Weekly ANGLING REPORT – August 7th 20205

Stunning Carp Brace

Shaun Thorne tempted a stunning brace of carp from Lower Tamar lake including a stunning common carp of 32lb 12oz and a mirror carp of 25lb 2oz. The lake on the Devon Cornish Border holds a stock of stunning specimen fish including carp, bream, roach, tench, perch and eels.

Carp sport

Carp anglers are enjoying sport across the regions lakes with Hacche Lane producing several thirty pound plus specimens. At Stafford Moor Owen Thrumble fished four nights on Beattie’s Lake to bank forty carp to 30lb 5oz. Adam Atkins banked sixteen carp to 35lb 7oz.

Bass Fishing

Bass anglers continue to enjoy good sport with lure tactics from both boat and shore.  I took a good friend to a local shore mark recently and despite lots of weed in the water and a brisk wind we managed a fish each. I was delighted to introduce him to the excitement of bass fishing in shallow water and enjoyed his success as much as my own.

Rivers

High water temperatures are still a concern for river anglers across the region. Barnstaple and District Angling Association have extended their advice to members requesting a refrain from fishing until water temperatures drop below 20 degrees. Abundant algae is also causing concern as it clogs the river bed and reduces oxygen levels.

Match Fishing

Stafford Moor continues to produce excellent bags of fish for match anglers. Scott Puddy won the mid-week open match at the venue with 274lb 3oz and Rich Yeo won last weekends match with 250lb 1oz.

Sea Angling 

Bideford Angling Clubs Monthly sea rover was dominated by smoothound with Richard Jefferies heading the field with a specimen of 11lb 9oz. Tony Gussin was runner up with a hound of 10lb 10oz and Dale Kiff third with a hound of 10lb 4oz.

Appledore Shipbuilders monthly rover was also dominated by smoothound with Andrew Atkinson taking first and second with hounds of 12lb 4.25oz and 9lb 3.75oz. Third was Michael Hammett with a hound of 8lb 12oz.

Comment

The summer holidays are now upon us and it is to be hoped that some young anglers will take their first steps into a pastime that can provide a lifetime of enjoyment at the water’s edge. The world today is very different to when I started fishing over fifty years ago. Many believe it is the online and gaming  world that has taken many young people away from outdoor pursuits whilst others consider cost to be a major issue. Reflecting upon my own journey as a young angler I would suggest that the main obstacle is the lack of freedom given to young people in an increasingly protective society. This is perhaps ironic when the world of social media may well pose more threats to mental well- being than those physical dangers of a life at the water’s edge.

Bideford Angling Club have been running a brilliant series of Summer competitions for junior anglers at their home water. Bailey Bramley won the latest event with 7.840 kilo. Max Chapple was runner up with 6.085 kilo and Leo Davies third with 5.795 kilo. Twenty one young anglers took part in the latest match that has been generously supported by local tackle shops. This Saturday is the last in the series in which close to forty young anglers have taken part over the five events.

SEA ANGLING RESULTS – August Rovers

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Bideford Angling Clubs Monthly sea rover was dominated by smoothound with Richard Jefferies heading the field with a specimen of 11lb 9oz. Tony Gussin was runner up with a hound of 10lb 10oz and Dale Kiff third with a hound of 10lb 4oz.

Appledore Shipbuilders monthly rover was also dominated by smoothound with Andrew Atkinson taking first and second with hounds of 12lb 4.25oz and 9lb 3.75oz. Third was Michael Hammett with a hound of 8lb 12oz.

REEDS CHILLCHEATER

As we move towards Autumn it is perhaps time to think about upgrading those waterproofs. Local company Chillcheater provide high quality garments to beat the harshest of conditions. My own Storm Jacket has been beating the weather for over ten years and is set for replacing this season.

CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO SEE LATEST PRODUCTS

Sea Angling and Fishing.

Weekly – ANGLING REPORT – July 31st 2025

MAINLINE CARP PAIRS RESULT

South West Lakes Trust’ Mainline Carp Baits Open Pairs Competition at Upper Tamar Lake has been won by Terry Vincent and Ben Combes with three fish totalling 63lb 7oz. The pair take home a prize of £2000 plus trophies. Runners up receiving £1000 were Jason McEvoy and Paul Thomas with three carp for 61lb 15oz. In third place was Nigel Woods with 57lb 1oz. Over thirty carp were registered in the popular event held on South West Lakes Trusts premier carp water on the Devon and Cornish border.

Zenia Drury-Gregorek of Angler’s Paradise took a break from her busy schedule to celebrate her birthday and a enjoy fishing session with her husband Joe on the complex’s new Nirvana Syndicate Lake. The session proved very successful with Zenia banking a complex record common carp of 44lb, a 45lb mirror carp along with grass carp to 32lb and a 29lb mirror carp.

 

Anglers Paradise

Bideford & District Angling Clubs Rod N Reel match at Tarka Swims was won by Kevin Shears with 67lb 14oz. Runner up was Keith Copland with 61lb 14oz and Paul Elworthy third with 45lb 10oz.

Andy Edge won the latest Open Match at Stafford Moor with 255lb 14oz.

Boat anglers are enjoying some fine bass sport off Ilfracombe with Predator 2 Charters putting anglers amongst some large shoals of feeding bass, Skipper Dan Welch took time out for a bit of fishing himself and registered a brace of 58cm bass and one of 55cm.

Combe Martin SAC’s Lure Fishing League Sponsored by High Street Tackle is attracting a good number of entries from club members reflecting an excellent year for the species. Mark Drewer and Seth Tuson are currently joint first with five bass for 344.5cm. In runner up spot at present is myself with five bass for 313cm and in third place Reece Woolgar with four bass for 263cm.

