Combe Martin SAC member Dan Welch has been enjoying some superb fishing from both the boat and shore. Early morning images, bass, mackerel are all the essence of summer sport on our beautiful and rugged coastline. Many thanks to Dan for letting me publish his stunning images.
“loads of mackerel tonight haven’t had mackerel like that for 10-20 years” Dan told me
The Welch family enjoyed a superb day afloat on their boat beneath a vivid blue sky and on calm waters. Tope, pollock, bass and bull Huss all gave good sport.
Some stunning weather and good sport on the boat this weekennd , went out Saturday and Sunday for short sessions over high tide. The mackerel are still very scarce and no pollack inshore either. Saturday was all about the tope with quite a few, nothing big most around 20lb, big enough to give a good scrap especially for my wife Lyn I think it’s her first tope. Sunday was a trip out with my dad loads of bass and pollack all caught on light spinning gear the best was a 10lb 8oz pollack. All but a couple fish were returned. As the tide slackened off we decided to put the anchor down and try for some tope, no tope but we had some nice Huss to just over 13lb. I did hook and lose what felt like a really good tope but unfortunately the leader broke. Welsh boats fishing the west side of Lundy were reporting good numbers of mackerel so hopefully we will see them on the next set of bigger tides. Fingers crossed for some more good weather.
Boat anglers have been able to get afloat and enjoy some great sport with some of the channels predators. James Gubb Fradgley fished from his own boat off Lynmouth to tempt this hard fighting conger of 36lb.
Stef Jones had a good day chasing tope boating four best going 42lb, he also tempted huss, pollack, a nice plump codling about 4 1/2lb, mackerel and loads of smoothies best 12lb 6oz.
(Below) A nice tope landed on Bluefin.
David Jenkins and his son Charlie Jenkins enjoyed a good days boat fishing out of Watchet on Lorna Doone boating ten ray a brace of conger and the inevitable dogfish.
James Gubb Fradgley fished off Lynmouth in his own Private Boat and caught a stunning ballan wrasse of 5lb 15oz that sets a new boat record for CMSAC.
Anglers are enjoying some great sport off Ilfracombe from both Charter Boats and private boats. Bass, pollock and mackerel are being tempted on lures with bottom baits tempting tope and Huss.
Kevin Pike has set a new Appledore Shipbuilders Angling Club record boating a huge tope of 70lb whilst fishing off the North Devon Coast. Kevin was fishing from his own private boat with fellow club member Mike Toogood who also enjoyed success boating another huge tope of 68lb 8oz. The capture of two tope of this size in one session is an amazing feat that will be remembered for years to come as a red letter day proving the oft said saying that it’s all about being in the right place at the right time.
Ross Stanway has enjoyed a sublime evening off the North Devons spectacular coastline landing pollock and wrasse on his latest sortie.
The 3lb 3oz Ballan wrasse picture was tempted using a black minnow lure bounced along the bottom and sets a new boat caught Ballan wrasse record for CMSAC
Combe Martin SAC members Daniel Welch and Ross Stanway have enjoyed some great inshore boat sport from their Private Boats fishing out of Ilfracombe boating Pollock and smoothound.
Stef Jones enjoyed his first trip of the summer out in his Private Boat to land several smoothound and a fine tope of 41lb.
