Peninsula Classic Report From Ben Smeeth

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Gooding wins Peninsula Classic for second year
running
Andrew Gooding has won the Peninsula Classic at Kennick for the second year running.
It was a really challenging days fishing at Kennick in hot, bright conditions. There were lots of fish showing all over the
lake throughout the day coming clean out of the water trying to catch damsels and dragon flies which were visible in huge
numbers. The majority of those were browns but there were some Rainbows and Blues in amongst them.
Despite all the surface activity, tempting a fish on a dry was really difficult.
The stocking from the dam last week meant some fish had stayed in the deeper, cooler water by the dam and this was
the most productive area during the day. Andrew caught his fish in the last hour of the day at 4pm and bagged his 8 fish
limit very quickly once he found the right method. A Di-3 line with a cats whisker retrieved roly-poly style proving the most popular for Andrew.
Andrew wins a season ticket for 2019 for a lake of his choice. Dave Perks who finished second won a £100 voucher for
Fly fishing Tackle of Crediton. Rob Gale finished third and won a £50 fly fishing tackle voucher and a day permit for Kennick. Darren Penfold won a boat ticket for Kennick and a £25 voucher for Fly Fishing Tackle and Barry Ware Senior won a £25 voucher for Fly Fishing Tackle.
1st: Andy Gooding 8 fish for 12lbs
2nd:Dave Perks 3 fish for 4lb 9oz
3rd: Rob Gale 3 fish for 4lbs 5oz
4th: Darren Penfold
2 fish for 2lb 15oz
5th: Barry Ware Snr 2 fish for 2lb 11oz
Best of the Best Qualifiers: Alan Brown 1lb 8oz and Ray Butler 1lb 6oz
Joint 6th: Nik Tompkins and Alan Brown1 fish for 1lb 8oz
Joint 8th: Mike Boston and Ray Butler 1 fish for 1lb 6oz
10th: Chris Bolt 1 fish for 1lb 4oz Total fish caught: 24 for 16 anglers
Rod average:
1.5
Congratulations to Andy Gooding and well done to everyone for taking part and sticking at it in very hot weather.
My thanks to Howard Thresher from Fly Fishing Tackle Crediton for sponsoring the competition and to Mark Baxendale,
Countryside and Angling warden at Kennick, for doing a cracking BBQ for everyone.
https://www.fly-fishing-tackle.co.uk/
Ben Smeeth
Headof Angling
Pictured from left are: Rob Gale, Andy Gooding, Dave Perks and Howard Thresher

Thin Lips giving great sport

posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Thin lipped grey mullet are giving some superb sport in the Taw and Torridge Estuary with good numbers of mullet tempted on baited Mepp’s style spinners. There is speculation that the recent ban on netting in the estuary has resulted in an upsurge in catches. The settled weather conditions have also played a part I would imagine. John Shapland has banked three thin lipps over four pound in the past month.

(Below) John Shapland with a 4lb 2oz thin lipped grey mullet

(Below) Dan Welch also enjoyed success spinning for mullet landing several during a session with CMSAC member Ross Stanway.

Catch a Mullet on a fly!

Grey Mullet are a challenge especially so on the Fly. Jeff Pearce shares his success with the bonefish of Britain.

Like many I imagine, I have caught Mullet on a float rig with ground baited bread since a child, as well as a few on a baited spoon. More recently perhaps over the past 10 years or so I have started fly fishing for bass. Transferring my 40 years of fly fishing experience to bass was relatively straight forward as long as I found the right location, not too difficult as I have been lure & bait fishing for them from shore and boat all of my life.

So two seasons ago I decided having seen Mullet at every bass venue I fish that they should be a target, armed with every blog on the subject and suitably tied Mullet flies I set out catch them, how difficult can it be to catch a Mullet on a fly!
No cheating, no bread flies or ground baiting, just getting amongst them using flies to imitate shrimps, invertebrates & seaweed flies… The first season resulted in lots of small Bass to 3lb, they love small flies in the shallows too, but not even a sniff from the cruising
Grey ghosts, they are just there to frustrate the life out of me! Last year I managed a bit better a decent fish over 5Lb but I was actually Bass fishing on the beach with small flies in the surf, can’t take this as success, so the quest continued, more
research more walking the river and beaches. Find them on the feed and you’ll be in, so the story goes, not so easy, searched everywhere for genuinely feeding Mullet.

