Waters warming up for local anglers

Dare I say it, Spring seems to be in the air. Both sea anglers and Freshwater anglers have been catching fish that only appear once the water starts to warm up.

The water in Torbay has now hit 10 degrees, which seems to be s magical temperature. Firstly, in the sea, Gilthead Bream have started to make an appearance in our estuaries and the first good fish of the season fell to the rod of Brixham SAC’s Michael Head, a fish weighing in at 3lbs 2oz.

Plymouth’s Martin Larkin visited the South Hams, where he landed two fish in coloured water. The best reported fell to the rod of Steven Cain, a nice fish of 1lb 8oz who was fishing an East Devon Beach.

In freshwater, Carp are beginning to show in better numbers at Newbarn Angling Centre and Newton Abbot Fishing Association waters, where Andy Short and Matt Dore have both landed fish in reasonable numbers and in excess of 20lbs.

But the best of the early spring fish is a fine personal best Tench of 6lbs 2oz landed by Kevin Elliot from the Exeter Canal, a venue known for some great Tench fishing early in the season if you can find them in this vast water.

Back in the sea, Bull Huss and Conger Eels are still being caught in good numbers. Nicholas Chorlton landed a Huss estimated at around 10lbs before it was returned. Jamie Quinn and Mitch Ffloyd Reeby both had Congers from the Plymouth area, whilst Tristan Rowe landed a Ballan Wrasse of 3lbs 4oz from Hope’s Nose, Torquay.

Torbay and Babbacombe AS fished a Match at Burnham-on -Sea, where, out of eleven fishing, only two Thornbsack Rays were caught. A fish of 8lbs 13oz to Nick Best and 5lbs 10oz for Wayne Civil.

Silver Halo of Torquay has been out a couple of times and is finding some decent Pollack, as are the charter boats from Plymouth. Matt Fryer travelled to Ilfracombe, where he had a great day on the Spurdogs, catching plenty of fish in high double figures.

The latest round of the NAFA Wednesday Rover sweepstake was fished on Bradley Pond, where Mike Hadley took the honours with a bag of Bream and Skimmers giving a weight of19lbs 10oz, he also had the biggest Perch of 1lbs 2oz. Second was Gary Webber with 14lbs 6oz and third was Nigel Jeffrey with 6lbs 11oz.

There are some good fish here for our Fish of the Month competition kindly sponsored by Newbarn Farm and Sidewinder Lures. If you have something better, why not email in a picture and brief details of its capture to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com or you can find me on Facebook and send it by Messenger.