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Combe Martin SAC Member Chris Bonds fished a local mark to tempt this fine bass of 8lb 1oz. The fish took crab and king rag presented on a long flowing trace. The bass was returned alive in line with current legislation that allows no bass to be retained for the table by recreational anglers.

 

7 Apr 2018

Jon treks North for giant Skate

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Globe trotting North Devon angler Jon Patten made the long trek to Western Scotland to target the huge common skate that dwell in the deep-waters. Jon was fishing aboard top Charter boat ‘Size Matters” skippered by Kevin Mckie and sponsored by Shimano. The team are working on a feature for Sea Angler Magazine due for publication later this year. The fish Jon is playing in the picture was brought to the boat and was estimated at 202lb and was subdued using 20lb class tackle and was hooked in 500ft of water.

Image courtesy of Ashley Clarke

It is fascinating and rather sad to note that huge giant skate like this were once tempted from the waters off Lynmouth. Over fishing wiped these magnificent fish out in our area. The populations in Scotland and Ireland are now protected and angling is strictly catch and release with the fish photographed after measuring before disappearing back into the mysterious depths. The anglers fishing for these magnificent fish bring a huge benefit to the local economy and help with important research into the species. The fish have no commercial value as a food fish and are very slow growing.

4 Apr 2018

A few fish about!

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March and April are generally quiet months out on the coast but there are always a few fish to be found and its often good to just be out there in the fresh air. Combe Martin SAC member Ross Stanway fished an Ilfracombe Rock mark with his young son Charlie and they both tempted shore rockling with Ross landing a new personal best of 13.5oz. Between them they landed pollock, dogfish and rockling.

There should be very chance of bull huss from rough ground marks and the fisrt ray should be showing from local surf beaches.

3 Apr 2018

Reel Deal – Arrives in Ilfracombe for Summer Season

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Dan Hawkins has brought New Charter Boat Reel Deal into its summer moorings ready for the Summer Season at Ilfracombe. Below is a brief update from Dan on the start of an exciting new venture for this season.

Well we’re home in Ilfracombe and nearly ready to start the season. Well it’s been a roller coaster of a month Adam Bruce,Tom aka marry berry and of course the man himself Mr Swifty Chris Dawson have made me a proud man with a beast of a boat that’s just made the journey back round the bottom half of the country in what I can say was testing conditions and she just ate seas for fun what a vessel. There’s lots of thank you’s todo firstly chris and the guys at swift cats for the boat and making me so welcome. Mr Mark Watts  for coming to Essex and sticking in the hours with me on the fit out he’s been a god send ,my wing man Sonia Maslen who also came to Essex and helped with the boat and kept us fuelled up with grub. Peter Watts of Breaksea boats for supplying all the electronics and windlass top man. Kevin Jones of LGS marine for all our safety gear anchor ropes and chain. Rich lines of motor lines for all the unseen bit and pieces. Pete leathbridge and Adam for the stainless steel awesome job and really adds to the look of the boat. Mr steve causey for the engines and coming out of his way to do the rigging and commissioning of them and he extra call out needed. Paul Hutching and Benjamin Hopkins for taking time away and helping me get the boat home in the worst conditions I have ever been in. Wendy Hawkins for the lovely cabin cushion. Shane at design a sign for the graphics . Shannon Marie Sprague shay for the emergency lift home when in need. Thank you all so much for helping us get this boat to where she is today if you fancy booking a day on her drop me a message or call 07850984933 or book online at www.reeldealcharters.uk

Below – A few highlights from last season :-

 

2 Apr 2018

Sea Angling News and prospects

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(Above) Many thanks to Josh Atkinson for this stunning picture.

Sea anglers are certainly having a lean time with just three fish weighed into Bideford Angling Clubs Monthly Rover. Dick Talbot dominated the results with a brace of wrasse for first and second weighing 3lb 13oz and 3lb 6oz. Andrew Clements took third spot with a spotted ray of 3lb 1/4oz. In Appledore Shipbuilders Rover the eighteen competing anglers failed to find a fish big enough to bother the scales. Several members of the club ventured to south coast venues in search of plaice where they enjoyed some success but none above the qualifying weight for the scales.

 

As temperatures start to creep up fishing should improve and the first bass should soon be caught from the lower estuary. The local surf beaches will produce ray that move inshore to feed on sandeel in the surf. Grey mullet are already present along the coast and the first thin-lipps should be in the estuary’s as soon as the flood water subsides. Rough ground marks on the coast will yield bull huss and the occasional conger.

Anglers fishing Ilfracombe Pier with small worm baits can expect plaice and dabs.

Dogfish will provide plenty of rattles on the rod tips.

26 Mar 2018

In search of spring ray

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As spring sets in there is a good chance of catching an early ray from our local surf beaches. Steve Dawe shared these fine images of the sun setting as he waited the onset of darkness and chance of a ray. Whilst he blanked on this occasion the scene certainly illustrates that there is more to this fishing than just catching fish. You can catch up more of Steve adventures by visiting his blog in which he describes his adventures whilst aiming to catch fifty species in a year for charity :- https://stevedawe189.wixsite.com/fishtytwochallenge

Combe Martin SAC member Jonathon Stanway also targetted ray from a local rock mark and was rewarded with a personal best small eyed ray of 11lb 2oz. ( Below)