6 Nov 2018

Sea Angling Round Up – Competition Results and catches

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The flounder fishing season has got into full swing following a few frosty mornings with plump flounder being caught from all the popular estuary marks.

(Above) Cameron Atkinson has enjoyed flounder success closer to home landing a fine specimen of 2lb 5oz one of the best from the Taw in recent years.

 

Mark Beer won Triple Hook Clubs RBL Club Shield Flounder Match with a fine flounder of 2lb 7/8oz. Runner up was Kevin Hancock with a flounder of 1lb 103/4oz and third Dennis Toleman with a flounder of 1lb 97/8oz.

(Above)Paul Hutchings and Andrew McKenna enjoyed an action packed session on the Taw estuary catching upwards of thirty flounder over 1lb 4oz the best a beauty of 1lb 14oz.

Further afield North Devon angler Dan Miles Redmore secured first place in Sunday’s heat of the prestigious National Flounder competition fished on the River Teign estuary over last weekend. Dan’s flounder scaled a fraction over 2lb and beat a field of almost 170 anglers.

Heidi Green with a winning brace

Heidi Green took first and second places in Appledore Shipbuilders Rover catching flounder of 1lb 143/8oz and 1lb 133/8oz. Third was Josh Atkinson with a flounder of 1lb 117/8oz. Amelia Mellor took first and third in the junior section with flounder of 1lb 9oz and 1lb 5oz. In second was Jack Pike with a flattie of 1lb 71/2oz.

Josh Atkinson

http://www.summerlands-tackle.co.uk

Nathan Clements won Bideford Angling Clubs monthly rover with a dogfish of 2lb 1oz. In second was Terry Dymond with a flounder of 1lb 4oz.

(Above)First Light off Minehead

Combe Martin Sea Angling Club members enjoyed a day out of Minehead aboard Steve Webber’s boat Osprey. Cod were the intended target but proved difficult to find on the day. Persistence eventually paid off when Rob Scoine’s bait was seized by a fine double figure cod weighing 12lb 4oz. James Thomas boated a blonde ray of 12lb the best of several ray caught including thornback and one other blonde. Smoothound, spurdog, dogfish and numerous conger were also caught.

The autumn is racing towards its close as winter descends and now is the time to catch that special fish. Looking back over the decades November is a month that can produce that fish of a lifetime. Kevin Legge’s British record tope of 66lb and 66lb 8oz were both caught in early November. Barry Hill’s shore caught record coalfish of 18lb was also caught in November and Tim Neal caught a rockling of 3lb 1oz that also held the British record. The stories behind some of these fish are in my book I Caught a Glimpse due for release in mid February 2019.

2 Nov 2018

North Devon Company cheats the Norway chill!

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Combe Martin SAC members Kevin Legge and Craig McCloughlin joined the Veals Mail Order fishing teams excursion to Norway where they enjoyed some excellent shore fishing success despite being battered by some severe arctic weather. Fortunately they were kitted out with extreme weather clothing from North Devon based Reeds Chill-Cheaters. Kevin ; Told me that the, “conditions were very testing and proved to be a real testing ground for the Chillcheater gear that came through with no wind or rain breaking through the outer layers with the thermal lining holding the core warmth in”

 

31 Oct 2018

MAINLINE BAITS CARP OPENS UPPER TAMAR LAKE

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Upper Tamar
Carp
Competitions announcement
South West Lakes Trust is delighted to announce a new sponsor for its carp competitions in
2019.
The Trust has
teamed up with Carp fishing giants Mainline to offer a new series for
competitors branded the
‘Mainline Baits Carp Open’.
There will be three Mainline Carp Opens in 2019 which will run on the following dates: 29-31 March, 5
-7 July and 4-6 October. The series is based at 81acre complex Upper Tamar
Lake on the Cornwall and Devon border which is stocked with carp to 36lbs.
Ben Smeeth, Head of Angling for South West Lakes Trust, said, ‘I am absolutely delighted
to be involved with Mainline Baits for these competitions moving forwards. When the
opportunity arose to work together and after discussions
went really well it was an easy decision for me to make. I am excited by what Mainline can offer and look forward to
building something special for everyone involved. Mainline Baits are arguably the largest supplier of carp fishing bait in the UK and across the world and already they have agreed to putting up some great prizes for 2019 which will benefit everyone who enters one of thecompetitions’.
Kev Knight from Mainline Baits, said,
“Having heard about the great competitions and carp matches that Ben, Gary and team of volunteer bailiffs had been providing
down at Tamar Lakes, we were more than happy to be able to lend our support and sponsorship of the Carp Open events. Funnily enough we’ve attracted a number of good anglers from Devon, Cornwall and the south west over the years, making some good friends along the way. So it was no surprise to us that a ‘friendly’ atmosphere is one the things the Carp Open at Tamar is best known for –
so we’re very proud to be helping these events continue.”
Each competition will offer competitors a chance to win a share of £3500 in prize money.
The winners will scoop £2000, runners up £1000 and third place £500. There will be section prizes sponsored by Mainline and also goody bags for everyone who enters with some fantastic Mainline products in each one! Bookings are now being taken for the 2019 competitions on 01566 771930. for more information, please contact:
Annabel Underwood
Public Relations and Campaigns Officer
South West Lakes Trust
01566 771930
30 Oct 2018

Amazing haul of specimen perch

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Alan Blair has had an amazing perch haul from Upper Tamar lake, on the Cornwall and Devon border. He caught nine perch, five of which were over 3lb in weight with the largest being 3lb 9oz. The smallest was 2lb 2oz! Alan used Nashbait Spod Cloud groundbait to get the small silver fish in the swim before the Perch moved in and seized his prawn hook-baits. Upper Tamar is renowned for its stock of large perch and its only a matter of time before a 5lb+ fish is caught.

27 Oct 2018

FLOUNDER FUN ON THE TAW

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The Pearson family enjoyed a fun flounder fishing session in the Taw estuary with Candy Pearson hauling a double shot of flounders and nine year old Ellie Pearson catching a whopper of 1lb 10oz.

The humble flounder can provide great fun for family fishing with no sophisticated tackle required as the fish can be caught in very shallow water. For great sport use a light carp rod or spinning rod with a 2 or 3 hook trace with size 2 fine wire hooks and a bunch of ragworm. The fish can also be caught using light float tackle set so the the bait trundles over the sand. LRF style tackle can also give an alternative challenge with artificial ragworm on the hook worked slowly through likely spots.

Summerlands Tackle are presently selling fresh locally dug harbour ragworm. Phone to secure your order if you suffer from a bad back it can ease the pain.