Huss time on the coast!

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Spring time is the best time to head out and catch a big bull huss as Combe Martin SAC member Kevin Legge did recently catching this handsome huss of 10lb 1oz during one of his recent sessions.

Huss are a far more welcome catch than their relative the Lesser spotted dogfish that devour anglers baits spoiling the chance of something better. Huss can be tempted on a wide range of baits with big squid or mackerel baits favorite. In the murky waters along the Somerset coast near Porlock and Minehead these fish can be caught throughout the day. In North Devon’s clearer waters night time is undoubtedly best with rough ground more likely to bring results.

Rick Blackmore (Below) also targetted the species landing several in recent weeks topped by this specimen of 12lb 13oz.

Anglers Paradises Biggest catfish _ So far!

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The latest big fish news supplied by Zenia and Anglers Paradise.

NEW CATFISH COMPLEX RECORD…73LBS 8OZ!!

Regular Sean Tacy, had the week of fishing dreams when he landed Anglers Paradise’s NEW CATFISH RECORD!!!

Sean landed a Monster 73lb 8oz Wels Catfish from the Main Lake, and had the shock of his life when he saw it!!

The previous Record was held by Adam May for 2 years running with a 70lb 12oz Catfish also from the Main, but that has now been beaten!!

Sean caught the Monster using 15mm Robin Red Pellet topped with half a Paradise Baits Original Raspberry pop up, served over a bed of mixed sizes robin red pellets. Fixed lead clear dark matter leader, size 6 korda kurv shank hook.

Sean’s Story –

“After trying for so many years to beat my PB Catfish which I achieved many years ago here at AP and failing to do so I decided it was time to have a go on the Specimen Cat Lake and drove down a day early, after losing a fish on there, I really was gutted, so headed straight to the Octopusy as soon as the welcoming party had finished!

It started off with a not so productive time and me playing about with baits that I was happy so along come the night out. Alarms buzzing, like an angry bee I stumbled out of my bivvy losing my head torch to god knows where and no shoes! At last it felt a monster, finally I thought this has to beat my PB for sure…but it was not meant to be! *play sad music* so unable to go on the Specimen Carp Lake, I decided to go on the Main Carp Lake putting out the same combo that had worked the night before up against the island.

I decided great really confident! But the day went on and nothing to come except a cracking Blue Orfe! Then BOOM!! Off goes the alarms again, jumping out of the bivvy this time with shoes, I hit into it! It felt a monster and a monster I couldn’t control!! To start it just went, I am sure the fish was playing me more than me playing it!

Eventually I managed to get my phone, so shouting to siri to call the old man to come help net this monster that I hadn’t even seen yet! He come and eventually managed to get it in close to see it but it just didn’t want to go in the net, almost deciding to jump in the water and picking it up finally it went in!! It was a beast for sure and one that I never thought I would be seeing!!! Truly a fish of a lifetime and one I am sure will be dam hard to beat!

So again AP has been another great holiday and really cracking fishing and people!”
WOW!! HUGE CONGRATS SEAN – AMAZING FISH, AMAZING CAPTURE AND NOW YOU ARE THE CURRENT CATFISH RECORD HOLDER!!

**CONGRATULATIONS!!!**

Anglers Paradise

2017 Putsborough Open May 6th

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Saturday May 6th  Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs annual open fishing competition at Putsborough Beach. If recent catches are anything to go by we should see plenty of ray caught. As always the weather is the deciding factor so fingers crossed that its good conditions.

Combe Martin Sea Angling Club

Putsborough Sands

Open Fishing Competition 2017

Saturday May 6th

Fishing From 9.30pm to 1.30am

Book In From 8.00pm to 9.00pm

Weigh In By 2.00am

Cash Prizes Of £100 & £50

Sakuma, High Street Tackle & Veals MO

And Many Other Donated Prizes

2 Rods, 4 Hooks, Specimen Sizes

Entry £5 plus £1 Pool Best Brace

Phone Nick 814703 Or Wayne 850586

For More Details Please Check www.cmsac.co.uk Or Our Facebook Page

Please Respect Putsborough & Remove All Litter

SAVING FRESHWATER MUSSELS ON THE TORRIDGE

At the end of March I attended the Torridge Fishery AGM where we were given a fascinating presentation by Izzy Moser of the Devon Wildlife Trust. I spoke with Izzy the following day at the Riverfly training event when she kindly offered to share information on the efforts to restore freshwater mussels. I have thrown together a few information leaflets and some of Izzy’s notes from the slide show to give an overview of the project and the fascinating life cycle of the mussel. The project is supported by Blakewell Fishery.

