Bude canal angling club V Bideford and District Angling Club
Bideford’s team of 15 ventured across the border to take on the Cornish on their canal and the outcome was very close. Bude scored 234 points to Bidefords 230,.
Our club carried a 30 point lead from the first leg on Tarka swims therefore won overall by 26 points
Conditions on the canal were cold and windy with North Westerly squally showers.
The Bude captain led his team home with a terrific bag of 20lb of bream and skimmers on the second basin.
Our top performance was Keith Copland on the bottom basin.
Big thanks to the lads representing Bideford and a special thank you to Tom Wade Anglers Heaven for supporting the team with a generous bait sponsorships and the Brendon Arms for a great breakfast and a fine after match spread.
It had been too long since my last visit to Wimbleball Reservoir and on arrival at the lake shoreline I was shocked to stand at top water level and gaze at the distant boat launching pontoon far away at the water’s edge.
The lake now at less than 30% capacity demonstrates the impact of a dry spring followed by a long dry summer. The recent Autumn rainfall has had little impact so far and we can only hope for a very wet winter to restore the reservoir to full before next Spring. Abstraction from the River Exe will be key for Wessex and South West Water in achieving this goal for the lake is a shared resource that provides water across Devon and Somerset. I believe there are plans to build a new reservoir adjacent to Cheddar Reservoir that will take some of the load off Wimbleball but this is several years away.
There was a brisk North West Wind blowing which would undoubtedly influence where to fish. After loading the boat I headed up to Bessom’s an area that had been producing and is often productive at this time of year.
The road bridge stood high and dry a stark indication of the low level already mentioned. Autumn leaves in shades of bronze stood as a backdrop to the scene. It was indeed well worth visiting the lake to witness the banks revealing scars from its living past before the huge concrete dam held back the River Haddeo that joins the River Exe a mile or so below Dulverton.
The water at this shallow end of the lake was rather murky as a result of recent rain. I thought this could be the reason I could get no action as I searched the water with my flies. I headed to the dam end of the lake and passed the two other boats fishing the lake. I enquired as to success to be told that they too were struggling to find the fish.
I ventured into the deeply wooded Upton Arm hoping to find some shelter but the North West Wind seemed to be increasing in strength making fishing difficult. It was fascinating to explore the steep slopes with the rotting roots of tree’s an eery testament to the valley that was flooded in the late 1970’s.
I felt slightly ill at ease alone in this secluded area and decided to head back up to the dam area where I found more sheltered water. After half an hour or so I still failed to connect with any of the lakes trout. I was using a sinking line with a damsel nymph on the point and a black cormorant on a dropper. This was a combination I felt confident with and my gut feeling was to stick with this and search for fish.
I headed back up the lake again trying the shallow end. It was one of those days when things just seemed hard going. Those days when the wind catches the fly and it ends up stuck right in the middle of your back forcing you to disrobe to remove it. The fly you have just selected and put on the seat blows off into your fishing bag resulting in five minutes playing find the fly.
Deciding on another move I pulled the starter rope to be met with a brief splutter and total engine seizure. Looking over the back of the boat I spied a short length of rope wrapped tightly around the prop. It was impossible to remove the rope in situation so I had to haul the outboard on to the boat. The rope was solid and there was no way I could untangle it. All I had on me was a pair of line snips totally inadequate for cutting the rope free. Fortunately a friend of mine was within hailing distance and was able to assist cutting the rope free with a pair of robust garden scissors. A valuable lesson was learnt; always carry a knife in your fishing bag just in case you need to cut yourself free. Luck was to some extent on my side though for if this had happened whilst in the Upton Arm my days fishing would undoubtedly have been ruined. As the long row back against the strong wind would have been challenging to say the least.
Persistence will generally pay off and I headed to the North shore where I found better clarity and deep water close to the bank. I stuck to the same fly combination and was encouraged to see anglers in another boat enjoying some success as their rods flexed as a fish splashed in the water.
I felt a momentary tightening of the line that injected a degree of optimism and belief. Five minutes later there came that delightful tug on the line as a rainbow trout devoured one of my offerings. The fish fought hard leaping from the water and giving numerous strong runs that tested both tackle and my nerves.
