4 May 2025

Sea Angling May Rover – Results.

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Andrew Clements won Bideford Angling Clubs May Rover with a fine thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb. Phil Vanstone was runner up with a wrasse of 4lb 2oz and Antony Smith third with a  thornback ray of 7lb 7.5oz.

            Jake Moule won Appledore Shipbuilders monthly rover with a specimen smoothound scaling 11lb. Michael Hammett was runner up with hound of 10lb 2.25oz. Third place was shared by Michael and Jake with hounds weighing 7lb 3oz.

 

4 May 2025

Combe Martin SAC – Blue skys and rays off Minehead

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            Combe Martin SAC members enjoyed a fine days sport off Minehead with Steve Webber on his boat Osprey.  The day started with a Wetherspoons Breakfast where the nuances of poker, politics, health and economics provided an interesting agenda.

            A flat calm sea is a wonderful sight when setting out for a day’s boat fishing and it was a buoyant party of anglers who set out to enjoy a day afloat.

        A full report of the day should appear in the July edition of Sea Angler. But for now i will share a few images of a great day with club members catching, bass, thornback, small eyed ray, spotted ray, conger, smoothound and more than a few dogfish.

Dave Newton enjoys the scenery
Bruce is always happy with a bent rod
Bruce with a small eyed ray
Keith Armishaw puts a frozen prawn to good use.
Keith with one of many thornback ray caught during the day.
Bruce Elston holds a smoothound
Club secretary Nick Phillips in action
Nick brings back memories of Kojac ….
Thornback ray and blue sky day
Club boat secretary Peter Robinson
A tasty bass for Peter
Moving on
Jack Phillips brings a fish up through the murky waters
Another one safely in the net
Jack with a typical thorny
In anticipation !
Prawns proved effective for Bruce with one of the days bigger smoothound
The smoothound sport went on as the sun sank and a cool breeze welcomed the evening
A good small eyed ray concludes a great day
Ray of the day
and so ends another great day..

            Many thanks to Steve Webber ( Below) for putting us on the fish, keeping the kettle on and entertaining us with tales and reminisces.

27 Apr 2025

FROTHY WATERS – OBSERVATIONS ?

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Whilst the algae blooms witnessed along the coast are nothing new there are a couple of observations I will make. First the bloom often referred to as May bloom is earlier than normal and secondly the amount of surface froth is unusual and whilst large spring tides and a big surging swell have contributed I personally consider that this could be largely due to extensive run off from rivers into the Bristol Channel carrying worrying levels of enrichment from agricultural run-off and sewage overflows.

Frothy waters off Lundy – Image courtesy of Predator 2 Charters

There is increasing awareness of the many issues that impact upon water quality with considerable focus on rivers with many groups with environmental interests now joining together to campaign for a revision into how we manage our environment. This is certainly complex and requires extensive effort across government and society.

 

26 Apr 2025

Promising signs of summer on evening boat trip

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It was good to get out off Ilfracombe aboard Predator 2 for a short evening session using lure fishing tactics. Dan Welch had already taken a party to waters near Lundy Island where they had caught numerous pollock and wrasse. I was fortunate to catch the first two bass of Predator 2’s season and whilst small they bring promise of sport to come as the water warms. Water clarity was undoubtedly a factor on making the fish hard to find with algae prolific and frothy foam abundant. It is hoped that this will clear in the coming weeks. Despite the challenging conditions pollock and wrasse were also brought to the boat with Dan tempting a wrasse of close to 3lb.

It was good to see a steady procession of swallow’s flying over as the boat drifted. We were also visited by an inquisitive seal.

Paul Hutching with a Ballan wrasse

26 Apr 2025

Combe Martin SAC – Lure League Update

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Robert Drewer has registered bass of 63.5cm and 59cm into Combe Martin SAC’s Lure fishing league this puts him into second place at present with 122.5cm.

Seth Tuson is leading at present with three bass for 182cm and Robert Hurst third with two bass for 121.5cm. I am keeping a note of the successful lures used and soft plastics are dominating at present with all seven bass caught on these lures.

15 Apr 2025

Early Season Lure Sport on Predator 2

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Dan Welch has treated anglers to some exciting lure fishing trips on Ilfracombes latest charter boat Predator 2. Good numbers of colourful wrasse and pollock have put welcome bends into anglers rods over the calm settled weather leading up to Easter. Prospects for the coming season are excellent to book trips visit the Predator 2 website : –

https://www.boatfishingdevon.co.uk/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJrAe9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHg7sULdVWXxi8-AOvi498bL77IHah1zbd9JN_wAemrDTxQ5jziDEVGOb7Xc4_aem_9ZckyS0xcEgppGxb-Pyntw

Click on links below to book a trip :-

 

15 Apr 2025

Combe Martin SAC Lure League – Seth takes early lead

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Seth Tuson has taken an early lead in Combe Martin SAC’s members lure fishing league registering bass of 67.5cm and 57cm he now has three bass for a total length of 182cm. Both fish were tempted using soft plastic shad lures. Robert Daniel Hurst is on two bass for 121.5cm.

Below is the shad lure that tempted the larger of the bass.

The event is sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe with first and second prize plus biggest bass. First or second prize cannot win biggest bass prize.

 

9 Apr 2025

Lure Season off to an early start

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Combe Martin SAC member Robert Daniel Hurst has registered two early season lure caught bass into the clubs Lure Fishing league. The bass of 61cm and 60.5cm are cracking bass and are a good omen for the coming months. Both bass were tempted using a megabass spindle worm.  The prolonged spell of settled weather has resulted in excellent water clarity and warm temperatures. Entry into the league is free to club members that is sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe.