The flounder fishing season is in full swing in the estuary with several competitions this weekend. Results were mixed during the competitions with flounders prolific in some areas and very scarce in other areas. A few bass were also caught and returned in line with present regulations.
Combe Martin SAC
Matt Jefferey secured the top three places in Combe Martin SACs Flounder competition winning the competition with a fine flattie of 1lb 12oz.
1st Matt Jeffery 1lb 12oz
2nd Matt Jeffery 1lb 7oz
3rd Matt Jeffery 1lb 5oz Joint
4th with 1lb 2oz Jamie Stewart Dave Jenkins Daniel Laird
Jamie Steward with fine brace of flounder.
Ross Stanway with a pleasing 4lb + bass
Braunton Small Boat Club
1st Tracey Phipps 1lb 4oz
2nd Tracey Phipps 15oz
3rd Tracey Phipps 14oz 3rd Ian Anderson 14oz
TRIPLE HOOK CLUB – OPEN FLOUNDER
John Passmore secured victory in Triple Hook Clubs Open flounder competition with a flounder scaling 1lb 105/8oz. In runner up spot was Mark Beer with flounder of 1lb 101/8oz and third Joan Cairns with a flounder of 1lb 71/2oz.
Late Result – last weekends Triple Hook Club – Croyde to Foreland –
1st John Passmore – Bull huss 11lb 51/8oz and dogfish 1lb 11.5oz
The humble flounder of the estuary have a certain appeal that I had somehow forgotten having neglected the species for several seasons. Our son James seemed keen for a short session so having gratefully secured a pound of worms from a local bait digger we found ourselves surveying the bleak cold and grey expanse of the estuary. We had arrived just before the flooding tide and the first hour passed by without any action. But it was good to be by the water watching the plentiful bird life on the exposed mud banks.
I have fond memories of fishing the area back in the late seventies with my cousin who would take me fishing on cold frosty evenings to fish from the railway line that was at that time still in partial use running to Bideford. As the tide started to slow the downstream flow I caught the first flounder of the day that was quickly slipped back.
Shorty after retreating onto the higher bank my rod tip gave a couple of nods. A few minutes later I was pleased to feel a weighty flattie pulsating on the line and hanging deep as it approached the shoreline. A plump flounder of 1lb 11oz was a good result and a good omen for Combe Martin SAC’s Flounder competition and Triple Hooks Open Flounder Competitions this weekend.
Having caught a couple I was hoping James would get in on the action before we packed up. His rod tip gave a few gentle nods resulting in a double shot of flounder to end the session.
I really must make sure I enjoy a few more sessions after these obliging flatfish that will often give sport when little else is happening. I intend to try caching a few on ultra light LRF tactics as I have caught them on the open coast using jig heads and Isome worms. The latest book on Lure Fishing by Dominic Garnett has a chapter dedicated to this type of fishing. I have also caught flounder in the past trotting a bunch of ragworm beneath a float using ultra light coarse tackle; great fun!
Combe Martin SAC member David Jenkins has been enjoying some great sport with estuary flounder and has banked one of the biggest so far this season at 2lb 4oz.
November rover results
1st Tarrant Wotton flounder 1lb 11 1/2 85.156%
Joint 2nd
Dick Talbot
Tarrant Wotton flounder 1lb 11 84.375%
4th Dick Talbot flounder 1lb 8 1/2 76.562%
5th Terry Dymond flounder 1lb 5 3/8 67.968%
6th Terry Dymond flounder 1lb 4 62.500%
APPLEDORE SHIPBUILDERS MONTHLY RESULT
November Rover Results
1st – Chris Boon – Flounder 1lb 11 3/4ozs
2nd – Martyn John – Flounder 1lb 9 1/2ozs
3rd – Josh Atkinson – Thornback Ray 5lb 15 1/4ozs
Damien Close from the Weston Outcasts fished a North Devon Rock mark on the eve of last weekends big storm and was certainly in the right place at the right time. I was fishing further along the coast with former tope record holder Kevin Legge. Kev received a text from Damien. Two casts, two tope 41lb and 31lb ! The mark we fished was not so productive giving a steady stream of strap eels and dogfish. I did hook a decent fish that came off after just a few moments. Isn’t it sods law that the 2lb strap eel engulfs the bait in seconds and the big fish manages to avoid getting hooked!
