14 Jan 2024

Limits for all at Bulldog on a cold misty morning

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Members of Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club assembled at Bulldog Fly Fishery on a calm cold winter’s morning. The bare trees of winter silhouetted against the misty morning light.

         The friendly Winter Challenge competition was due to start at 10.00am and lines touched down on the calm lake surface as members cast their lures.

         After half an hour I was surprised that I had not had a take as I searched the water with a damsel nymph fished in conjunction with an Intermediate Snowbee Line. As I looked around the lake at fellow competitors I was surprised at the lack of bent rods.

         I guessed the fish would eventually switch on and this proved correct as members rods soon started to bend as the lakes residents started to feed.

         Just  as I pondered upon changing to a different fly a good sized rainbow appeared in the clear water and engulfed the fly as I was about to lift it from the water. After a spirited tussle my first trout of the day was safely netted.

         I fished on keenly expecting more action but after half an hour I had received no more enquiries. I glimpsed a few trout moving close to the surface and changed tactics tying on a damsel booby with longish marabou tail. After a couple of cast’s, I watched as a good trout converged on the fly. A beautiful rainbow of close to four pound.

         I persisted with the booby for a short while losing what felt like a good trout after a few seconds of contact. With several fish moving close to the surface, I changed to a floating line and lost a fish on a team of buzzers. After a further twenty minutes I tied on the damsel again and after a couple of casts I hooked into another good rainbow to complete my three fish limit.

         By now most members had completed their bag. Club secretary David Richards arrived late at 1.00pm due to work commitments. This proved to be no disadvantage as his first cast produced the biggest fish of the day a well proportioned rainbow of 4lb 14oz. Within fifteen minutes David had completed his three fish limit and won the competition with 13lb 5oz.

         It had been a good morning  with the fish proving challenging enough to make the fishing interesting. It is far better when you have to work a bit to catch the days bag.

Full Results

1st David Richards – 13lb 5oz

2nd David Eldred = 10lb 7oz

3rd Wayne Thomas – 9lb 13oz

4th Dave Mock  – 9lb 8oz

5th Andre Muxworthy – 9lb 7oz

6th – Colin Combe 8lb 

7th Nigel Bird 7lb 14oz

All caught 3 fish

17 Dec 2023

Wistlandpound Club – Enjoy Winter Sport at Bulldog

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Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club held their Christmas Competition at Bulldog Trout Fishery with the club’s entire membership of eight competing.
The grey overcast mild conditions seemed ideal for a good day’s winter sport as members spread out around the lake to cast out into the cool clear water.

I put out a line on the water near the inlet to the lake were I have enjoyed success on previous visits. On the first two casts good sized rainbow could be seen following my fly to turn away at the last minute. I watched other anglers around the lake and noticed a couple of bent rods as is often the case at the start of the day.

After half an hour with no contact I decided upon a move to a fresh spot. I was using an olive damsel on the point and a small drab diawl bach on a dropper with an intermediate line. The move proved to be a wise one as the line soon tightened as a hard fighting rainbow seized the dropper. This was followed a few minutes later by another rainbow of close to 3lb. It seemed that I had either located the fish or they had come on the feed for within five minutes I added a 3lb 12oz rainbow to complete my three fish bag.

I spent the next half an hour chatting to fellow club members and capturing a few action shots as they too connected with the lakes hard fighting rainbows.

Andre Muxworthy with a fine Bulldog Rainbow

Fishery owner Nigel Early and his son Tom arrived at the water’s edge with delicious burgers and warming toddy, hot coffee and a tray of mince pies. Convivial chatter and Christmas cheer filled the grey winters day as we chatted of the club’s future and plans for 2024.

The enlarged trout lake has the capacity for a dozen or more anglers to fish in comfort. The clear waters offer exciting sport with rainbows presently stocked up to 8lb plus with some large browns to be introduced in the New Year.

I left the lake at lunch time with Christmas preparations pending at home. Most members had caught their three fish but a few had yet to finish.

Colin Combe with a good rainbow

Nigel Bird with a 3lb plus rainbow

David Richards with the biggest rainbow of the day at around 4lb

David Richards won with three trout for 10lb 5oz. Andre Muxworthy and Dave Mock were runners up with three fish for 9lb and myself fourth with three fish for 8lb 2oz. Colin Combe banked three for 7lb 14oz.