This project has been set up in north Devon’s river Torridge

The aim of the project is to protect and restore FPM populations, and with this, to improve water quality for all users of the river.

Broader water quality issues – for example, pollution (soil, nutrients, pesticides), acidification, heavy metal inputs… and how we can improve these.

Partner project – Biffa funded etc.

Margitifera Margatifera – latin name

Freshwater Pearl Mussels are filter feeding bivalves from the group mollusc. They are one of the longest living invertebrates known (they can live over 100 years) and they inhabit the beds of rivers in the UK. According to the documentation, the require clean, well oxygenated, fast flowing waters

Filter 50 litres of water /day. In large numbers they can help to improve water quality through filtration.

Part of their life cycle is spent attached to the gills of salmonids (brown trout and Atlantic salmon, so good populations are vital to the survival of juvenile mussels.

Currently most of the populations are in Scotland but FPM were once widespread across the UK and could be found in the Tamar, Exe, Dart, Teign, Taw and Torridge. Currently, the only know populations are in the Taw and Torridge and these are relatively low numbers.

On the Torridge there estimated to be around 2000 individuals and this makes up the 4th largest colony in the UK.

However, these mussels are not thought to have breed successfully since the 1960’s, and are therefore aging significantly.

FPM critically endangered and nationally protected.

Genetically different from populations in northern England.

Thriving mussels populations can help to improve water through filtering

Thriving mussel populations are a sign of healthy rivers.

Anglers Paradise – Young Anglers Catches

Its always great to see young anglers enjoying success and at Anglers Paradise there are plenty of fish to target. This is the latest report from Zenia who give the youngsters plenty of encouragement.

Charlie Grant, 10 from Reading was certainly one very happy boy after catching a Personal Best 14lb Mirror and also a 15lb Wels Catfish from the Easy Access Lake both on Boilies. Charlie also Won Fish Of The Week with his PB Mirror, Charlie has also set a New Record in being the 1st Person to win Fish Of The Week 3 times!! Great to see Kids loving the sport so much, and this young man certainly does!

( Below)Here is the Charming Reilly Mulrooney, aged 4 from Bagworth, Leicester with just one of his many catches from Anglers Paradise and this Common from the Magic Lake was the 1st ever Carp he’s ever caught! Reilly came to us last year with Mum and Dad when he was 3 and caught his first ever fish, a Goldfish from the Float Lake and now he continues to fish with his Dad and he loves it!! We encourage all Parents to take their kids fishing, teach them all about fish care, how to look after the fish and start that fishing passion the right way so their future in angling will be bright! Look after the fish and they will look after us – to keep them healthy and let us catch them again one day!! We all remember our 1st and who got us into Fishing, so lets all carry that on and share our passion of the sport with our younger ones. Kids are the Future generation, and we love seeing them all start their Fishing Journey and certainly feel very privileged when it starts at Anglers Paradise!

Anglers Paradise

 

The West Country Fly Fishing Seminar 2017

The West Country Fly Fishing Seminar 2017

Close to seventy fly fishers from novice to expert assembled at the Fox and Hounds, Eggesford for the annual West Country fly fishing seminar all keen to learn more about the art of fly fishing. Fortunately it was a warm spring day with new growth bursting forth on the trees and recently arrived swallows swooping around the old fishing and hunting hotel.

The event is hosted in a collaboration between the Devon School of Fly Fishing and Fly Fishing Tackle.co.uk who are based locally in Crediton. There were a team of expert guides from all over the country to assist in the delivery of talks, demonstrations with tuition on casting, watercraft, fly selection and a whole lot more relating to fly-fishing.

