Worst week ever for South Devon anglers

In four years of writing this column, this must be the worst week for catches that I have seen.

Strong onshore Easterly winds seem to have put the fish off feeding, other than the Bass. They seem not to have been told that, due to conservation measures, there is a ban on keeping them.

All Bass captured this week were swiftly returned to the water after a quick photograph. David Mordecai somehow managed to get afloat on a private boat and landed a Bass around 5lbs in weight. He was drift fishing using a Sidewinder Skerries Eel in cotton candy colours to tempt his fish successfully.

Bait anglers also fared reasonably well, with Graham Brinn landing his first ever Bass, a fish of around 1.5lbs, while Lee Kelland, fishing at Dawlish, tempted one to feed with a Mackerel strip bait. Keith Luscombe also had a fish of around 5lbs near Plymouth

Gary Phippard, who is an exponent of LRF fishing, had some mini species, including an unusual Two-Spotted Goby, a first for this column.

For those who have never tried LRF fishing, it is great fun using rods with a casting weight from 0 to about 12 grams matched with a 1000 sized fixed spool reel and 6 -8lbs breaking strain braid with a fluorocarbon leader.

Bait is usually a small lure or an artificial bait such as Isome. A small piece of fish or worm may also be used. There are well in excess of 30 species that can be targeted with this method around our coast. Places to fish are around rock pools, rocks, piers and harbours, many fish can be landed in a single session.

Newton Abott fishing Association members have continued with matches this week, the Wednesday Rover Sweepstake was fished at Wapperwell with the winner being James Hamon with a weight of 10lbs 3oz, second was Nigel Jeffrey with 6lbs 12oz and third was Gary Webber with 6lbs 4oz.

The Bradley Pond Saturday league was won by Sam Powell with 16lbs 11oz, Gary Webber second with 11lbs 4oz and Mark Cousins third with 10lbs 5oz. The pool money for the biggest Perch went to Gary Webber, whose fish weighed 1lb 6oz.

Following on from my Flyfishing piece of last week, there is the Roadford Flyfishing Fair this coming Sunday, where there are many demonstrations, displays and plenty of advice, maybe even a chance to have a go yourself. Entry is £7 in advance from SW lakes website or £10 on the door.

Don’t forget there is still a chance to win a prize in our Fish of the month Competition for March. Kindly sponsored by Newbarn Angling Centre and Sidewinder Lures. Pleas email your pictures to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com