6 Apr 2025

Smoothound Dominate Appledore Shipbuilders Match

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Six Appledore Shipbuilders fished in their April Rover. Most reported plenty of tiny Dogfish taking the baits. Michael Hammett fishing his 3rd venue of the day finally managed to catch a weighable smoothound of 6lb scraping in on the 60% rule. This looked like the only fish that was going to make the scales until the last cast when a fish on both rods changed the picture.

2 more Smothounds of 8lb 5oz and 7lb 15ozs. giving him 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

6 Apr 2025

COMBE MARTIN SAC – Lure Fishing League Underway

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Lure Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Combe Martin SAC member Seth Tuson got his lure fishing season underway registering a 57.5cm bass into the clubs lure fishing league that started on April 1^st.

The league is open to all club members free of charge and is sponsored by High Street Tackle Ilfracombe.

5 Apr 2025

Barnstaple Bait & Tackle – Doubles its size !

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: At the Waters Edge, Carp Fishing, Club Page, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Lure Fishing, Match Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Chris Connaugton his son Alfie Joe (AJ) and Steve Pinn are the Barnstaple Bait and Tackle team giving a friendly welcome to anglers at the extenstion of the shop in Queen Street, Barnstaple just a short cast from Barnstaple Central Car Park. The shop has a wide range of tackle for all disiplines of angling. The team offer comprehensive advice on all aspects of angling. The shop has now doubled in size giving more stock and more room to browse and of course chat with fellow anglers.

31 Mar 2025

Combe Martin SAC – Lure Fishing League

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Combe Martin SAC Club member Mark Jones has already enjoyed success with this lure caught bass on a recent trip to the coast.

With fine weather forecast for the coming week water clarity should be ideal and with higher temperatures bass will become more active.

28 Mar 2025

PREDATOR 2 – Website and diary launch !

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Articles, At the Waters Edge, Lure Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Exciting opportunities to experience boat fishing off the North Devon Coast and beyond with new Ilfracombe based Charter boat Predator 2.

https://www-2559n.bookeo.com/bookeo/b_boatfishingdevon_start.html?ctlsrc2=jYaMkmMVFj4p72BaGsC1OgVZMgx%2FqNsqSa04TUkGQK4%3D&src=03o&fbclid=IwY2xjawJTPF5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHS9HU3qFqw78v6rDmJQwMIzLxV0gwrcbMNLoOyEHT7X3t8SU3Qk2O6iuAA_aem_0QIw1oet3pcJmiT1eo_xUA

17 Mar 2025

Predator 2 – Charter Boat Ilfracombe – Opens Diary in Exciting New Venture

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Articles, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Exciting news!!! New booking site and 2025 Diary.

We said 2024 was the warm up and we would be going all out in 2025 and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Check out our 2025 diary on our new booking site.

http://www.bookeo.com/boatfishingdevon

Our 2025 diary has something for everyone. We’ve got a few different sections in the booking site including some specials.

The dairy has been built around the tides and my previous catch records giving us the best chance of success.

All the trips are trips that I love doing as an Angler I now have the opportunity to share them with you.

We have moved to deposit based booking as I was let down a number of times last year but it also has the benefit of allowing anglers to spread the cost rather than having to pay everything on the day.

Most of the trips are set as individual space but with the option to book the full boat.

16 Mar 2025

Sea Angling Result

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Richard Jefferies first and second places Bideford Angling Clubs 48 hour rover landing smoothound of 12lb 8oz and 11lb 13oz.

This is a very encouraging indication that Spring is on its way as these members of the shark family normally trat to show in numbers in late April or early May.

2 Mar 2025

Sea Angling Update

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Boat anglers are enjoying fine sport off Ilfracombe with Bull Huss, spurdog and conger.

*Mike Spiller with a fine spurdog caught on Reel Deal*

(Below) Bull huss and spurdog caught on Bluefin

Shore fishing has been very slow in recent weeks with high pressure and calm seas not generally good conditions.

Appledore Shipbuilders March Rover

Appledore Shipbuilders March rover was won by Michael Hammett with a Ballan Wrasse of 3lb 141/4ozs. Josh Atkinson was 2nd and 3rd, also with Ballan’s of 3lb 13 3/4ozs and 3lb 131/4ozs.

After a cold start the warmed up to a lovely sunny day with light winds that suited the wrasse.

Combe Martin SAC

Wayne Thomas won Combe Martin SAC’s End of Winter Rover with a grey mullet of 2lb 13oz.

2 Mar 2025

Bideford & District Angling Club Presentation Evening 2024

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: At the Waters Edge, Carp Fishing, Club Page, Coarse Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Another enjoyable night with Bideford & District Angling Club a pleasure to be a part of the evening. A very good attendance this year with a really positive vibe.

BDAC Coarse section 2024 cups and trophies.

Senior Match man Winner Craig Lamey 137pts

Senior Match man Runner up Paul Elworthy 103pts

Midweek series Winner Nathan Underwood 130pts

Midweek series runner up Kevin Shears 92pts

Pairs match Winners

Rhys Eyles and Darren Polden

Highest weight in competition. Rhys Eyles 69lb 12oz

Rod and reel league winner Richard Jefferies 128pts

Rod and reel runner up Darren Polden 112pts

Junior series Winner Ethan Broom. 46 points

Junior series runner up Lewis Hathaway 45 points

BDAC Sea Section 2024 Cups and Trophies.

1. Valentine bowl-most points in the monthly Rover. Andrew Clements 57 points

2. Keira short trophy-most points in the 48-hour. Stephen Found 18 points

3. Stephanie Vanstone-best specimen caught from the shore . Jon Stevens Bass 11lb 1 1/2 158.48%

4. Jason Talbot memorial plate-best ray caught from the shore. Stephen Found Thornback 12lb 9 139.58%

5. Snake plate-best Conger caught from the shore . Andrew Clements Conger 17lb 1 85.31%

6. Best round fish from the shore . Jon Stevens Bass 11lb 1 1/2 158.48%

7. Best specimen flat fish (no ray). Phil Vanstone / Stephen Found Dab 15oz 93.75%

8. Best specimen shark from the shore . Andrew Clements Smooth hound 14lb 9 1/4 145.76%

9. Winner of the end of season competition . Andrew Clements Small eyed Ray 9lb 9 106.250

10. Big Mike memorial vase . Craig Lamey Flounder 1Ib 5 3/4

BDAC Game Section 2024 Cups and Trophies

1st: Terry Dymond.

2nd: Dave Bailey.

BDAC: Highest Points in Monthly Comps. Terry Dymond 52 Points

BDAC: Runner Up Of Aggregate Points in Monthly Comps. Dave Bailey.

Best Rainbow Trout Caught. Dave Bailey 4Ib 2oz.

Best Brown Trout Caught From Reservoirs Fished. Dave Bailey.

BDAC: Combined Weight From All Reservoir Fished. Terry Dymond.

Chairmans Clubman of the Year. Steve Bailey.

The Club would like to thank, Nick Laws, Tom Wade and Wayne Thomas for presenting the trophies and making the evening a success.

22 Feb 2025

Big Spurdog off Ilfracombe

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Steve Dawe and Carl Aldridge were amongst a party of anglers enjoying a short five hour trip on John Barbeary’s boat Bluefin. They caught around forty spurdog and a good number of bull huss. Steve Dawe boated a pb of 20lb 8oz whilst Carl Aldridge boated a pb of 16lb.