Anyway, perseverance has paid off, I think I have cracked it, resulting in my first Mullet this season genuinely taken while fishing for Mullet as they fed on the beach with the incoming tide.

I had been watching the tides, weather and wind for days, I needed a reasonably good low tide to springs, an offshore breeze and nice weather, bingo the last two weeks have been good on more than one day.
I set out very optimistic as always when I go fishing, on the way its which fly shall I try, how many in the team, what combinations etc. I arrive at the beach, its glorious, sun is high in the sky although its relatively early and what a bonus, the carpark attendant isn’t ready so free parking it is.

I set up and then head out on the long walk to the low tide mark, I’m a little early, another 30 mins to low tide and maybe an hour before things start to liven up as they begin to move in and feed with the tide. I see huge shoals of Mullet just playing in the shallows, although I know,
they don’t take a fly unless they are feeding Im going to try anyway, irresistible to see fish up to 6Lb plus cruising flashing and jumping in the shallows just off the surf. Obviously no interest, I knew really as I presented my patterns time & time again, then the small schoolie Bass move into the shallows, I hook 3 at once, causes a right mess and puts paid to the non feeding Mullet. Lets fix the leader and wait for the tide!
The tide starts to flow along the beach the Mullet now start to get their heads down, turning into the current and things start to look promising, a couple of small plucks which I miss, are these mullet takes or more small Bass I ask myself, then it happens, I feel a pluck and instinctively lift the rod, everything goes tight & before I know it I’m down to the backing and I know Ive hooked a Mullet. 15 minutes later, this lovely bar of Ghost silver is on the sand beside me, it took my Glass bead head Diawl Bach with a red tag, many have said this is a good Mullet fly, I’m now convinced too.

Just one on this occasion but the number of plucks & misses suggest I’ve cracked it, maybe I should quit while i’m ahead, as I’m sure every Mullet taken naturally on the fly will still be a challenge, but a huge thrill with unbelievable satisfaction!

Stafford Open Match Latest

Open match on Tanners and Woodpecker lakes with a continental payout.  winner on the day Zac Newton who bagged himself an impressive 344lb 1oz from peg 16 on Tanners lake fishing shallow on the pole 8mm pellets . In second place was Paul Morris who had 269lb 15oz from peg 18 on Woodpecker lake fishing down the edge /deck on the pole. In third place was  Dave Stockton who had 227lb 13oz from peg 5 on Tanners lake fishing the waggler.

 

Double Figure Bratton Brown!

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(Above) Jamie Walden is the resident fishing coach at Bratton Water and put his angling skills to good use during a session at the venue banking five superb brown trout the best this stunning specimen of 10lb. All the trout were tempted using a small black bead headed hares ear nymph. The specimen brown is believed to be a wild trout that has grown on feeding on the rich food present in the lake that boasts crystal clear water where small imitative patterns often work well for brown trout. Jamie gave tuition to a group of four first time trout anglers during the weekend and guided them to success in hot sunny condition with the novices landing nine trout between them.

Jamie offer fly fishing tuition at Bratton Water and at Little Warham Fishery he can be contacted on 01837682870.

 

 

 

 

(Above) John Vaughan and Dennis Toleman of Barnstaple Triple Hook Club

Dennis Toleman won Triple Hook Clubs latest Fly Fishing Match at Bratton Water with a four fish bag of rainbows totaling 9lb 8oz. John Vaughan was runner up with four fish for 8lb 7oz and Robbie Hancock third with four for 7lb 4oz.

John fished just off the bottom with orange booby whilst Dennis fished a little black Montana and a little orange blob. Rob fished a black and yellow lure.