23 Dec 2025

ANGLING NEWS ACROSS North Devon – Christmas 2025

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Bideford Christmas Flounder

            Close to one hundred anglers lined the banks of the Torridge Estuary to compete in Bideford Angling Clubs Christmas Competition. The winner was Adam Coley with a flounder scaling 1lb 15oz. Runner up was Steve Foland with a flounder of 1lb 13oz and Paul Burslam third with a flounder of 1lb 12oz. Forty seven flounder were brought to the scales and several good sized bass were also tempted. Bideford Angling Club would like to thank their generous sponsors, DS Electrical, Anglers Heaven, Clawford Lakes, Leeda, Devon Baits, Barnstaple Bait and Tackle, James Grigg and Gabby Pillows. The competition raised £650 for the Charity ‘Cardiac Risk in The Young’.

Flukey’s Christmas Flounder Open

            Flukey’s Christmas Flounder Open attracted fifty one anglers. The winner was Mike McManus with a flounder of 1lb 13.5oz. Mario Manley was runner up with a flounder of 1lb 9.75oz and Mathew Mitchel third with a flounder of 1lb 8oz. Layla Mitchel was top junior with a flounder of 1lb 3.5oz and Kayden Hull runner up with a flounder of 1lb 1.25oz

   

        

BIDEFORD COARSE MATCH

Bideford Angling Club Christmas Coarse Match at their home venue Tarka Lakes was won by Nathan Underwood with 47lb 3oz. John Lisle was runner up with 25lb 14oz and Martin Turner third with 18lb 6oz.

 

            Bulldog Fisheries Christmas Competition was won by Roy Pink with five trout for 16lb 13oz. Runner up was Colin Combe with three fish for 16lb 2oz and Dave & Freddy Chapman third with 13lb 1oz. The biggest fish of the day was a fine tiger trout of 8lb 9oz to the rod of Colin Combe.

Fluff Chuckers STILLWATER EVENT 

            The Fluff Chucker’s held a Stillwater competition hosted by the Arundell at Lifton. Fishing the hotels Lake members caught over twenty trout with Roger Truscott winning with an impressive eleven trout. Runner up was Andrew Watson with three trout and winner of the biggest fish myself with a brown trout of 43cm. The event was sponsored by Yeti Europe, Lakedown Brewing and Tap Room.

            Sam Graham fished Hacche Moor Fishery to bank a fine common carp of 44lb 14oz.

            South West Lakes Trust have closed all swims on the West bank at Lower Slade Reservoir following a tree survey that revealed a large number of ash trees that are in danger of falling. Ash die back is having an impact on many fisheries across Devon and anglers should be aware of the ongoing dangers as the trees are particularly prone to falling or losing limbs. Lower Slade is one of North Devon’s few pike waters with fish present to over twenty pounds. Those targeting the species should ensure they have all the correct unhooking equipment and should familiarise themselves with South West Lakes relevant rules.

            Sea anglers fishing the Open coast will be targeting spurdog, bull huss, conger and tope. The winter months offer the chance to target a wide range of species from the open coast. Those venturing out should always consider their safety taking relevant precautions. Always be aware of weather conditions and tides. Tell someone where you intend to fish and expected time of return. Use what three words to indicate location and ensure you carry a mobile phone and wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Combe Martin SAC Member Shane Hookway caught  a specimen 10lb 11oz bull huss.

          

CHRISTMAS TURKEY’s for Triple Hook Club Winners

            Triple Hook Clubs Christmas Turkey Flounder Open is always a popular fixture for the North Devon angling community and this year was no exception with over forty anglers taking part. The flounder proved hard to find with plenty of freshwater rushing out with the ebbing tide. Despite this some quality fish were brought to the scales and it was good to join in and catch up with familiar faces from the angling community.

            The top ten anglers all received a turkey dinner. The winner was Tony Gooch with a fine flounder of 1lb 10.5oz. Paul Ackland was runner up with a flounder of 1lb 93/8oz and Rob Hancock third with a flounder of 1lb 75/8oz. Forth was Mark Beer with a flounder of 1lb 71/2oz and fifth myself with a flounder of 1lb 63/8oz. The clubs ladies flounder competition was won by Sam Ackland with a flounder of 1lb 57/8oz  with Amber Chapple runner up with a flounder of 13.5oz.

Appledore Shipbuilders Results

22 members fished Appledore Shipbuilders Christmas competition on Sunday 21st December.

Martin Davis took top spot with a lovely Flounder of 1lb 13ozs. David Atkinson was 2nd and 3rd with Flounders of 1lb 9 and 1lb 8 3/4.

20 Flounders were weighed in with the majority safely released to be caught again.

Well done everyone who fished.

Also this weekend was the December heat of the winter League. Andrew Atkinson was 1stcwith a Huss of 9lb 8ozs. Josh Atkinson was 2nd with another Huss of 8lb 5ozs with Andrew 3rd with a Huss of 8lb 4oz.

Bideford Angling Club Result

            Stephen Found won Bideford Angling Clubs forty eight hour rover with a specimen pouting of 2lb 1oz. Jon Stevens was runner up with a small eyed ray of 7lb 51/2oz and Paul Ackland third with a flounder of 1lb 9.5oz. Richard Jefferies set a new Bideford Angling Club record with a skate scaling 13lb 4oz.

