The joy of sea angling in the sun

Sea anglers are loving this settled spell of weather and are getting out and about finding plenty of summer species.

Honiton SAC held their latest match at Seaton with 24 anglers setting up on the beach to fish a hard-fought match with fish being caught steadily throughout the whole eight hours. Top rod on the night was Colin Berry with a magnificent 399.3%, the best Smoothhound weighed 9lbs1oz and was landed by Liam Harttnell.

Other fish caught were Dogfish, Smalleyed Rays, Conger Eels, Gurnards, Ballan Wrasse, Mackerel and an Undulate Ray.

Exmouth SAC have being doing well on their local beaches with plenty of Bass showing, along with Smoothhounds. Junior angler Reid Trevett of Sidmouth fished with his Dad on a local beach and landed his first Smoothhound, a fish of 5lbs 9oz. Having seen the video, I don’t know who was more excited, him or his dad. Well done young man.

Torquay’s Aaron Colhoun hit a north coast beach and soon found that he hadn’t lost his touch by landing a nice Smalleyed Ray.

Torquay charter boat has been hitting the wreck and with the light winds and small tides, conditions have been right to fish with slow pitch jigs, a method that can produce some very good fish and indeed has found plenty of medium-sized pollack.

If you have never tried this method of fishing, then this is the boat to go to as the Skipper Matt can provide all the gear you need and give excellent tuition.

The boats fishing out of Beer are really lucky in that they have an abundance of mixed ground not far from home and can target specific fish on different marks and even hold species competitions on the mixed ground with many species being present. With this kind of mixed ground you can never be sure what fish will turn up next.

This week it was the turn of a fantastic Tub Gurnard weighing 5lbs 5oz falling to the rod of Michael Peel aboard Stuart Pikes boat Orca.

Sometimes the fishing gods are with you, and this week it was my turn to have them on my side. I was fishing aboard Tom Greasty’s boat San Gina 2 out of Swanage when my bait was picked up by a new personal best Tope weighing 41lbs, which was boated after a hard battle, photographed and quickly returned to the water.

Carp fishing has been quiet this week with many waters closed for spawning, however Brixham SAC member Ricky Keeling returned to his freshwater roots and fished an undisclosed water landing a fine Mirror Carp of 3olbs.

There is still time to enter our fish of the month competition kindly sponsored by Newbarn Angling centre and Sidewinder Lures. Please email photos and catch reports to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com