Reel Deal Charters has taken anglers to the North Cornish Coast where several porbeagle shark have been brought boat-side.

The regions rivers are continuing to suffer from a lack of significant rain and warm temperatures. Barnstaple and District Angling Club control fishing on two beats on the River Taw and have closed both beats after recording water temperatures in excess of 24 centigrade. Water temperatures this warm are very concerning and can cause stress for both salmon and trout. The advice of the West Country Rivers Trust is to cease fishing above 20 degrees C.


Bass Lure League – Update

http://www.highstreettackle.co.uk

This season has been proving a good one for bass with Combe Martin SAC members registering some quality specimens in their lure league that is sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe.

Seth Tuson and Mark Drewer head the leaders board with five bass each for 344.5 cm. The biggest bass so far is a fine fish of 77cm to the rod of Mark Drewer. Top lures are without a doubt soft Plastics. https://www.highstreettackle.co.uk/soft-lures-3-c.asp

 

1st – Seth Tuson & Mark Drewer – Five bass – 344.5 cm

2nd – Wayne Thomas – Five bass – 313 cm

3rd – Reece Woolgar – four bass – 263 cm

4th – Daniel Welch – four bass – 233cm

5th –  Ross Stanway – three bass – 176 cm

6th –  Jamie Steward – two bass – 140 cm

7th –  Robert Hurst – two bass – 121.5 cm

8th –  Toby Craven – one bass – 58cm

WIRE OR HEAVY MONO FOR TOPE ?

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When targetting tope there is some debate about whether to use heavy mono or wire? I have always been a wire man but on recent discussions with Dan Welch on Predator 2 I have been questioning which is best?  Heavy mono can result in more runs and is kinder to the fish and skipper. Wire is less likely to get bitten through. Hair rigs, dongle rigs and circle hooks can also be added into the equation.

WEEKLY – ANGLING REPORT – July 24th

Andrew Clements secured top spot in Bideford Angling Clubs forty eight hour rover with a specimen smoothound scaling 11lb 14oz. Tony Gussin was runner up with a smoothound of 11lb 1.5oz and Stephen Found third with a bass of 7lb 11oz.

Bideford Club have recently acquired fishing rights for club members at Higher Shorston Lakes near Holsworthy. Full details can be found via the clubs website. Access to these waters adds extra value to membership of this thriving and long established angling club.

Bideford Clubs Junior competition is proving very popular and is fully subscribed most weeks with twenty three participants in last weekend’s event which is very encouraging to see as it bodes well for the future. Hallie Osbourne won the latest match with 7.105 kilo. Runner up was Bailey Bramley with 6.935 kilo and Jenson Kiff third with 4.925 kilo.

This weekend is the first weekend of the summer holidays and I still relish the memories of those distant times when I fished the River Umber in Combe Martin to catch small brown trout and eels that were abundant in those days. The open coast and local ponds were also visited and our generation seemed to enjoy a greater freedom than todays. Angling is undoubtedly a pastime that is beneficial to mental health and connecting with nature and it is to be hoped that the joys are discovered by a few more young people this summer.

Predator 2 Charters operate out of Ilfracombe and in this their first full season of operation they are gaining a reputation for putting anglers amongst the fish. Skipper Dan Welch has fished the North Devon coast for many years and is putting that experience to good use having considerable success targeting bass and wrasse using the latest lure fishing techniques.

Good numbers of tope are also being tempted from waters off Ilfracombe with plenty of fish over 30lb boated.

High water temperatures have eased on many local rivers enabling angling to resume though extra care should be taken to ensure all fish are returned as soon as possible preferably unhooked in the water. During hot summer days fly fishing enthusiasts can enjoy some superb and at times challenging sport targeting bass and mullet in saltwater. Mullet have become something of a cult species to target with their wily reputation and powerful fights sometimes compared to the bonefish of tropical waters. On a warm summers day it is undoubtedly a joy to stand ankle deep in the cool waters as bass and mullet swirl close by in the flooding tide.

Stuart Kennedy won Stafford Moor’s latest residents Match with 269lb 10oz. This followed success for Stuart in the venues Open match when he put together a net of 262lb 15oz.  On the venues Lodge Lake Zack Skinner banked a personal best carp of 32lb.

Specimen mullet for dedicated mullet man

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Combe Martin SAC member John Shapland is a dedicated mullet angler and focusses his efforts these days on this species to the exclusion of all others. In recent sessions he has tempted specimens of 4lb 10oz, 4lb 10oz, 4lb 4oz, 4lb 4oz, 4lb 4oz, 3lb 15oz and 3lb 12oz.

Thin lipped grey mullet are often caught using baited spinners typically a Mepps with a small trailing single hook baited with ragworm. They can also be tempted using fly fishing tactics and can offer fine sport on this light tackle.

SEA ANGLING RESULTS

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July’s Rover results

1st Stephen Found – Thicklipped Mullet 4lb 4oz 107.812%
2nd Andrew Clements  Thicklipped Mullet 4lb 100%
3rd Dale Kiff Smoothhound 8lb 11oz 86.875%
4th Tony Gussin Smoothound 8lb 0oz 1/2 80.312%
5th Dale Kiff Bass 5lb 3 74.107%
6th Tony Gussin Smoothound 7lb 1 70.652%
APPLEDORE MONTHLY ROVER
Challenging conditions for the July rover today with the fresh WNW wind.
Josh Atkinson took top spot with a Smoothound of 10lb 15ozs. Michael Hammett had the next best fish with another Smoothound 9lb 15ozs. Josh also picked up 3rd place with another hound of 9lb 3ozs.