16 Jul 2017

CMSAC Species Hunt 2017 – Its getting harder!

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

John Shapland has a narrow lead in Combe Martin SAC’s Species Hunt with 25 species but concedes that its getting harder to add to the tally.

The thin lipped grey mullet above is a new PB for John.

Among Johns catches was this strange looking clingfish, his first of the species.

Daniel Welch is in runner up spot with 24 species.

In third place is Ross Stanway with 17 species

Fourth Rob Scoines with 12 species

(Above) Lee Holden with a spotted ray – Lee is currently fifth in the species Hunt with 11 species!

11 Jul 2017

Bass sport – Prospects good

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Kody Chugg tempted this bass of 4lb 6oz from a local rock mark using a whole squid presented on a pulley rig. The next couple of months should see plenty of bass caught along the coast to anglers using a wide variety of tactics. In recent seasons the number of bass tempted on lures has increased with double figure fish amongst them. There was a time when the general consensus was that big bass generally fell to bait this no longer holds true. Bass can be found over a huge range of venues with large specimens often moving into unsuspected areas under the cover of darkness. In these areas a degree of stealth can certainly pay dividends.

7 Jul 2017

Combe Martin SAC Species Hunt – Week 1

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Combe Martin SAC are holding a species Hunt between July 1st and September 3rd with the prizes to be presented at the clubs annual Fun Fishing Event. The event is sponsored by High Street Tackle Ilfracombe.

After the first week of the event numerous species have been caught from both boat and shore. The leader after one week is Daniel Welch with 11 species.

1st – Daniel Welch – 11 Species

2nd = John Shapland – 8 species Rob Scoines – 8 species

3rd – Louis Rooke – 6 species

4th – Ross Stanway – 5 species

5th -Wayne Thomas – 4 species

6th Lee Holden – 3 species

7th = Ali Laird – 2 species James Thomas – 2 species

Of course getting out fishing on these summer nights is a pleasure in itself with an extra incentive to hunt down the many species that swim off our coast. Image above courtesy of James Thomas.

3 Jul 2017

Sea Angling Results

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

APPLEDORE SHIPBUILDERS

Paul Downing won Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover with a fine undulate ray scaling 11lb 121/8oz.

Graham Snow took second and third with thin lipped grey mullet scaling 3lb 145/8oz and 2lb 143/8oz

The junior prize was won by Jack Pike with a smoothound of 6lb 121/2oz.

Appledore Shipbuilders annual away trip fishing for the Gordon Harrower Trophy was held on Plymouth Breakwater where the fishing proved more challenging than expected. James Atkinson secured top spot with a thick lipped grey mullet scaling 3lb 8oz. Runner up was Chris Slade with a conger of 15lb 8oz and third Michael Hammett with a dogfish of 2lb 61/2oz.

Dan Redmore took first in Bideford’s monthly Rover with a plaice of 3lb 6oz. In runner up spot was Paul Downing with an undulate ray of 11lb 121/8oz and Graham Snow was third with a thin-lipped mullet of 3lb 145/8oz and third was Andrew Clements with a grey mullet of 3lb 6oz. Forth went to Graham Snow with a mullet of 2lb 143/4oz and fifth to Steven Found with a mullet of 2lb 61/4oz.

COMBE MARTIN SAC’s Fish of the month competition was won by Dan Spearman with a smoothound scaling 12lb 14oz. Runner up was Ollie Passmore with a hound of 12lb 6oz and James Hunter third with a thin lipped mullet of 4lb 1oz.

22 Jun 2017

Take Care there is a sting!

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

I received this message from Matt Pengelly a friend of mine from deepest Cornwall. Don’t think I have ever seen a greater weaver caught from the North Devon shoreline. Your bound to tell me differently. CMSAC have not got a record for them. Take care when handling as these fish have a venomous sting similar to that of an adder bite!

Something that might interest you as a bit of an angling connoisseur! We’ve had a cracking run of big Weevers on the north coast over the last few days, a mate had a few to 1-7-8 last night and I sneaked a couple of hours tonight and had 4, with 2 of 1-6-12 and 1-8-4. Wanted one for many,many years. Great scrap on a bass rod!

12 Jun 2017

Ali Laird beaches a fine ray

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Ali Laird landed this superb small eyed ray weighing 9lb 7oz on a recent trip over the border to Somerset.

29 May 2017

Early Summer Sea Sport

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

The warm weather has seen sea anglers enjoying some fine sport from both beach and estuary with numerous specimen small eyed ray landed from marks in Somerset during daylight hours. In North Devon most ray are caught after dark as a result of water clarity. The waters East of Foreland Point are generally far more turbid encouraging fish to feed more readily in daylight.

The estuary is providing sport with bass and grey mullet. Recent years have seen gilthead bream caught on a regular basis a species that gives an awesome scrap when hooked on light tackle. Small crab and worm baits are favoured.

Dan Miles Redmore fished a Somerset beach to land four small eyed ray weighing 8lb,9lb 2oz,9lb 5oz 10lb 11oz( Pictured).

Cameron Atkinson landed a fine 4lb 5oz gilthead bream when he fished from a boat in the Taw and Torridge estuary.

8 May 2017

Latest Sea Reports

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Appledore Shipbuilders monthly Rover

James Atkinson won Appledore shipbuilders monthly Rover with a small eyed ray of 9lb 61/4oz. In second place was Richard Boone with a fine wrasse of 5lb 47/8oz and in third Andy Sanders with a thornback ray of 6lb 5oz.

Bideford Angling Club Monthly Rover

1st Antony smith thornback ray 9lb 5 1/2 103.819%

2nd Antony smith thornback ray 8lb 6 1/2 93.402%

3rd Dick Talbot smoothound 9lb 5 93.125%

4th Andy Sanders thornback ray 6lb 6 70.833%

4th Lee Watts dogfish 2lb 2 70.833%

5th Paul Downing thornback ray 5lb 15 65.972%

As the water starts to warm up wrasse should start to show along the North Devons rock marks. Combe Martin SAC member Ollie Passmore set out after the species and was rewarded with a nice fish of 3lb 6oz.

Bull huss continue to provide sport after dark when Ollie Passmore enjoyed success with a huss of 10lb 11oz. (Below)

Boat anglers are continuing to enjoy boat sport off Ilfracombe with several spurdog to 18lb brought aboard John Barbeary’s boat Bluefin. (Below)

16 Apr 2017

Plaice at home?

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

Ian Hooper fished a popular North Devon Mark to land this handsomely marked plaice tempted using king ragworm. He also landed small bass, whiting and smoothound. Whilst many anglers make the long trek to catch plaice from Chesil beach and other South Coast Beaches it is surprising what can be caught in our own waters here in North Devon. The use of smaller hooks and worm baits can bring a wide variety of species to the shore and who knows perhaps there are a few specimen plaice to be caught. I have heard eye witness accounts from divers seeing very large plaice off our coast. Perhaps we just need to adapt to unlock the secrets of the coast.

29 Jan 2017

LATEST SEA ANGLING NEWS

by Wayne Thomas | posted in: Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

There is still time to hook into a spurdog from shore marks all along the North Devon Coast and with things roughing up this week and evening tides and expect to get a few reports. Kevin Pike rose early at the weekend to tempt a fine spurdog of 10lb 4oz. Many thanks to Kevin for letting me use this excellent image.

Combe Martin SAC members fished their roving match at Clovelly on Saturday 28th January and it was Matt Jeffery who won the mixed brace competition with a plump dab of 11.5oz and a whiting of 1lb. The hoped for spurdog failed to materialize though Matt confided that something grabbed a whiting on his last cast of the night.