I was relieved to pull a splendid rainbow of around 4lb 8oz into the net. It had taken the black cormorant on the dropper and I noted that the barbless hook was held by just a sliver of skin in the side of the mouth. I noted that it was now cloudy with light drizzle, the wind had dropped and it was undoubtedly a couple of degrees warmer. A brace of rainbows followed in the next half an hour and with the light starting to fade I called it a day contented with success on a hard day.
These hard days are often more rewarding than those days when fish come easily to the lures.
As I drove away in the fading light a barn owl glided close to the road and I slowed down to watch it settle on an old farm trailer. The privileged sight of this ghostly bird still lingers in the mind as I reflect upon the day fishing Exmoor’s premier trout water.
A Miscellany of Angling Anecdotes, Facts and Folklore.
By Dominic Garnett
GMC Publications. ISBN 9781784947200
Dominic’s latest book delivers an array of wisdom and comment in his unique and at times quirky entertaining style. The book strips angling back to basics in the first few chapters adding clarity to tactics that will sharpen any anglers approach to the varied waters into which lines are cast.
The design of the book certainly oozes tradition and it is in many ways a timeless tome packed with information for anglers making their first tentative casts or reflecting upon a life time searching for that connection with those creatures that dwell within a fascinating and mysterious realm.
Dom is a multi-discipline angler like myself and I can relate to much within the book and found myself benefitting from the straight forward analysis of angling. It also stimulated my own thoughts on why we fish and its wider benefits.
As those darker winter nights approach it is a book well worth delving into deserving a place on any anglers bookshelf. My own personal favourite section is perhaps the Fishing and Culture section that celebrates anglings rich history and mythology.
It is a book that will never become outdated for its key themes are the timeless essence of angling through the ages.
Dominic Garnett ( Right) with a rare comber caught off Looe in Cornwall
Finally the monthly fly comps are back at Bulldog! The lake came alive right from the off — fish were feeding hard, and multiple anglers were into hookups at once.
Aiden started the morning in style, landing his first four fish in no time at all. Over on another peg, Mike Latham was off to a flying start too, netting a brace of cracking 9lb brown trout in the early stages. Not to be outdone, Fran was absolutely on fire, matching Aiden’s pace with her first four fish coming quickly and confidently.
As the morning action slowed, everyone gathered for a well-deserved lunch — Nigel’s roast beef rolls with roast potatoes went down a treat and gave the anglers just the energy boost they needed before heading back out to finish their limits.
The afternoon session saw some impressive fish landed. Amongst the 2lb Rainbows being landed around the lake, Nick Tamlin hooked into a superb 7lb 11oz tiger trout along with a lovely 5lb 14oz brown, while Dave & little Freddie netted a solid 4lb 9oz Spartic.
When the final weigh-in came around, the results were as follows:
1st – Mike Latham: 6 fish, 26lb 13oz
2nd – Nick Tamlin: 6 fish, 21lb 11oz
3rd – Ian Connabeer: 6 fish, 13lb 10oz
Biggest Fish of the Day:
Mike Latham with a stunning 9lb 10oz brown trout
The rain kindly held off until the last hour or so, rounding off what was a brilliant day of fishing, food, and great company.
A massive well done to all the anglers who took part, and congratulations to our winners!
Below – A 10lb 5oz brown trout caught the day after the competition !
Jamie Steward has reinforced his lead in Combe Martin SAC’s Lure Fishing bass league with a fine bass of 71cm his sixth bass over 70cm this season. Jamie has focussed on lure fishing this season and his efforts reveal the potential of local marks even this late in the season. It is likely that bass can be taken on lures all year round.
1st Jamie Steward – Five bass – 354cm
2nd – Mark Drewer – Five bass – 351cm
3rd – Seth Tuson – Five Bass – 347.5cm
4th Wayne Thomas – Five bass – 318cm
5th – Daniel Welch – Five bass – 302cm
Biggest Bass registered – Mark Drewer 77cm
The lure fishing league sponsored by High Street Tackle ends on Friday 31st October
Stormy conditions may have deterred some anglers from venturing forth but the turbulant waters often stir up food close in encouraging fish to feast upon the proceeds.If you can wade through the dogfish a specimen fish could be the reward.
