30 Sep 2018

Sea Angling Round Up

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

Prospects are excellent for the next few weeks with a wide variety of species to target. Bass, grey mullet and flounder should provide sport on lighter tackle with conger, tope and ray for those using heavier beach rods. I welcome your news and pictures for North Devon Angling News and Sea Angling News.

Ali Laird caught this hard fighting 24lb 8oz tope from a North Devon Rock mark it is his second of the year. Ali lost another tope that picked up a spider-crab and squid cocktail chomping through 80lb mono!

(Below)Dan MIles Redmore enjoyed a successful session on one of North Devon’s local beaches catching six small eyed ray to just over 7lb & a blonde 11lb 10oz.

(Below) Ian Hooper and Nick Job set out in search of spotted ray and enjoyed success with Nick landing this pleasing ray of 2lb 8oz.

*(Above) Ian Hooper 2lb 14oz spotted ray*

30 Sep 2018

COMBE MARTIN SAC – The Big Fish off result!

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

Jonathan Stanway has won Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs Summer Lure Competition BIG FISH OFF with a bass of 31cm.

The fish off was organised following the two month long lure fishing competition resulting in a draw for the runner up spot with Jonathon Stanway, Ross Stanway and Daniel Welch all catching bass of 55cm. The Lure competition was won by Danny Watson of High Street Tackle who kindly donated the prize of a top quality HTO Nebula Lure Rod to the runner up.

Big Bass in the dark

*Danny Watson presents Jonathon Stanway with the HTO Nebula Lure Rod.*

Dan Welch sent me this write up on an enjoyable afternoon at a well known North Devon headland.

“Awesome weather and company including a number of seals but the fishing was slow despite trying various hard and soft lures including surface and sub surface lures. Bright clear conditions meant we were all hopeful of some surface lure action but only one fish took a surface lure. A lot of ground was covered fishing deep kelp covered gullies and I think we nearly killed Danny with the amount of walking and rock hopping we did. The winning fish was caught on a bright green size 4 fiiish lure. Danny also caught on a small pachinko surface lure. Despite a number of garfish following various lures the were no signs of other fish. Despite the lack of fish it was a great afternoon.”

28 Sep 2018

Salmon Season End of season flourish

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Game Fishing, Sidebar | 0

After one of the worst salmon and sea trout fishing seasons for several years it is good to report on a few fish as longed for rain brought a significant rise in both the Taw and Torridge. I expect to get a more details of fish from the Torridge when I attend the end of season Egg Box Dinner at the Half Moon but below are few images of fish caught in the last week of the season.

(Below)Ian Blewett’s early morning brace of Taw salmon

(Below)Chay Boggis caught this pleasing grilse of around 3lb from a middle Taw beat

(Below)The middle Torridge earlier this week fining down fading light.

28 Sep 2018

Wimbleball Season continues until the end of November

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Game Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Its great news for Fly Fishers at Wimbleball Fly Fishery where the season has been extended until the end of November. Its been quite a season with the quality of the fishing surpassing expectation during a difficult year for trout fishing. Throughout the season anglers have enjoyed sport with tail perfect hard fighting rainbows and wild brown trout.

(Above)The 2 browns caught by Duncan Kier, the smaller one from Upton arm and the larger from Bessoms.

See recent comments from visiting anglers below.

Friday John Hern and boat partner bagged up on the boat and had double hook ups in the process

Duncan Kier and boat Partner had 11 fish to the boat which included a 5.5lb and a 8.5lb Brown.

The Withers, Father and 2 sons, caught 17 fish from the bank at Cowmoor of which 6 were browns.

Tight lines.

An excellent evening fishing on Bessoms yesterday. Despite the cold wind, there were 5 anglers. Fish rising, fry being chased, rods bending. I had to pull myself away after taking 2 well sized rainbow trout whilst missing others. Before fishing, I’d read that the “Clifton” used to be the fly of choice. I quickly tied 2 and can say, yes, they work. Savage takes. The smaller version was more successful! Size 12, very short black zonker wing, chartreuse tag, peacock body, red seal fur on the head with a little UV. Wish I had more. Suggest a minimum of 9lb 12′ leader. Steady retrieve with lots of pauses. A big thank you to Mark and Trudi.

“Today was my day on the bank at Wimbleball and what a day, lovely wild Brownies and scintillating top water sport with super fit, super fast full finned Rainbows taking me into the backing, a C&R ticket allows you to keep two for the pot then go barbless and shake em off.
Check it out I can’t recommend it enough…..Chris”

“Great day yesterday for Mike Stone and boat partner they had 24 fish to the boat drifting right down the middle of the narrows towards Bessoms.”

“Storm Ali and it’s leaden sky’s didn’t stop Ian and myself enjoying superb sport from the bank at Wimbleball today, these rainbows coupled with wild browns were eager to take our offerings, fish were moving close to the bank just as the clean was meeting coloured water disturbed by the gale force wind!”

I visited the lake back in March and hope to return once more before the close of the season on October 31st. Late in the season trout often feed on fry so lures can once again prove effective as can daddy long leg patterns and nymphs.

http://www.northdevonanglingnews.co.uk/2018/03/25/new-start-wimbleball/

For all fishing information please call Mark on 07758561412
Facebook: Wimbleball Fly Fishery
Email: [email protected]

28 Sep 2018

Autumn Carp at Stafford Moor

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Carp Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Jeff Pearce enjoyed a session at Stafford Moors Lodge Lake where he took these atmospheric photos and tempted a carp of 17lb 8oz.

28 Sep 2018

Triggers offer touch of the tropical

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

Ollie Passmore enjoyed a great session at a North Devon rock mark landing several trigger fish to 2lb 6oz. The previous night Ollie landed a fine bass from a local beach of 5lb 14oz. Trigger fish are likely to be around at least another month providing temperatures do not plummet. These fish of warmer climes are often found washed up on beaches early in the winter as water temperatures drop.

28 Sep 2018

BIg tope on Bluefin

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

(Above) A fifty pound plus tope for first timer Colin.

Bluefin will be running fishing trips out of Ilfracombe throughout the winter months at present there are still a few tope being caught and bass from the reefs. With the new that anglers can now retain one bass per day trips to reefs will be popular with option to keep the occasional fish for the table.

27 Sep 2018

Spectacular Shark Fishing off North Devon

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

Dan Hawkin’s has been taking anglers to fishing grounds far off the North Devon coast on his boat Reel Deal where they have made some spectacular catches of shark not seen off North Devon since the 1970’s. The party of anglers set a boat record of 28 blue shark up to 97lb on the first day. On the second day of their charter Jason Heenan boated a superb blue shark of 133lb.

The anglers boated 38 shark over the two days with Ammo Baits Chum attracting the fish and Penn Rods and reels from High Street tackle taming the fish.

The fishing is strictly catch and release with circle hooks ensuring that the majority of shark are hooked in the jaws where hooks can be easily removed. Fortunately the days of slaughtering these beautiful fish has been consigned to the history books where such practices belong.

Dan has enjoyed considerable success over past couple of years with anglers boating huge porbeagle shark, a thresher shark and blue shark with catches unheard of in recent years. The success has come on the back of significant investment and effort with the will to travel long distances with no guarantee of success. The future is exciting and expect Dan’s diary to be filling already with booking for next year.