Combe Martin SAC Member Jamie Steward registered this 70cm bass into the clubs lure fishing League. The specimen was tempted using a 5″ Mega-Bass spindle worm purchased from the league sponsor High Street Tackle Ilfracombe.
“5” spindle worm with decoy violence jig head bought from Danny at high street tackle “
Due to a forecast of large swells and a strong North West Wind CMSAC have reluctantly decided to reschedule the annual Putsborough Open to Saturday June 21st. Same times etc see poster below : – The decision has been made with the clubs sponsors in mind. Once again we thank the owners at Putsborough for allowing the event to be held.
Always a great night with a friendly vibe and plenty of fish over the past couple of years
Due to a forecast of large swells and a strong North West Wind CMSAC have reluctantly decided to reschedule the annual Putsborough Open to Saturday June 21st. Same times etc see poster below : – The decision has been made with the clubs sponsors in mind. Once again we thank the owners at Putsborough for allowing the event to be held.
Always a great night with a friendly vibe and plenty of fish over the past couple of years
Graham Snow secured top spot in Bideford Angling Clubs monthly sea rover with a specimen thick lipped grey mullet of 5lb 1.5oz. Jon Stevens was runner up with a smoothound scaling 9lb 3.5oz and Jazzer John third with a smoothound of 8lb 3oz.
APPLEDORE SHIPBUILDERS
Jake Moule secured victory in Appledore Shipbuilders June Rover with a smoothound of 13lb. Graham Snow was runner up with his thick lipped grey mullet of 5lb 1.5oz and Andrew Atkinson third with a specimen hound of 12lb 6.5oz.
Reece Woolgar enjoyed a lure fushing session to remember tempting bass of 72cm and 63.5cm to move him into runner up spot in Combe Martin SAC’s Lure Fishing league.
Predator 2 Skipper Daniel Welch took a party of anglers out off Ilfracombe to enjoy a short evening lure fishing session. “Great to get back out on the water for one of our evening lure trips. You will be glad to know we haven’t forgotten how to fish, with over 20 bass to the boat including some good sized fish we also had pollack to 9lb 8oz and wrasse.”
I joined South Molton AC members and boarded John Barbeary’s Bluefin at just before 8.00am. The plan was to go and fish the waters close to Lundy Island but with a brisk Westerly and fair sized residual swell after a couple of rough days John suggested plan B. And so we left Ilfracombe harbour and headed up channel.
The spectacular cliffs that plunge from Exmoor’s Northern edge are always a joy to witness especially as the morning sunlight reflects upon the waters creating a silvery seascape framed by the dramatic cliffs.
We started the day drifting the reefs off the Hangman’s where several pollock smashed into our strings of lures. We kept half a dozen to use as fresh bait when we dropped anchor. John explored several reefs but the fishing proved slow. As it was now high water with little tide flow we dropped anchor.
It wasn’t long before rod tips were nodding as huss, conger and the inevitable dogfish intercepted our baits. Ed Rands and Lathum both caught conger into double figures and Ed boated what was to be the biggest huss of the day at close to 10lb.
As the tide pull slowly increased John up anchored and we tried drifting a few marks further up the coast to no avail. John received Info from fellow Ilfracombe boat skipper of Carrick Lee who’s party had caught several bass on a drift further up channel. Its always good to witness how Ilfracombe’s skippers work together sharing information to help each other.
It seemed we had missed this opportunity as after several drifts our bass tally remained at nil.
We then enjoyed an hour in the relative shelter of Woody bay with its densely wooded slopes and admired the exclusive properties nestled within the woods.
John was uneasy at the slow sport and decided it was time to head back to the waters off the Hangman’s. Down went the big baits and again the rod tips nodded to the pull of huss, conger and dogfish.
A sharp pull resulted in a pleasing bass of around 4lb to my offering of a bluey and squid wrap.
Ed hooked into a very good fish that put a serious bend in his rod. We all watched the drama waiting in anticipation to glimpse what we thought was a big conger. Sadly whatever it was came adrift close to the boat before we had the chance to see it? The touch of drama added a hanging question over the day.
A good fish..but what is it?
And then its gone……..
Ed ponders upon what he lost?
For the next hour we fished on as the tide eventually swung the boat so that we faced into the brisk breeze. A steady succession of huss, small conger and dogfish visited the boat before John started the engines and we headed back to Ilfracombe.
The pier was busy with crabbers and tourists as we climbed ashore. Sausage and chips beside the harbour to round off a good days fishing.
Combe Martin SAC Member Reece Woolgar got his 2025 lure fishing campaighn underway registering bass of 67cm and 60.5cm into the clubs lure fishing league that is sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe.
The succesful lure was a Keitech Easy Shiner 4” in various colours
Combe Martin SAC member Ollie Passmore endured several blanks before contacting this stunning gilthead bream of 5lb 10oz. Ollie used Mini Manta hooks size 2 with Sakuma 30lb fluro.
