Kyle Bishop landed this specimen bull huss weighing 12lb 5oz whilst on a trip to a local rock mark where Dan Spearman also enjoyed success landing a fine pollock of 4lb 7oz and a plump pouting of 1lb 2oz.
Ben Partridge went out after the tope and thought he was into one when the clutch screamed off, turned out to be a decent smooth hound weighing 9.2 picture taken and back she went! ( Below)
Chay Boggis landed a personal best smoothound of 10lb 3oz. The fish was tempted using a whole dirty squid hook bait.These hard fighting members of the shark family have been staying in North Devon waters far later than they used to a welcome boost to sport.
Ross Stanway fished Ilfracombe Pier with me on Tuesday evening and we chatted at length about tope fishing. The following night Ross was inspired to head back out to the coast with his good friend Daniel Welch. The decision proved to be a good one as Ross was rewarded with a fine tope of 34lb 1oz. The fish was tempted using half a mackerel presented on 8/0 Sakuma Manta extra hooks.
Autumn time sees a dedicated few target the elusive hard fighting tope that haunt the waters of North Devon. A tope from the shore is perhaps the greatest challenge for the dedicated shore angler unless of course you include the remote chance of hooking and beaching a porbeagle shark!
Martin Pearce has struck gold in mid October first beating a fine tope of 31lb 4oz and then following it up a few days later with a fine specimen of 42lb 8oz. Landing a tope is seldom a solitaire event and Martin was very appreciative of a help in hand from his mate Darren Bell who tailed both fish. The fish were tempted using whole mackerel on Varivas big mouth extra 8/0 hooks. Both fish were tempted from undisclosed North Devon Rock Marks.
The Pier
Ilfracombe pier is not a venue I often fish these days but it is a venue that has a certain appeal. I have many fond memories of the venue that has to be the most heavily fished venue along the North Devon coast and it is undoubtedly for this reason that it has over the years produced an outstanding track record.
Being a veteran I can of coarse remember the pier in its heyday when you could fish from the Victorian structure at any state of the tide in pretty well any weather conditions. The beauty of the pier was that you could turn up and fish being confidant that you would have company. It was the social hub of North Devon’s sea angling community easily accessible, safe and at times productive.
Of course back then we didn’t value what we had taking it for granted like many things in life that are only really appreciated in hindsight. I value the memories of those cold winter nights on the pier and witnessing some fine fish caught. I also look back with a tinge of sadness at the lovely people and characters I fished with who are no longer with us; I won’t mention names but those who were there will share my sentiments.
Ilfracombe lost a huge asset with the demolition of the pier a place where people fished and others strolled to watch us watching our rod tips. Some inquiring what we had caught, some understanding the fascination; others perplexed at the fools who wasted hours staring out to sea.
Those who were there in those distant days will still remember and visualize how it was when anyone mentions the North End or by the Club hut. Beneath the water there were of course always tales of the mighty conger that lurked within the structure eels that divers glimpsed as they explored. Strange that the biggest eel recorded at 42lb was caught from the pier in 2015 long after the pier was demolished.
( Note Chris Wilson refers to an eel of 56lb has anyone got a record of that?)
I fished the pier with Rob Scoines on October 26th the main reason I chose the venue was because I had a few leftover harbour ragworm left from a flounder fishing excursion. With news of a few red mullet being caught I thought why not try the pier might even catch a sole. It was a very calm mild night after a week or so of easterly winds. We offloaded the van and ambled the few yards to the lower landings. There were a handful of other anglers already set up in the hot spot on the corner so we set up where there was space.
I fished two rods one with small worm baits the other with a larger offering of mackerel, to be exchanged for a fresh pouting shortly after catching one on the worm baits. The worm baits brought a steady succession of small whiting, tiny pouting and a solitary dab. Danny Watson from High Street Tackle chatted enthusiastically about prospects for the coming winter. Fellow CMSAC member Ross Stanway turned up with his young son Charlie. We chatted about old times and made plans for future forays. Young Charlie caught a few whiting; bringing a smile to his face.
When we packed away at the end of the night beneath the deviant structure of Damien’s Verity Rob commented that it wasn’t his favorite venue. It’s not mine and the fishing was poor but it still has a certain value as an easy sociable venue where good fish are sometimes caught.
Dan Spearman took Tom Emillie Ridler Raimbault out for his first rock session and Tom managed his first bass a fine fish of 7lb 9oz. Caught on size 2 match hooks and a tiny piece of mackerel intended for rockling.
Flounder fishing in the Taw is now approaching its prime time with the obliging flatfish gaining weight before leaving the estuary after Christmas to spawn. Local clubs have been enjoying some action with Juniors and ladies joining in the fun!
Nalarni Knox
Yasmin Beer won both the ladies and Junior section with a fine flounder of 1lb 123/8oz. Second in the junior section was Lewis Rigler with a flounder of 1lb 5oz. Levi Beer took runner up spot in the club section of the Junior competition. Runner up in the ladies section was Debbie Rigler with flounder of 1lb 47/8oz.
Triple Hook Members in action
Combe Martin SAC member Daniel Welch targetted grey mullet in a local harbour and was rewarded with just the one fish. But when its a 5lb 1oz specimen there is no cause to grumble.
Stunning picture of grey mullet in the morning light!
Just got back from an interesting day filming along the North Devon Coast with Wiseman Productions and Libby Ross one of our local Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority Officers. The video is part of The FishTrail project for The West Country Rivers Trust and IFCA. It is funded by E.U COSME to promote Inter European Angling Tourism and promote conservation minded angling. Part of the project is also the building of a fish planner website to give a clear summary of legislation that relates to angling.
I must give special thanks to local anglers and fishing mates Kevin Legge, Callum Gove and James Hunter who joined me with some success in the hunt for fish. I will share the video on this site when it is released.
Callum managed this mullet half an hour after filming ceased; I think that what they call sods law!