Appledore Shipbulider’s SAC Member Michael Toogood boated this magnificent tope of 58lb 12oz whilst fishing off the North Devon Coast.
Tope off Ilfracombe
Mike Spiller boated this fine 30lb tope whilst fishing off North Devons spectacular coast aboard Ilfracombe Charter Boat Bluefin Skippered by John Barbeary.
Specimens from the North Devon Shoreline
The last few weeks have seen sea anglers investing plenty of effort into unlocking the secrets that dwell within the deep and murky waters. When conditions come right windows of opportunity open and the fishing can be good as Combe Martin SAC members Ali Laird and Jamie Steward discovered when they enjoyed success fishing from the Rocky shoreline.
During a couple of hectic sessions they successfully landed tope, Bull Huss, spurdog and conger. The fish are pictured below.
It is easy to glance at these images and believe that the anglers make these sort of catches every trip. I can assure you that many trips result in little more than tackle tangling encounters with small conger and dogfish. On many occasions everything feels right and yet the better fish fail to show. I invest a moderate number of hours fishing the coast and my number one priority is to enjoy my fishing. I know that if I persist the right tide will come and my bait will be in the right place and hopefully my knots will hold and the fish will be held aloft for that pleasing trophy shot and another fishing memory in life’s bank of experiences.
Kyle Reaps the rewards of time and effort invested
Combe Martin SAC member Kyle Bishop has been rewarded for the effort and time he invests targeting big fish along the rocky North Devon Coast. These are just a few of the tope, huss and ray he has tempted. The best tope scaled 36lb and the best huss 11lb 6oz.
Shore Sport
Kody Chugg tempted this fine tope of 37lb whilst fishing a North Devon Shore Mark. The next few months of winter should see some of the years best specimens landed from our shoreline. Take care out there and don’t take risks. Good fishing often follows a big storm with the inshore waters stirred and food in abundance.
Big Tope For Kyle
Combe Martin SAC member Kyle Bishop tempted this fine specimen tope of 49lb from a North Devon shore mark earlier this Autumn. An indication of the dedication sometimes required to tempt such a fish Kyle commented that he has blanked on twenty five follow up trips.
Tope sport off Ilfracombe
Tope are providing good sport off Ilfracombe. This specimen was tempted from Bluefin skippered by John Barbeary.
Massive tope off Ilfracombe
Daniel Welch has boated a stunning tope of over 70lb whilst fishing from his Private boat out of Ilfracombe. The tope is one of the largest ever recorded from the area and should be considered the fish of a lifetime. The tope was tempted on a whole fresh pollock fished on a running ledger with a 300lb nylon trace and 10/0 hook. The tope was the highlight of a day that saw Dan boat pollock, bass, smoothound and bass.
Combe Martin SAC – Lyn Fish
Combe Martin SAC members caught plenty of fish in their rescheduled Lyn Fish competition with members fishing boat and shore.
Rob Scoines secured top spot with a fine specimen pouting of 1lb 15oz a species that is not as prolific as it once was in North Devon. ( “The local name for pouting was glower”)
Runner up in the competition was Dan Welch who fished from his Private boat with his friend Ross Stanway. Dan boated several specimens including a tope of 47lb and a bass of 8lb 12oz.
Dan and Ross also boated smoothound, Bull Huss and rockling.
Dan also targeted grey mullet during a short evening session and tempted a fine thick lipped grey mullet of 4lb 2oz
I was fishing with Rob when he caught his pouting; a session that provided a hectic few hours. During the four hour session we beached 13 Bull Huss to around 6lb, 3 dogfish,1 pollock, 1 conger and a bass.
A short lure fishing session from a shore mark on the final afternoon of the competition brought me three bass to 5lb 4oz.
Shore Caught tope – 47lb 13oz
Jamie Stewards efforts were rewarded when he landed this specimen shore caught tope of 47lb 13oz. Tope are one of the shore anglers greatest challenges and often require many hours of dedication to hook and land. The landing of such fish is often a team effort as in this case with Jamies good friend Chay Boggis lending a hand at the critical moment.