BRATTON FLEMING CRICKETS BIG FISH OFF

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Close to twenty members of Bratton Fleming Cricket club descended upon the normally tranquil waters of Bratton Water Trout Fishery for what will undoubtedly become an annual event. A mixture of experienced fly Fishers and first timers enjoyed the event that was blessed with warm summer sunshine. In the clear water small imitative patterns proved most successful with a gold headed pheasant tail nymph responsible for the demise of several of Bratton Waters hard fighting residents.

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On arrival at the fishery I found experienced local trout fisherman and Bratton Water regular Glyn Rees who had enjoyed a good day at the water landing four brown trout to 4lb targetting the fish using dry fly tactics.

Whilst the fishing fraternity cast their offerings to the lakes trout the remaining members of the Cricket club prepared the BBQ and played a primitive form of cricket using bats made from old sticks. Others watched the anglers and helped with the netting of fish.

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Most anglers landed their brace of trout despite the warm sunshine that beamed into the water. A pair of Polaroids were a distinct advantage enabling individual fish to be targetted with the two trout I caught both actually seen to take the tiny fly. The fish were a mixture of brown and rainbows with Debbie Tucker landing the biggest brown trout at 3lb 1oz. James Thomas landed a hard fighting of rainbow of 3lb 8oz that was leading the biggest fish of the day when we left the event to join another local event. Rob Scoines fresh back from a trip to Norway chasing big fish adapted to the finesse of trout fishing landing a brace of rainbows each weighing 2lb 9oz.

The Cricket club give special thanks to fishery owner Mike Williams for hosting the event that raised valuable funds for the Cricket Club.

 

Debbie Tucker with brace of Bratton Trout including a 3lb 1oz brown trout
Debbie Tucker with brace of Bratton Trout including a 3lb 1oz brown trout
James Thomas with a 3lb 10oz rainbow
James Thomas with a 3lb 8oz rainbow

 

 

 

Rob Scoines with his first brace of trout
Rob Scoines with his first brace of trout

 

Hard fighting trout
Hard fighting trout
Safely in the net
Safely in the net, Sophie Welby nets a rainbow for James Thomas

 

The waiting net
The waiting net

 

Success!
Success!

 

Darren Drew with a brace of rainbows
Darrin Drew with a brace of rainbows
James Thomas and myself with our catch.
James Thomas and myself with part of our catch.

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BIG BASS TEMPTED ON BREAD

Stephen Found was targetting thick lipped grey mullet in the River Torridge estuary when his bread flake presented on a size 8 hook to 6lb b,s line was seized by a fine specimen bass of 9lb. The fish battled for 25minutes before being successfully landed. Stephen is a member of Bideford Angling Club and lives in Holsworthy.

Over the years I have landed numerous species of fish whilst targetting mullet with bread flake including bass, wrasse, black bream,pollock, garfish and mackerel. The capture of big bass in the estuary is often accidental which raises the question of how many would be caught if anglers actually targetted them.

Stephen Found
Stephen Found

 

 

 

Stafford Moor Match Results

posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

 

Phil Harwick
Phil Harwick

Sundays Open match on July 24th  was fished Tanners and  Woodpecker lakes. Both lakes fished hard today especially Tanners lake. Our winner of the day was Phill Harwick Woodpecker peg 34 with 107lb 6oz fishing 8mm pellet on the waggler well done Phill ! Full match results are shown below.

1st  Phil Harwick Peg 34 Woodpecker: 107lbs 6oz

2nd Ricky Johnston Peg 16 Woodpecker: 79lbs 2oz

3rd – Paul Tidbal Peg 24 – Woodpeacker 76lb 9oz

4th – Dave Stockton Peg 6 Woodpeacker

Wednesday 27th July

Mid Week Open open on Tanners Lake, Winner was Mark Hayman peg 36 with 115lb 10oz fishing 11mm on the bomb. In in second place was Paul Goulding next door to Mark on peg 35 with 112lb 14oz fishing 8mm on the bomb.

Mark Hayman
Mark Hayman

 

Anglers Paradise

posted in: Coarse Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Zyg Gregoreks famous fishing complex is well known as a holiday destination featuring on numerous angling shows over the years with many of the sports celebrity’s endorsing the venue. Many local anglers may overlook the many opportunities that exist for the day ticket angler. Whatever freshwater fish you chase there is a good chance that you can catch it at Angler’s Paradise as can be seen looking back through the news pages of North Devon Angling News.

Anglers Paradise
Anglers Paradise

Bideford’s Final Heat

posted in: Match Fishing, Sidebar | 0

Bideford & District Angling Clubs mid-week summer league has come to an end all to soon I am sure for those who have enjoyed the weekly fishing on their home water.  Competition No10  was won by Matt Clare Cross with 12lb 10oz. In second was David Bailey with 8lb 12oz and in third Martin Turner on 4lb 12oz. Forth Craig Crash Lamey 3lb 4oz and fifth John Dyer…. Matt won the match on peg L with 2 pole caught carp, David Bailey took 2 fish on the lead on banded pellet.

Overall winner of the midweek series was John Lovell 82 pts 2nd Martin Turner 81pts 3rd David Bailey 4th Matt Clare Cross

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Specimen bass for Kevin Legge

posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Combe Martin SAC member Kevin Legge landed this fine bass of 9lb 2oz from a local beach. The fish was tempted using Ammo mackerel and returned alive to the sea. I expect to see a few double figure fish caught over the coming months on both lures and baits. Big baits after dark on the beaches have a proven track record though there is plenty of room for experiment with bass that can be tempted using a wide range of tactics. Big bass venture into surprisingly shallow water where free-lined baits on light tackle can bring surprising results?

 

 

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Kevin Legge 9lb 2oz bass 

Fish From Paradise

posted in: Coarse Fishing, Sidebar | 0

JuliaMarstob55lb5ozCatSpecCat15thJuly

Julia Marston, a Sandwich Bar Owner, 55, from Heathfield, East Sussex had a week to remember at Anglers Paradise after catching a wide variety of Specimens to say the least! Julia caught an amazing Personal Best 55lb 5oz Catfish from our Day Ticket Specimen Cat Lake. Julia caught the Monster using 20lb main line, very strong fluorocarbon hook link, running 3oz lead, Catmaster Size 2 Barbless Hook with 2 20mm Mainline Salty Squid Boilies. Julia said – “My heart was beating so fast, my hands were shaking, I could not believe the size of this fish!! I don’t think I will ever catch anything as big as this Cat, it really is a Fish of a Lifetime”!

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Julia also caught 2 Personal Best Koi’s of 8lb 4oz AND 10lb 4oz Koi from the Koi Lake both on a Fruitella 15mm Mainline Boilie, and to finish off she caught a PB 3lb 8oz Golden Orfe from the Specimen Tench and Orfe Lake also on Fruitella Boilies – What a week!

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Jackie Charlton (below) 47, an accountant from London caught ‘Simon’ the Koi at 13lbs 8oz from the Specimen Tench and Orfe Lake which smashes Jackie’s previous 2lb Personal Best! It’s a very special Koi that doesn’t come out often, and being the Only Koi in that Lake makes it a very special Fish when you do manage to catch it! It’s certainly one of our favourites! The fact that Jackie saw the Koi and then caught him was just great, we think her Hubby was slightly envious…

Jackie caught the Koi float fishing using a small pole float with sweetcorn as bait, feeding pellet and sweetcorn.

JackieCharltonPB13lb8ozKoiSpeciTenchLake8thJuly