5 Feb 2017

Holsworthy Sea Anglers- Enjoy top sport on “Bluefin”.

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Many thanks to Paul Cozens for the report he posted on their club trip off Ilfracombe. A stunning conger and plenty of spurdog.

Holsworthy Sea Anglers enjoyed a great day afloat with skipper John Barbeary and crewman Paul on the Bluefin out of Ilfracombe. The ten anglers; Andrew Braunton, Robert Gould, Steve Dawe, Adrian Pett, James Pett, Brian Hopcraft, Stuart Lockyer, Graham Verral, Steven McDonald and Paul Cozens. After an hours stop close in for some doggies and a bonus 25lb conger for Adrian Pett they pushed out to the spurdog mark. Over went the mackerel and squid baits and it wasn’t long before they were hauling the spurs aboard along with a few bull huss to 12lb and a very welcome 45lb to 50lb conger for club eel specialist Steve Dawe. The spurdog fishing was frantic with the party losing track of the numbers caught with many of them over 15lb and best one going 17lb to Steve Dawe a new personal best. Steven McDonald had the most spurdog ending up with 14 of them!!
Paul Cozens stated that it was once again a great days fishing aboard Bluefin.

5 Feb 2017

SLIPPERY AS AN EEL

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Combe Martin SAC member Ross Stanway fished a rock mark near Ilfracombe and hooked a specimen conger weighing 22lb 8.5oz after carefully weighing the eel in a weigh sack it was time for a photo. The eel proved camera shy and took its opportunity upon being released from the weigh sack and in Ross’s words; “Took off like a Bob sleigh team down over the rocks.”

The eel was one of twelve eels caught with four of them over 10lb.(Above) 10lb eel that posed for the camera!

Ilfracombe shore marks are producing conger, whiting, dogfish and occasional ray. Proceed with caution particular if fishing at Capstone one of North Devon’s most productive marks but also one with many dangers.

5 Feb 2017

BIG SPUR IS DELIVERED

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Veals Mail Order Managing director Harry Brake has undertaken several trips to North Devon in search of the elusive spurdog and was rewarded with a fine personal best scaling 13lb 10oz. The fish was tempted with mackerel head and guts whipped on to a pair of Varivas 6/0 Big Mouth Extras, 25lb Varivas yellow sport.

4 Feb 2017

Spurdog still there to be caught

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar, Uncategorised | 0

There is still time to land a spurdog from the shoreline this winter with several landed during the past week by anglers targetting the species. James Atkinson landed a brace of spurs weighing 10lb 7oz and 8lb 4.5oz both fish were tempted using a squid mackerel and herring cocktail.

Jon Patten also enjoyed success landing a brace of spurs weighing 11lb 1oz and 12lb 10oz using large mackerel baits.

31 Jan 2017

Spurdog and ray on the coast

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

James Atkinson enjoyed success when targetting spurdog tempting a specimen of 10lb 13.5oz using squid, mackerel and herring cocktail.

Late winter is a good time to target specimen ray as Combe Martin SAC member discovered when he hooked this specimen small eyed ray of 10lb 4oz. (below)

29 Jan 2017

SPURDOG PACKS OFF ILFRACOMBE

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

16265800_10158071521095858_6330988807051345493_n — *Toby Bassett – Double figure spurdog*

John Barbeary’s Bluefin visited some of Johns proven local favourite marks to catch plenty of spurdog with the biggest 3 at 16lb all fish were double figure fish. Several hard fighting conger to 29lb wee also boated along with bull huss.

The cold grey and damp conditions were a stark contrast to the far off climes John had returned from after a well earned break from Ilfracombe chartering. The next few months should see offshore sport continue with spurdog, huss and conger dominating catches.

29 Jan 2017

LATEST SEA ANGLING NEWS

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

There is still time to hook into a spurdog from shore marks all along the North Devon Coast and with things roughing up this week and evening tides and expect to get a few reports. Kevin Pike rose early at the weekend to tempt a fine spurdog of 10lb 4oz. Many thanks to Kevin for letting me use this excellent image.

Combe Martin SAC members fished their roving match at Clovelly on Saturday 28th January and it was Matt Jeffery who won the mixed brace competition with a plump dab of 11.5oz and a whiting of 1lb. The hoped for spurdog failed to materialize though Matt confided that something grabbed a whiting on his last cast of the night.

22 Jan 2017

The spurs keep coming

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Dan Miles Redmore with a one of a fine brace of spurdog of 13lb 4oz and 12lb 5oz.

21 Jan 2017

BIG SPUR FOR JON

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Jon Patten has a knack of finding the big fish and enjoyed success this week landing a fine spurdog of 14lb.

The fish was tempted with a large slice of mackerel presented on 6/0 Varivas Big Mouth Xtra hooks.

19 Jan 2017

Spurdog Days

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Times they are a changing! There was a time twenty odd years ago when winter saw anglers flock to the North Devon Coast in search of big cod and in those far off days they were caught by those who put in the hours. With the demise in cod along the North Devon coast it is now spurdog that seem to be flourishing and providing the incentive for anglers to brave the cold nights. Unfortunately it is not just the spurdog that seem to have increased in numbers for their relative the humble Lesser spotted dogfish also seem to have increased in numbers as I found out last night when I hoped for a spurdog and wound in numerous LSD’s!

The last couple of weeks have seen numerous spurdog landed in addition to Michael Toogoods stunning haul of eight reported earlier this week.

Top tips for spurdog – Deep water, whiting shoals and use fish baits with a wire trace hook size 4/0 to 6/0…