Anglers reel in impressive smoothhounds

By John Sherlock

Smoothhounds seem to be the target fish this week with anglers fishing both from boat and shore for this hard-fighting species.

Monday saw a group from Honiton SAC fish aboard Mike Webber-Griffiths' boat Teddie Boy out of Minehead.

They had a busy day with lots of fish boated including four species of ray, dogfish, conger eels and smoothhounds.

However, two anglers were rewarded for their efforts in sticking to their guns and fishing crab baits with specimen smoothhounds.

James Trevett boated a fish of 18lbs but, not to be outdone, Tom Travers landed a specimen of 19lbs.

I fished the same boat the following day but the smoothhounds were difficult to find but again the ray fishing was superb.

Also from Honiton SAC, Steve Shorter fished out of Beer aboard Stewart Pike's boat Orca and he also connected with smoothounds to 8lbs 9oz as well as a fine small-eyed ray of 8lbs 10oz falling to fresh mackerel strip fished on a long-flowing trace.

From the shore, Chris Wagstaff fished to the east of the region and Samuel Maule from the South Hams both landed smoothounds.

The beaches are producing some mackerel and bass in the evenings especially to jigs and soft plastic lures. The estuaries are giving up a few gilthead bream although I have not heard of any large ones yet.

A date for the diary is Friday, September 1, which is the Seaton Carnival beach fishing competition. Sign-on at the Spot On kiosk from 6pm and fishing from 7pm to 11pm, entry is £5 with juniors £1.

Simon Fisher fished Island Pond in Newton Abbot AA’s Rackerhayes complex, landing several carp to 29lbs 2oz as well as plenty of good-sized tench.

The Tackle Trader Evening League, also at Rackerhayes, latest round was won by Sam Powell with a weight of 47lbs 6oz, Adam Gilpin and Andy Coxall took the next two places with weight of 45lbs 6oz and 42lbs 8oz respectively.

Spring Ponds' latest match was won by Jason Fay with a fantastic weight of 66lbs 4oz from peg 8 using pellets on the long pole in the margins of the far bank. Dean Bradford took second place with 44lbs 7oz and Paul Blake third with 27lbs 14oz.

There will be evening matches at this venue starting on June 6, with draw at 5pm and fishing from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, entry is £15 and the payout will depend on numbers. For more details, call or text 07563 996 496.

Email photos and catch reports for our Fish of the Month Competition, kindly sponsored by Sidewinder Lures and Carp a Diem Baits, to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com