The morning commenced in the meadows beside the Upper Taw where Peter Tyjas (Above) opened proceedings with an informative talk on the event and aspects of fly-fishing including tackle and his undoubted passion for casting a fly in various waters; especially for the wild brown trout that swim in the Upper Taw.

The guides present included:-

Jim Williams
AAPGAI MASTER level fly fishing & fly casting instructor, Sales manager for Vision Flyfishing UK

Jim Fearn
AAPGAI qualified salmon casting instructor and Rio Pro-Guide. He is responsible for product development at Guide Flyfishing who distribute RIO Lines, McLean Nets, Redington, Fishpond, Loon

John Legg
Managing Director at Guide Fly Fishing and AAPGAI level instructor.

Pete Tyjas
AAPGAI qualified instructor and principal of the Devon School of Fly Fishing, together with his team of fully qualified guides.

During the morning session each of the instructors gave a talk on their area of expertise with casting demonstrations that included in depth advice on spey casting, double haul timing, casting the perfect loop and the need for practice.

After these extensive and fascinating displays and talks the anglers were encouraged to assemble into relevant groups where they could receive relevant tuition dependent upon their knowledge or avenue of interest. There was also the opportunity to handle and cast the latest fly rods with lines and reels.

Lunch time gave the opportunity to mix and mingle in the dining area of the hotel and to have a drink in the bar where hundreds of old photos of salmon catches of bygone days decorate the walls.

After lunch it was back to the meadow where at this point the guides got into the river to talk about watercraft and the wide range of techniques available to the fly-fisher. Dry fly fishing, New Zealand style presentation, czech nymphing and American style streamer fishing. Whatever style you choose observation of the waterside environment is vital with weather, water condition, temperature and light values likely to impact upon the food available to the fish we seek. In addition to this watercraft is valuable in providing an educated guess as to where the fish are likely to be. All the above factors will influence the tackle required. Though in reality it is impractical to carry all the rods and reels required for each technique and presentation compromise is therefore required for most of us.

The choice of fly or lure is of course important but the need for a vast range is generally not required as presentation and positioning are of more value. The importance of the leader is also an important but often overlooked component in the link to presenting the fly correctly. Tapered leaders aid good presentation with a stiff butt leading to a fine tippet via the middle transition section. One of the key factors in dry fly presentation is of course ensuring a drag free drift.

The guide giving my wife Pauline tuition told us that the key areas to consider when fishing for trout are: –

Presence – Not alerting the fish to your presence

Presentation – Presenting the fly in a natural manner

Pattern – Choosing the correct imitation on the day

By the end of the day we had been given a huge amount of information and thought provoking ideas. Success in angling is undoubtedly boosted by attention to detail and the best anglers fine tune their tactics to suit the fish they seek, I realized that despite being an angler for over fifty years I know very little about the sport I love. Being an all-rounder I must concede that I will never be an expert in any discipline of angling if such a thing exists. In angling it is the fish that write the rule-book and the only certainty within that book is that fish don’t always follow the rules.

Fortunately we have a vast range of waters in North Devon to practice on and I look forward to casting a line far and wide this coming year. Hopefully with her recent tuition Pauline will also connect with the wild fish that swim in river, stream, lake and sea.

 

Stafford Moor Carp Catches

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(Above) Adam Hilton  had 6 fish  up to 20lb on the Dam wall of lodge lake using Mainline cell boilies.

(Above) Chris Down had 5 fish  up to 21lb 6oz from the summerhouse swim on Beattie’s lake using CC Moore NS1 14mm pink and Jarzys fruit & nut boilies.

(Above)Rhys James  had 5 fish up to 20lb from the inlet swim on Beattie’s lake using Sticky Baits Krill boilies and also squid& Octopus.

(Above) Joshua Vernon fished with his son Charlie who fished on Albert square on Lodge lake who had 4 fish  in 24 hours up to 20lb 4oz using Sticky Baits Krill boilies

Gary Harding who had 6 fish out in 24 hours , beat his pb 3 times in one session using Sticky Baits Manilla boilies up to 28lb 13oz on the beach swim on Beattie’s lake

Frank Hayden(Above) and (Below) dad Lee Hayden with a couple of there 10 catches from the dam wall on Beatties lake up to 28lb 5oz fishing with matrix duster.