Kevin Legge took first and second place in Combe Martin SAC’s October Rover with small eyed ray weighing 8lb 12oz and 6lb 13oz. Third place was taken by Nick Phillips with a bull huss of 6lb 4oz.
Bideford Angling Clubs forty eight hour sea rover was won by Paul Ackland with a dogfish scaling 2lb 2oz.
A month of mixed weather conditions, some days warm and sunny, others wet, windy, and cooler, which, along with cooler nights, has meant that water temperatures are starting to drop, and water levels to slowly rise. Storm Amy helped to stir things up, with strong winds and some heavy downpours making angling conditions challenging.
Fishing:
Kennick – The fishing improved as the month progressed, with anglers averaging 2.3 fish per rod overall. The best locations included Smithacott, The East Wall, The Narrows, Poplar Bay and Bracken Point, with boat anglers doing well in Clampitts and in the deeper central water. Fish proved to be feeding at all depths, so anglers needed to be open-minded to trying a selection of different line methods and tactics. Similarly, a wide variety of fly types all caught fish, depending on the conditions on the day (particularly successful patterns included Black Hoppers, Foam-back Daddies, Sedges, Buzzers, Montanas, Damsels, Diawl Bachs, Cats Whiskers, Orange Blobs, Cormorants and Nomads).
Graham Roberts (from Totnes) and his boat partner caught four rainbows to 4lbs on a sunny day, about 16ºc, fishing deep with lure patterns; in another session they caught thirteen fish to 3lb 12oz, again using fast sinking lines and lures. Andrew Kirchin (from Dawlish) caught two rainbows to 3lb, using foam-back Daddies, while Richard Berrisford caught two rainbows to 3lb using a mini-snake pattern on an intermediate line in one session, and another six fish to 2lb 10oz on a deep-fished Tequila Booby on another visit. For operational reasons, South West Water has recently dropped the level considerably, which has restricted the number of boats available, and left some banks unfishable due to soft mud – the level is now down to 32%. Check the Trust’s website for the latest updates.
Burrator – The fishing at Burrator continued to improve, with anglers achieving an overall monthly average of 4.6 fish per rod (with a couple of weeks exceeding six fish). Generally, floating or intermediate line tactics proved to be the most successful. Popular locations included Longstone, Back Bay, Pigs Trough, Sheepstor, Discovery Bay and Pines. Foam Daddies, Hawthorns, Tequila Hoppers, Sedges and Klinkhammers caught surface-feeding fish, while deeper fish were caught on both nymphs (Damsels, Buzzers and Hares Ear Nymphs) and lure patterns (Goldhead Yellow and Orange streamers, Tequila Blobs, Orange Fritz and Cats Whiskers).
Gordon McLeod (from Tavistock), caught a bag of twelve fish, which included a cracking 4lb rainbow (a personal best as well as the best fish caught at Burrator this season) on a Candy Blob; Gordon also caught a bag of eleven rainbows to 2lb on another visit using a Tequila Blob. Daniel Forrester (from Hatherleigh) also caught eleven fish to 2lb using a Candyfloss Booby pulled slowly across the surface to imitate floating fry. Water levels are now at 47%.
Stithians – The fishing continued to improve as the month progressed, with anglers averaging well over three fish per visit in two of the weeks. Floating line tactics proved to be the best, with plenty of fish rising to dry patterns (Hares Ear Parachute, Elk Hair Sedge, Beetles, Midge Hoppers and Black Hoppers). Sub-surface feeders were caught on Diawl Bachs, Spider patterns and Damsels, as well as lure patterns (Orange Blobs, Minkies, Cormorants, Black Fritz, Cats Whiskers and Fry Patterns). Popular locations included The Dam, Mossopps, Goonlaze, Pipe Bay, Hollis, Yellowort and Sluice Bank. John Henderson had an excellent day’s sport, catching five rainbows and twelve browns, with most fish taking surface patterns. Levels are at 50%.
