Go Up Channel for Autumn and winter cod.

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As Autumn descends and days grow colder many sea anglers hope to catch cod. Sadly cod have become rare along the North Devon shore line so if you want cod its best to head up Channel and get out on one of the many charter boats that operate. Dan Hawkins has relocated to Watchet after the summer at Ilfracombe and continues to find quality fish.

Mick Cashmore sent me this report from Somerset.

Massive thanks to Dan Hawkins, Reel Deal charters, for a great days fishing, Saturday 5th Oct, and finally helping me get my lump of a cod and pb @ 9lb 2oz after years and miles of trying. Thanks again to a great skipper who works so hard to get you on the fish.

South Molton Anglers take a trip aboard Bluefin

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 Eddie Rands of South Molton Anglers reports on their latest boat trip.
With a decent forecast we eagerly set off to ilfracombe.
We left on time and went to a nearby reef, tried a couple of drifts for a bass, nothing doing so off we steamed to Lundy.
We soon caught a few mackerel for bait and then proceeded to work our way round permitted area of the island with feathers and sidewinders drifting where we caught ballan wrasse, pollack,coalfish, pouting a few more mackerel and horse mackerel.
We then anchored up in some deeper water and caught a few dogfish, Huss and tope.
Stephen Baker, Matt Brady and Steve Edmonds broke their duck and landed at least 1 each.
We had a lovely day in a very scenic situation with a good bunch of chaps and again well looked after by John Barbery aboard Bluefin.
Looking forward to next time.

Fine Autumn Sea Sport

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Sea anglers have been enjoying some fine autumn sport from both boat and shore as summer temperatures linger on. Kevin Pike won Appledore Shipbuilders latest boat competition with a fine tope of 46lb. David Atkinson was runner up with a triggerfish of 3lb 81/2oz and Kevin Pike third with a triggerfish of 3lb. Triggerfish are a tropical fish that move into Britain’s Coastal waters during late summer and autumn and are a shoal fish that can offer great sport once located. Large numbers were first caught from the North Devon area in the mid-nineties. I recall one of these fish being caught in the early eighties when no one knew what type of fish it was. It is widely speculated that the arrival of triggerfish and gilthead bream is linked to climate change.

Olie Passmore and Kody Chugg fished a North Devon rock mark and landed trigger fish of 2lb 12oz and 2lb 14oz.

(Above)Olie Passmore – trigger fish 2lb 12oz
(Above)Kody Chugg – 2lb 14oz trigger fish

Boat Anglers Enjoy the Calm Waters

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Small Boat owners have been enjoying some great sport whilst taking advantage of calm seas and blue skies. Combe Martin SAC Members have landed tope, huss, pollock and bass.

Chris Bonds – Pollock 9lb 13oz
(Above)Ross Stanway – tope
(Above) Chris Bonds – bass 6lb 12oz
(Above) Dan Welch – bull huss
(Above) Dan Welch – tope

If you want to sample some of the excellent sport to be enjoyed off North Devon’s Coast line book a trip on one of the Seaside towns charter boats.