Robert Beckham caught this fine 10lb 8oz blonde ray from ilfracombe pier 10lb 8oz.
LURE FISHING COMPETITION
Combe Martin SAC Club members are competing for top quality lure fishing prizes donated by Ilfracombe’s High Street Tackle. Shop owner Danny Watson is a keen lure angler and is keen to promote this growing branch of angling that is receiving a big boost with this summers clear waters ideal for this method. Entry into the competition is free for paid up CMSAC Members. The competition ends on September 2nd to coincide with the clubs annual fun fish on Ilfracombe pier.
(Above) The current leaders in the bass fishing section are Daniel Welch and (Below)Jonathon Stanway fish of 55cm. Dans was tempted on a surface lure. and Jonathon’s on a Black Fillish minnow This is Dan’s third fish entered into the category.
(Below)Fellow member Ross Stanway is close behind with a bass of 53cm!
Chris Bonds leads the best fish other than a bass with this stunning boat caught pollock of 11lb 3oz tempted on a sidewinder sandeel.
Big Gilt From Estuary
Robin Bonds caught this specimen 4lb 14oz gilthead bream from the Taw & Torridge Estuary. The fish was tempted on peeler crab and is one of several caught in recent weeks. These are one of the hardest fighting fish in British waters and their numbers would appear to be increasing though many hours are often invested before getting a reward. Peeler crab, razor fish and lugworm are the best baits.
Carp and cats in Paradise
(Below)Michael Smith from Basildon won our Fish Of The Week Competition catching an amazing 3 personal bests!! Michael caught a PB 31lb Mirror, then a 32lb Mirror topped by catching Parrot at 46lbs 3oz!!! All caught from Nirvana’s Day Ticket Kracking Carp Lake. Michael’s said – “I’ve fished Anglers Paradise for over 12 years now and fished the Kracking Karp for the last 6 years without a bite until this year where I had 3 new personal bests of 31lbs, 32lbs topped off with a 46lb 3oz Mirror that is Parrot!! What a Fish it is, I’m over the moon!
As always, I caught them on a cog system with an Essex Bait firm called Baitlocker Baits SX. The 32lb Mirror was caught on 3 fake balanced Corns with a small PVA Bag. The 31lb and Parrot were caught on a bottom sx bait with 20 freebies on both.
What a session once again at Anglers Paradise, as always a top week!”
(Below)Sam Lancaster, 26 from Stevenage had a very productive week of fishing catching two 20lb Commons from Nirvana’s Xanadu Lake, a PB 43lb Cat from the Specimen Cat Lake, four Catfish from Eldorado’s Bottom Cat and Carp Lake weighing 33lb, 29lb, 24lb, and 19lb and a stunning 14lb Mirror. Sam caught the 20lb 4oz Common on a 10mm bucha berry pop up, and the 20lb Common on a 10mm milky toffee pop up on a kd rig. Sam caught the 43lb Catfish and 24lb Cat using a Sticky Baits the Krill bottom bait. The 33lb Catfish fell for a CC Moore Pacific Tuna 18mm. And lastly, the 29lb Catfish was caught using 18mm maple and cream boilies snowman with 10mm milky toffee pop up.
Bidefords 24 hour results
A shore caught tope by Rob Harris took top spot in Bideford Angling Clubs 24 hour rover a good omen for the coming months. It was good to see a golden grey mullet secure third place I suspect these fish are more common on our surf beaches than is generally perceived.
1st Rob Harris tope 36lb 12oz 112.50%
2nd Tarrant Wotton thin lipped mullet 3lb 7oz 85.937%
3rd Antony Smith golden grey mullet 1 lb 10oz 81.250%
Pollock and bass highlight of weekend for Chris Bonds
Chris Bonds enjoyed a successful weekend landing a boat caught pollock of 11lb 3oz using a sidewinder sandeel and a shore caught bass of 9lb 1oz using peeler crab. The pollock takes the lead in Combe Martin SAC Lure Competition or species other than a bass.
Tamar Common beauty
Tony Welch had this lovely 21lb 6oz common from Upper Tamar lake, a fish he previously had at 18lb three years ago. Tony fished near the dam with Essential Baits B5 and blacksnail boilies which were soaked in Essential Red Salmon Oil. Successful hookbait was a B5 16mm corker pop up which had been soaked in B5 glug and Red Salmon Oil.
Big Marlin is Camera shy!
Globe trotting Zyg Gregorek sent this account of his recent adventure in Cape Verde,
I have just returned from Cape Verde after Marlin. We had nothing on the
first couple of days on the third day I am proud to say I had the biggest,
longest and fattest Marlin I have ever seen.
It took the mackerel lure and sped off into the sunset , after well over an
hour and a half of being in the fighting chair the fish jumped many times.
