Jamie Steward caught this personal best wrasse weighing 3lb 10oz from a North Devon rock Mark.
Fine brace of identical specimen bass
Martyn Hunton landed a brace of bass from a local beach each weighing 8lb 1oz. Both fish took dirty squid purchased at Braunton Baits. He also beached small eyed ray and small eyed ray.
SAMARCH Project aims to track salmon and sea trout migrations.
Several North Devon sea anglers expressed concern when they spotted large numbers of net floats in the area off North Devon’s headlands. Rumours spread rapidly that this could be illegal fishing activity. A call to the local Environment Agency confirmed that the nets were part of an important research programme to help protect salmon and sea trout stocks. The SAMARCH Project Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust . www.gwct.org.uk For further information on this project visit https://www.samarch.org
SAMARCH is a five-year project with a grant of €5.8m from the EU’s France (Channel) England Interreg Channel programme.
The SAMARCH project will :
- Provide novel information on the survival and migration of young salmon and sea trout in four estuaries of the Channel area
- Provide novel information on the movements and swimming depths of adult sea trout in the Channel
- Create a genetic data base for trout on both sides of the Channel
- Create a map of areas that are important for sea trout in the Channel based on sea scape
- Provide new information to further improve the models used in England and France to manage their salmonid stocks
- Train students in the management of coastal and transitional waters
- Engage with stakeholders throughout the project
- Inform current and develop new policies for the better management of salmonid stocks in our coastal and transitional waters
There is close working between the IFCAs and the EA in coastal waters with the EA focussing on migratory fish within I believe six miles off the coast. Anglers are urged to contact the EA on 0800807060 if they have any concerns regarding illegal fishing or pollution.
SUMMER NIGHTS
A gentle surf pushed into the beach as I strolled in the shallow water enjoying the coolness in the late afternoon heat. I searched the water for the fish I had been told would be there amongst the bathers. Amongst a slightly foamy coloured band of water, I found what I was looking for hundreds of mullet darting to and fro apparently feasting up on an algal feast.
I cast expectantly with a team of flies designed to attract the wily mullet. As the waves turned mullet could be seen in the small waves some of them a decent size. I suspected that many were golden greys though the size of some indicated that thick lips were amongst them.
A couple of times the line zipped tight but contact could not be made. As the tide started to flood the activity increased with swirling mullet all around. I cast repeatedly trying slow retrieves, quicker retrieves and static drifts. Frustration grew, the tide flooded and all of sudden they were gone.
The following night I stood upon a boulder strewn shoreline armed with a lure rod. A surface lure was cast out and worked back across the still water. The sun was descending as the day faded a golden glow of fiery light. A large swirl behind the lure gave hope. Hundreds of fish could be seen dimpling the surface. Mullet again! The fly rod was in the van but I was too lazy or too focussed on the bass to switch tactics. Another night I will return with a few bread flies and some floating crust to get them feeding. Some would say that’s cheating; but perhaps we sometimes make things too difficult for ourselves.
As the light faded expectation grew as the tide gently pushed in. An hour after dark I heard a swirl in the calm water. Next cast my soft plastic was seized, a welcome jolt of life through the line. A bass of a couple of pounds saved a blank.
The moon slowly rose above the hill, lights reflected in the mirror calm sea. The cool night air, the aroma of seaweed and fresh sea air. These summer nights are to be cherished for all too soon autumn and winter will descend bringing different challenges.
Sunfish in a heatwave
Mark Jones made a very unusual catch on Sunday off Lundy! A 52lb Sunfish hooked on baited small 3 hook feathers with Braunton Bait Box session squid. “Never seen anything like it put the rod down to unhook my sons 5lb pollock and he saw my rod tip rattle then all hell let loose. Very unusual texture and smell, quickly weighed and released.
The fish sets a new Combe Martin SAC boat record.
The British Record for a boat caught sunfish is 108lb caught off the Welsh coast in 1976. It is unlikely that this record will be beaten as the fish would need to be killed for weighing ashore something few of todays conservation minded anglers would contemplate.
Bideford Angling Club – Sea Results
Bideford Angling Clubs Nathan Clements set a new club record with this stunning 3lb 2oz sole.
The clubs latest 24 hour rover was dominated by grey mullet. Graham Snow was the winner with a thin lipped mullet of 4lb 10.5oz. Stephen Found was runner up with a thick lipped mullet of 4lb 4oz. Third Graham Snow with a thin lip of 4lb 3oz.
COMBE MARTIN SAC members enjoying good sport
Combe Martin SAC members are enjoying good sport along the North Devon coast. Daniel Welch tempted this fine bass of 62cm using a patching surface lure. He takes the lead in the clubs lure fishing competition. Sponsored by High Street Tackle.
John Shapland caught this stunning thin lipped grey mullet of 4lb 5oz.
Brightly Coloured success at Ilfracombe
Toby Bassett enjoyed a great afternoon with his good friend Rob Pearson. Their target originally was mullet and they found a few nice ones feeding but only 1 take for Rob. Toby turned his attention LRF tactics with king ragworm baits. This resulted in some stunning brightly coloured wrasse. Toby also caught a flounder of 1lb 2oz. All caught in and around the Ilfracombe Harbour area.
Aaron takes the lead in bass competition
Aaron Brooker caught this pleasing bass of 5lb 6oz that gives him the lead in Braunton Baits July competition.
Reel Deal – Getting among the shark
Daniel Hawkins has been putting anglers onto some superb shark fishing throughout early July with porbeagle to over 100lb. In two incredible days 23 shark were brought to the side of the boat!
