Ian Laird caught this beautiful gilt head bream from a local estuary. These hard fighting fish have established themselves across the West Country over recent decades and are one of the hardest fighting fish in UK waters.
Massive tope brace off North Devon Coast
Kevin Pike has set a new Appledore Shipbuilders Angling Club record boating a huge tope of 70lb whilst fishing off the North Devon Coast. Kevin was fishing from his own private boat with fellow club member Mike Toogood who also enjoyed success boating another huge tope of 68lb 8oz. The capture of two tope of this size in one session is an amazing feat that will be remembered for years to come as a red letter day proving the oft said saying that it’s all about being in the right place at the right time.
SEA ANGLING – Round Up Sea Competitions return!
Eighteen seniors fishing in Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover that was won by Jazza John with a bull huss of 10lb 2oz. James Atkinson took second and third with small eyed ray of 8lb 8oz and 7lb 7oz.
Bideford Angling Clubs Rover was won by Paul Downing who caught a smoothound of 9lb 10oz. Stephen Found was runner up with a bull huss of 9lb 4.25oz and Tarrant Wotton third with a smoothound of 8lb 12oz. Forth place went to Tom Downing with a smoothound of 8lb 6oz and fifth Tony Gooch with a huss of 7lb 2oz. Pail Ackland was sixth with a smoothound of 6lb 13oz.
More thin lips for CMSAC members
Combe Martin SAC members have been enjoying consistent sport with thin lipped mullet on baited spinners.
Huss and Smoothound for Kevin Legge
Combe Martin SAC member Kevin Legge continues to find the fish on the north Devon coastline, both by day and by night.
Bull huss of 10lb 3oz and a smoothhound of 10lb 7oz have featured in his latest catches which have also included dogfish, rockling and conger eels.
Smoothound packs give grand sport
Ian Laird and Ali Laird enjoyed a hectic session targeting smoothound landing over twenty of the hard fighting hounds the best weighing 12lb 9oz and 10lb 8oz.
Dan banks brace of four pound thin lips
Dan Spearman enjoyed a successful session targeting thin-lipped grey mullet banking fish of 4lb 13oz, 4lb 2oz, 3lb 13oz and several other mullet of around 3lb. The session followed on from several blank sessions during the hot weather.
Bideford Angling Club – A warm Tribute to (Art) Arthur
Bideford Angling Club members are saddened at the death of Arthur Johns aged 71 who had been a keen member since joining as a junior in the early sixties. He was a keen sea angler and specialised in catching the wily grey mullet. He was the secretary of the North Devon Sea Angling League for over twenty years and I enjoyed my regular chats with him when collating reports for the NDJ.
Many thanks to Bideford Angling Clubs Pete Skinner who sent me this warm tribute to Arthur.
Arthur (Art) Johns 1949 – 2020 (71) Arthur first joined the club in the 1960s as a junior before joining the merchant navy, he rejoined in the mid 70s and has remained a member ever since. He was a hard worker for the club and held many posts in his time including junior cup organiser, Xmas comp and festival organiser, fish recorder and cup custodian, Chairman , president and Vice President the post he held when he passed away, he also worked hard for the club when we had our clubhouse behind the bar and various other jobs. He was secretary of the North Devon Sea Angling league for over 20 years, a job he was very proud of. Arthur was a keen sea angler, fishing a lot with his great friend Mike Squires, another Angling club stalwart who sadly passed away a short time ago, after which Arthur stopped fishing, he told me once that it wasn’t the same anymore, Arthur liked all types of fishing but he particularly enjoyed the intricacies if mullet fishing at which he excelled, winning many club competitions with specimens of the species. He was a great member of the club, with a keen interest in encouraging youngsters into our sport, he will be sorely missed.
Calm Evenings offer sublime boat fishing experience
Ross Stanway has enjoyed a sublime evening off the North Devons spectacular coastline landing pollock and wrasse on his latest sortie.
The 3lb 3oz Ballan wrasse picture was tempted using a black minnow lure bounced along the bottom and sets a new boat caught Ballan wrasse record for CMSAC
Inshore Boat Sport – Off Ilfracombe
Combe Martin SAC members Daniel Welch and Ross Stanway have enjoyed some great inshore boat sport from their Private Boats fishing out of Ilfracombe boating Pollock and smoothound.