After having three fish over 900 lbs in the past this was the most
aggressive. We managed to get it close to the Boat the crew managed to get
hold of the leader the fish then turned and nearly yanked him over board so
he had to let go This happened a couple of times eventually we managed to
get it alongside, grab the leader and held on ,as I turned to get my camera
the Marlin again thrashed out and straightened the hook and escaped .
The next day gave us a couple more Marlin. Jim Williams had his fist ever
Blue Marlin estimated at around 500lbs and Stan Paradowski had another Blue
Marlin about 700lbs.
Four days fishing we blanked for two day and had three Marlin in the last
two days all being personnel best fish
Best Fishes
Zyg
Smoothound to 13lb at local rock mark
Fly fishing for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Great Torrington Army Cadets take on the trout
Fly fishing for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Captain Trevor Cook
ACF Instructor
Fly Fishing for D of E skills element ,,
20th February 2018 Saw the start of a new challenge for five young members of Great Torrington Army Cadet Force who decided to take on fly fishing for the skills element of their D of E Award scheme.
Prior to the course starting we arrange a Sunday morning visit to Monkokehampton Salmon Hatchery on the 4th February to learn about their work, kindly laid on by Charles Innis, who explained to the Cadets about the life cycle of the Salmon from egg to return, we looked at the setup and walked up river to see the weir, the Cadets found this visit very educational.
Over the past 5 months Cadets Sjt Daniel Lobb, L/Cpl Tyler Bolt, L/Cpl Jack Pledger L/Cpl Sam Newberry & Cdt Harvey Hodge have learnt and practiced all the skills needed to become proficient fly fishermen.
The course covered all elements such as types of rods, reels, lines leaders, knots, casting techniques and types of flies and how to fish them, which was then followed up by a day tying their own flies for them use on the two lake days.
The course also included two guest speakers, the first being Paul Carter, Environment Agency Water Bailiff who gave the Cadets an insight into his job role, Licensing and environment, the second was Allan Crawley Commons Conservators River Warden, Allan gave the Cadets an insight into his role and how they were working on better access for anglers along the commons riverbank. We also had a third speaker Keith Armishaw lined up from the fly fishing section of the Torrington Museum, unfortunately Keith was taken ill, the Cadets found Paul and Allan’s presentations really interesting. I’m sure Keith’s presentation would have been equally as good, we do hope Keith is on the road to recovery and wish him well for the future.
Months of hard work practising paid of on our two lake days, the first being at Simpson’s Valley Coarse & Trout Fishery nr Holsworthy on Saturday 26th May 2018
This was a good days fishing and despite it being hard work all five managed to catch a nice Rainbow Trout, the first fish of the day was caught by Col Ashley Fulford OBE, Chairman of the Army Cadet Force Association and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Advisory Panel who joined us for the day being a keen fly fisherman himself.
The heaviest fish of the day was caught by L/Cpl Tyler Bolt, a nice Rainbow weighing in at 3 ½ pounds. Everyone went home excited having caught their first ever Trout, thanks to Paul Cozens & Andrew Moores for making this possible for us, we really appreciate it.
Our second lake day was held at Bratton Water Trout Fishery, Loxhore Cross, nr Barnstaple, This proved to be another cracking days fishing where after a slow start all five caught their second ever trout. The first fish of the day was caught by L/Cpl Sam Newberry and the largest was caught by L/Cpl Pledger. Thanks to Mike Williams for all his help setting this up and accommodating us on the day , really appreciated.
This Course is the third one we have run but this year we have built a lot more into it and it has gone so well these five Cadets have started buying their own kit and asking for more lake days in the future.
Great Torrington Army Cadets would like to express their sincere thanks to the following people for their help and support this year it really has been appreciated, thank you.
Charles Innis : visit to Salmon Hatchery
Paul Carter : EA Bailiff
Allan Crawley : Commons Conservators River Warden.
Paul Cozens & Andrew Moores : Simpsons Valley Coarse & Trout Fishery
Mike Williams : Bratton Water Trout Fishery
Keith Armashaw : Great Torrington Museum
Again many Thanks
Capt Trevor Cook ACF Instructor. Lt Matt Sanders OC Great Torrington Detachment
Great Torrington Army Cadets started fly fishing for D of E two years ago, buying six starter kits directly from Airflo at a special price thanks Glenda Evans (Airflo) and funded by a grant from Great Torrington Town Council.
We now have enquiries from Cadets about the next course.
From this years five Sjt Lobb has now used fly fishing for his Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards
L/Cpl Pledger for his Bronze & Silver
L/Cpl Bolt, L/Cpl Newberry & Cdt Hodge for Bronze.
