Andrew Atkinson landed the biggest spurdog of the day at 15lb 6oz when Appledore Shipbuilders fished on John Barbeary’s Bluefin off Ilfracombe. The spurdog packs are still present in good numbers providing welcome sport.
Big Porbeagle on Reel Deal!
Dan Hawkins Charter Boat Reel Deal has arrived in Ilfracombe for the summer season and has got off to a flying start once again targetting the big porbeagle that hunt the waters off the North Cornish coast. On Thursday April 6th Mark Watts hooked a huge porbeagle estimated at 350lb and successfully brought the fish to the side of the boat where it was carefully released. The fish was tempted using Ammo mackerel and chum on a 10/0 owner hook.
More pictures and further details on this capture to follow later!
Bluefin – Spurdog season lingers on!
Holsworthy Sea Anglers enjoyed a great day on Bluefin with skipper John Barbeary out of Ilfracombe. This was the clubs last session on the spurdog this season. With Club Members Steve Dawe, Steven McDonald,Brian Hopcraft,Stuart Lockyer ,Graham Verral, Paul Smith, soon to be member John Doswell, and Paul Cozens. The boat went straight out to the spurdog mark this time as we picked a lot better tide and could stay there all day. The spurs started coming in thick and fast right away with John kicking it off with a cracking 19lber on mackerel. Everyone caught steady all day on squid and mackerel baits with equal amounts of spurs and doggies, a token conger to Graham Verral and a lonely bull huss to Paul Cozens.Graham Verral had the biggest club spur at 19lb and second highest bag of them with 20 in total, most spurs went to Steven McDonald who ended up with 25 on mackerel baits and a total between us of 115. The club thank John Barbeary for another good day at sea.
REEL DEAL CHARTERS – Comes to Ilfracombe
Spurdogs still showing off Ilfracombe
Pete Gregory enjoyed a good days sport on Bluefin with spurdog still showing with bull huss numbers increasing probably because they can now get to the bait before the ravenous pack of spurdog.
A brilliant days fishing out from ilfracombe with john barbery on board his boat the ” Bluefin ” . About twenty spurdogs landed as we are coming to the end of the season , so not as many as in previous trips , but the shortage of bull huss in previous trips was reversed with lots on this trip as the waters are beginning to warm up . Lots of dogfish as usual and a few congers to twenty pounds . It was suggested that if all six of us put in a fiver for the biggest fish caught this trip , something i tend not to get involved with on most trips which would give the winner a thirty pound pay out . Just as well as it ended with me winning which made the trip extremely cheap .
Spurdog on Bluefin
(Above)Andrew Atkinson with a fine specimen spurdog of 18lb.
Spurdog galore for the Happy Danglers
NICK SMITH REPORTS ON THE LATEST HAPPY DANGLERS TRIP OFF ILFRACOMBE
Well what a mixed day of fishing for it turned out to be for the Danglers, with frantic fishing for some and hard going for others. Plans were to hit the spurdogs aboard John Barbeary’s boat Blue Fin from Ilfracombe. As we steamed out into a mild swell and drizzle expectations were high, and with 3 of the 9 angler’s having never been after the spurs before, the old hands among us was were wondering if we hit the packs that John has found many times before would they keep up? Having reached the mark and with the anchor holding we all quickly got our baits, mostly squid and various fish baits to the bottom and it wasn’t to long before Paul Lorrimore hit into the first fish, a respectfull conger of around 20lb. A short while later Pete Gregory leaned into a tidy bite and landed what was to be the first of many double figure spurs, rods began to bend all over the boat. The fishing throughout the day was a tale of 2 trips, with the guys fishing along the sides finding the going hard work, although they all managed at least 3 – 5 spurs each with a few doggies and congers mixed in with those on the back having a frantic session with multi hook ups on many occaisons. Young Toby Bassett certainly being the guy on form, with quite often his bait finding fish as soon as he hit bottom. Though he did tangle my gear while I was playing a decent fish and jokingly said he was just fraying my braid, before my braid did break……obviously Toby got a bit of stick for the remainder of the trip but it was all just good banter as always with the lads. The 3 novices all got their PB’s with specimen spurs, with the largest spur of the day reaching 16lb and in total I would estimate at least 50 – 60 doubles were brought over the gunnels where they were swiftly unhooked and returned.
Holsworthy Sea Anglers- Enjoy top sport on “Bluefin”.
Many thanks to Paul Cozens for the report he posted on their club trip off Ilfracombe. A stunning conger and plenty of spurdog.
Holsworthy Sea Anglers enjoyed a great day afloat with skipper John Barbeary and crewman Paul on the Bluefin out of Ilfracombe. The ten anglers; Andrew Braunton, Robert Gould, Steve Dawe, Adrian Pett, James Pett, Brian Hopcraft, Stuart Lockyer, Graham Verral, Steven McDonald and Paul Cozens. After an hours stop close in for some doggies and a bonus 25lb conger for Adrian Pett they pushed out to the spurdog mark. Over went the mackerel and squid baits and it wasn’t long before they were hauling the spurs aboard along with a few bull huss to 12lb and a very welcome 45lb to 50lb conger for club eel specialist Steve Dawe. The spurdog fishing was frantic with the party losing track of the numbers caught with many of them over 15lb and best one going 17lb to Steve Dawe a new personal best. Steven McDonald had the most spurdog ending up with 14 of them!!
Paul Cozens stated that it was once again a great days fishing aboard Bluefin.
SLIPPERY AS AN EEL
Combe Martin SAC member Ross Stanway fished a rock mark near Ilfracombe and hooked a specimen conger weighing 22lb 8.5oz after carefully weighing the eel in a weigh sack it was time for a photo. The eel proved camera shy and took its opportunity upon being released from the weigh sack and in Ross’s words; “Took off like a Bob sleigh team down over the rocks.”
The eel was one of twelve eels caught with four of them over 10lb.
(Above) 10lb eel that posed for the camera!
Ilfracombe shore marks are producing conger, whiting, dogfish and occasional ray. Proceed with caution particular if fishing at Capstone one of North Devon’s most productive marks but also one with many dangers.
SPURDOG PACKS OFF ILFRACOMBE
John Barbeary’s Bluefin visited some of Johns proven local favourite marks to catch plenty of spurdog with the biggest 3 at 16lb all fish were double figure fish. Several hard fighting conger to 29lb wee also boated along with bull huss.
The cold grey and damp conditions were a stark contrast to the far off climes John had returned from after a well earned break from Ilfracombe chartering. The next few months should see offshore sport continue with spurdog, huss and conger dominating catches.