Big low pressure systems often result in big fish being caught with the time before and after proving good times to be out at the waters edge. Fishing at such times is of course potentially risky so always follow sensible guidelines ensuring that you have good knowledge of how the weather will affect your chosen mark. Ensure you the correct landing equipment, use adequate tackle to land the fish you hook, were a life jacket, carry a quality head torch ( Have just bought a Fenix HM65R and have found it an excellent buy).
The 2018/19 Flounder season is proving to be the best for many years with good numbers of good sized flounder caught. There is the chance of flounder for a couple more weeks and it could be wortbn trying the lower estuary as the fish drop back towards the sea. It is tp be hoped that next season will be an even better one with survivors of this year class returning even bigger next autumn. Flounder fishing on the estuary tends to be cyclical with peak seasons followed by poor seasons with smaller fish.
Richard Chapple and James Griggy enjoyed New Years Day morning down on Taw estuary catching six flounder the biggest flounder caught by Richard Chapple weighing in at 2lb 1 1/2oz (second 2 pound flounder of season for Richard Chapple)
Combe Martin SAC member Rob Scoines enjoyed a short session in the Taw estuary landing five flounder to 1lb 6oz. Whilst many stop fishing the estuary after Christmas I suspect that good sport can be enjoyed for a few weeks yet with every chance of a large specimen full of roe prior to spawning.
Storm Diedre failed to keep members of Combe Martin Sea Angling Club from the shoreline to compete in their Christmas Competition. Mark Jones secured victory with a thornback ray of 10lb 7oz. The fish won him a voucher from https://cokerscreations.co.uk and choice of a secret Santa prize donated by members. In runner up spot was myself(Wayne Thomas) with a dogfish scaling 2lb 9oz and in third Dave Brooke with a bull huss of 7lb 9oz. Ross Stanway weighed in a small- eyed-ray of 7lb 2oz for forth. 1st-Mark Jones – thornback ray – 10lb 7oz 2nd– Wayne Thomas – dogfish – 2lb 9oz 3rd– Dave Brooke – bull huss – 7lb 9oz 4th– Ross Stanway – small-eyed-ray – 7lb 2oz 5th– Jack Phillips – dogfish – 2lb 6th– Jack Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 15oz 7th– Mark Jones – thornback ray – 6lb 15oz 8th– Jack Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 14oz 9th– Nick Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 14oz 10th– Dan Welch – flounder 1lb 3oz 11th– Nick Phillips – dogfish – 1lb 10oz
Fifty eight anglers lined the banks of the Torridge estuary to compete in Bideford Angling Clubs Christmas Competition last Sunday with twenty four flounder registered. The winning angler Owen Hare was a junior who landed a flounder of 1lb 71/2oz. Runner up was Stephen Found with a flounder of 1lb 63/4oz, third Darren Burslem with a flounder of 1lb 31/2oz and forth Robert Bowden with a flounder of 1lb 31/2oz. The club were very appreciative of the behind the scenes work of Paul and Lisa Downing and to the sponsors.
Barnstaple Triple Hook Clubs
Barnstaple Triple Hook Clubs Christmas Flounder Open attracted a field of fifty anglers all keen to secure a turkey dinner. The results were the best for many seasons with plenty of quality flounder weighed in. The top ten all recieved a turkey.
I have been reporting on these estuary flounder competitions for many seasons now and have often noted the contrast in the average size of flounder caught between the two estuaries. This year the results show a marked difference in fish sizes with the top ten flounder caught from the Taw in Triple Hook Clubs Open all bigger than the winning fish from the Torridge. Both rivers share many common characteristics yet seem to produce different sized flounder potential?