           Combe Martin SAC  

Combe Martin SAC Member Shane Hookway caught a fine bull huss of 10lb 11oz on a recent session along the North Devon coast. Bull huss, ray and spurdog have featured in catch’s recently along with whiting and dogfish.

            Barnstaple Bait and Tackle Match Group held their annual Christmas Competition at Morchard Road Lake View. Steve Hayman was the winner with 77lb 6o z. Runner up was Gary Sullivan with 53lb 8oz and Kevin Wilton third with 52lb 13oz.

            The Christmas Special of the popular Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing programme is on screened on Christmas Eve and is filmed in Devon and Cornwall with the Arundell Arms at Lifton playing a starring roll.

19 Dec 2024

ANGLING NEWS CATCH UP –

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I lost Internet connection for over a week following Storm Darragh hence a lack of reports on the website. Please see a brief round up of news. A Merry Christmas to all readers and all the best fishes for 2025

Bideford and District Angling Clubs Christmas Competition

Keith Mountjoy secured top spot in Bideford and District Angling Clubs Christmas Competition held on their home water Tarka Swims with a fine net of 31lb 6oz. Martin Turner was runner up with 25lb 2oz and Craig Lamey third with 21lb 13oz. Nineteen members braved the tail end of Storm Darragh that decimated fixtures that weekend.

SEA RESULTS

Jon Stevens won Bideford Angling Club 48 hour Sea Rover with thornback ray weighing 11lb 10.5oz

Combe Martin SAC

Ollie Passmore won Combe Martin SAC’s Christmas competition with a bass of 4lb 11oz.

 

Several quality bass have been caught by Combe Martin SAC members over recent weeks with Kyle Bishop tempting a fine bass of 9lb 9oz and Ollie Passmore a bass of 8lb 4oz.

Shane Hookway fished a rock mark to tempt a fine bull huss of 11lb 12oz.

Appledore Shipbuilders

Only 14 fish came to the scales with the majority released after weigh in swimming away strong.

Winning was Toby Evans with a Flounder of 1lb 7 1/4ozs. Nikki Atkinson was second with another flounder of 1lb 6 3/4ozs and Andrew Atkinson was 3rd with a Flounder of 1lb 5 3/4ozs. Everyone who entered walked away with a Christmas fare prize as there were more prizes than fish caught!

It was also the December winter league this weekend.

Andrew Atkinson took all 3 places with Poutings of 2lb 0 1/4ozs, 1lb 6ozs and a whiting of 1lb 3 1/4ozs.

6 May 2020

Lockdown Continues and Its goodbye to North Devon’s long serving Fishery Officer

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Last weeks Journal report if you missed it!

As we all endure the on-going lockdown thoughts turn increasingly to past exploits and to future plans for casting our lines. Nobody knows when this crisis will end but at some point a new normality will return and the waters edge will be with us once again. The Angling Trust whilst fully supporting the lockdown has been emphasizing the point that angling should be one of the first pastimes to be allowed to resume when safe. Angling is to a large extent possible whilst maintaining social distancing and due to its strong connection with nature has significant mental health benefits. The Trust has created a special page to entertain and inform anglers during the COVID-19 crisis and it is well worth a look with a wide selection of informative videos to view.

The River Torridge Fishery Association has recently published their latest Newsreel that reveals a successful year at their hatchery. During the winter and early spring the hatchery team has successfully nurtured 38,000 swim up fry that were stocked out into the River Torridge headwaters and main tributaries. This ongoing project gives RTFA members a strong feeling that they are at least attempting to put something back into their treasured river. The gift of nature’s wild salmon is to be valued and protected for this iconic species is a barometer to the health of our rivers and the wider environment. The rivers can be likened to the arteries of the land distributing life and water in a vital natural cycle that we endanger at our peril.

North Devon’s Fishery Officer Paul Carter has retired from the Environment Agency after more than three decades of loyal service. I have known Paul personally throughout his long career and have the utmost respect for his dedication to North Devon’s fisheries. His vast knowledge and experience will be missed by many within North Devon’s angling community. Paul has helped with many projects over the years including the provision of Bideford Angling Clubs Coarse Fishing Lakes, The River Torridge Salmon Hatchery and The Taw Access over Weirs Project along with numerous initiatives involving local schools. I wish Paul and his family all the best for the future and hope to catch up with him for a few tales from the water’s edge.

The vital work undertaken by Paul will still be carried out by members of the Environment Agency’s wider team. It is to be hoped that a replacement will soon be recruited. There is also an increasing reliance upon charities like the West Country River Trust to police our rivers in the fight against pollution. Fishery enforcement work is to a large extent undertaken by riparian owners with back up from the police where fish theft or poaching is suspected.

Like many anglers I have been taking this opportunity to sort through my tackle collection. Many of the lures I own will never be used for they have perhaps fallen out of favour as new more attractive versions have been produced by a tackle trade that has to appeal to both anglers and fish. I suspect that many more anglers are tempted by the visual appeal or wiggle of a lure than the fish themselves. This is however all part of the intricate game that we play.