2 Dec 2023

Winter Trout Sport at Bulldog

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The cold frosty days of winter are to be enjoyed as the rainbow trout seem to relish the cooler waters. The recently expanded lake at Bulldog Fishery is certainly giving fine sport to visiting anglers.

Tim and Andy were certainly glad they made the 100mile round trip to fish Bulldog today!
After making the trip the boys wasted no time in wetting the fly.  After a slightly slow start, the bites soon came in hard and fast in the afternoon. The result – a fantastic day on the bank!
Biggest of the day weighing in at 4lb4oz with a lot of the catch not being far behind!

CHRISTMAS GIFT

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift this year? Look no further how about surprising your loved ones with a gift voucher for the fishery!
Simply call or message with the details of what ticket you’d like to gift, and we will post the voucher directly to you 📬 It couldn’t be easier 🎄🎅
Ticket prices:
Fly lake
3fish = £35
6fish = £45
Carp lake:
24hrs =£25
(Payment via bank transfer)
26 Nov 2023

Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club – Bulldog Fishery

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Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club held their latest Match at Bulldog Fishery where David Richards secured top spot with three rainbow trout for 9lb 2oz the best a fish of 3lb 9oz.

Dave Mock was runner up with three for 7lb 15oz and Colin Combe third with three for 7lb 13oz. The club are holding their Christmas Competition at the venue on December 17th.

 

19 Nov 2023

SOUTH MOLTON ANGLING CLUB VISIT BULLDOG

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I joined members of South Molton Angling Club at Bulldog Fishery for one of their monthly fishing competitions fishing for the Mac McCarthy Trophy. The trout fishing lake has undergone a significant transformation since my last visit and is now twice the size of the previous lake with the dividing roadway removed to create one large lake. This has been generously stocked with rainbows to 7lb and a mix of spartics and browns.

A good number of club members were in attendance in addition to a few day ticket visitors and it was immediatly apparent that the lake could now  host a dozen or more anglers in comfort. A strong South West wind was blowing up the valley with occasional drizzle driven over the lake. Despite the rather gloomy weather it was at least mild and everyone was in good spirits as they tackled up and took up places at the waters edge.

I set up with an intermediate Snowbee line and tied on the ever reliable damsel nymph with a black cormorant on a dropper. I chose to fish close to the lake inlet with the raging and murky River Yeo racing down behind me. The water in the lake was surprisingly clear despite heavy rain over previous days and I could see the occasional rainbow trout cruising in the margins. I put out the line allowed the the flies to sink slowly before beginning a slow irratic retrieve.

After three or for casts  the line tightened and I felt the pleasing tug of a trout. A hard fighting rainbow was eventually pulled over the rim of the net. I added two more full tailed rainbows over the next twenty minutes to complete my three fish bag,

I poured a coffee and took a walk around the lake catching a few images of other anglers enjoyed tempting the lakes trout. Several trout to over four pound were caught including some good fish by anglers trying fly fishing for the first time. It was interesting to note how some experienced anglers were struggling to complete their bags whilst others were catching the trout with ease. Subtle differences in presentation can make all the difference to success whilst at other times trout determine that the lucky angler bags up.

The late Autumn and Winter months offer great sport at small Stillwaters with weed growth at a minimum and trout in tip top condition in the Cool water.

( Above) Brian Sedgebeer with a fine 4lb rainbow
Danny Boyles with a brace of rainbows

 

11 Dec 2022

Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club – Christmas Competition

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Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club members fished their Christmas Competition at Bulldog Fishery where Colin Combe tempted a fine brown trout of 9lb.

Andre Muxworthy took the best bag of three trout totalling 9lb 6oz.

Dave Mock was second with three for 8lb 10oz and Dave Richards third with 8lb 4oz.

Dave Eldred was forth with three for 7lb 13oz.

The icy cold conditions do not deter rainbow trout that thrive in the cold well oxygenated water of winter. A variety of flies worked for members.

 

6 Apr 2022

Anglers await the opening of new carp lake near Barnstaple

by | posted in: Carp Fishing, Sidebar | 0

North Devon’s anglers are looking forward to the Opening of new Day Ticket Carp Fishery at Bulldog Fish Farm Ltd

Richie Eaton was lucky enough to be invited for a nights fishing at the new carp lake which is soon to be opening to the public for day tickets  this common being the biggest of a couple fish landed.

I will announce full details of opening as soon as I receive them along with a full report on my own visits to water.

(Above) Father and son team Nigel & Tom Early