Colliford – Colliford fished consistently well throughout the month, with anglers averaging 3.2 fish per visit, with Lords Waste, Middle Car Park, Stuffles, Dam and East Bank producing the best sport. Floating line tactics proved the be the best option, with Dry Sedges, Bibio Hoppers, Daddylonglegs, Olive Crunchers, Bobs Bits, Zulu, Bibios, Soldier Palmers, Alexandras and Black and Peacock Spiders all catching well. Chris Tilyard caught seven browns to 12” on Bobs Bits, while Paul Mockford caught four fish to 30cm on a Bibio pattern. Water levels are now at 44%.
Fernworthy – The fishing at Fernworthy proved to be fairly consistent throughout the month, with anglers averaging 1.4 fish per visit. Generally floating lines were preferred, with fish taking a variety of patterns on or just under the surface (Sedges, Black Parachute patterns, Silver Invicta, Kate McLarens, CDC Hoppers, Daddy Longlegs, Soldier Palmers, Hares Ear and Pheasant Tail nymphs). Thornworthy, Dam bank, Picnic area and South Bank proved to be the most productive locations. Levels are at 71% at time of writing.
Low level at the close of season at Roadford
Roadford – The excellent sport continued at Roadford as the season draws to an end, with anglers averaging 3.5 fish per visit (up to 5.8 in one week). Gaddacombe, Wortha, Big Oaks, South Shop, Goodacre and Daveys Bank all proved to be popular locations, with anglers preferring floating line tactics. Successful patterns included Diawl Bach, Soldier Palmer, Zulu, Cats Whiskers, Black Gnats, Black Tadpoles, Spiders, Crunchers and Black Pennels. Dean Boucher (from Gunnislake) caught eleven browns to 16” using a Soldier Palmer and Black Tadpole; he also caught thirteen fish up to 1lb on a previous visit, using pulled wet patterns (again Soldier Palmer and Black Tadpole). Chris Langton also caught five browns. Water levels are now at 60% capacity.
Bideford Angling Clubs monthly Coarse Match on their home water was won by Nathan Underwood with 84lb 2oz. Runner up was Darren Polden with 52lb 12oz and third Keith Mountjoy with 39lb 14oz.
Jamie Steward caught a stunning lure caught bass of 71cm to give him a narrow lead in Combe Martin SAC’s lure fishing league sponsored by High Street Tackle, Ilfracombe with five bass for 353cm. The league ends on October 31st with several members in contention. Runner up spot is currently held by Mark Drewer with five bass for 351cm and Seth Tuson third with five bass for. 347.5cm.
Combe Martin SAC members have been catching specimen mullet from the North Devon Coastline with Daniel Welch catching a 4lb 2oz specimen and Graham Snow a specimen of 4lb 1.5oz.
The Fluff Chucker’s Fly Fishing Group followed up on a successful Brown Trout Masters series with a West Country Grayling Cup hosted by the Arundell on the Devon and Cornwall border. Roger Truscott once again demonstrated his skill with the Fly Rod winning the event with a fine grayling of 45cm. Runner up was Rodney Wevill. Winner of the morning session was Gary Brazier and Ozzie Gough winner of the afternoon session.
Grayling offer winter sport on a limited number of rivers across Devon with the Arundell waters offering fishing on the Tamar and its tributaries. The Upper Exe waters controlled by the Dulverton Anglers Association offer several miles of fishing for these ladies of the stream.
Bulldog Fishery is in fine form with big brown trout, spartic’s and rainbows being caught. The venue is launching its winter competition program of events with the first competition this Sunday.
Several North Devon based anglers have travelled to Cornwall and South Devon ports to sample the exciting tuna fishing that is currently thriving to bring a welcome boost to local economies. I joined four good friends out of Looe to share an awesome angling adventure that saw us bring nine tuna to the boats side all between 200lb and 300lb. The power of these fish is immense and a true test of an anglers stamina. It is truly amazing to witness such an abundance of life as these magnificent fish feast upon a shoal of fish along with dolphins and sea birds. It is to be hoped that this valuable catch and release big game fishery can thrive and focus minds on the long term conservation of our coastal waters.
Kevin Legge took first and second place in Combe Martin SAC’s October Rover with small eyed ray weighing 8lb 12oz and 6lb 13oz. Third place was taken by Nick Phillips with a bull huss of 6lb 4oz.
