Mullet madness: late-summer challenge for local anglers

Late summer and early autumn is the time when anglers who love a challenge often target Mullet in our estuary systems.

There are two main species of Mullet and they are the Thick Lipped and the Thin Lipped with an occasional appearance of the Golden grey.

Thin Lipped are usually targeted with a spinner baited with ragworm whilst the Thick Lipped are fished for with bread. Fly fisherman have also discovered that these great sportfish give a great alternative to freshwater species.

Identification of the two species can be quite difficult for the novice angler but basically the Thick Lipped does have a thick protruding top lip, whilst the thin lipped has a small top lip and black spot at the base of the pectoral fin.

Brothers James and Barry Trevett fished an estuary to the east of our region targeting both species with the best specimen landed by James, a thin Lipped of 3lbs 9oz. Saleem Ali fished another estuary with his top fish being a 4lb 10oz thick Lipped which gave a tremendous fight in a strong tide.

Brixham Breakwater has been fishing very well of late with many local and visiting anglers fishing along its length.

Local angling family, the Coopers, dad Russel and his children Ava and Oliver have been fishing it regularly and finding plenty of Garfish, Mackerel and the odd Bass Bass also continue to be a target species from both boat and shore with John Bovey finding them on the Wreck and Tony White fishing into an easterlt winf finding them on his favourite lures.

Stuart Pikes and his charter boat Orca fishing inshore out of Beer had a rare catch for them last week in the form of s turbot Weighing 13lbs 4oz, this is a new boat record and was landed by David Holman.

Kennick Flyfishers association have just celebrated their 50th anniversary with an open day at their home reservoir on Dartmoor. I went along for a short while and it was great to see many members on hand to talk to visitors and give lesson to new or novice anglers on the bank.

Whilst I was there I saw about twenty people trying flyfishing for the first time. Kennick Reservoir is about 48 acres in size and situated on Dartmoor above Bovey Tracey and is run by the South West Lakes Trust. They stock the water regularly with fish around 2lbs in size with some larger specimens.

The Association operate the boats and they must be booked through them with strict safety procedures applying. Members of the association get discounted fishing on the reservoir as well as fishing many competitions at other venues around the South West.

Membership is a very reasonable £10 with an initial admin fee of £2.50. More information can be obtained by emailing tom Hendy on thendy@btinternet.com

Entries are still being taken for our fish of the Month competition kindly sponsored by Newbarn Farm angling Centre and sidewinder Lures. Please email your pictures to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com