11/10/2025 - Back scratching on the pier

Our second lads' trip down to North Devon came around very quickly. Doesn't seem that long since we were down in May and it was the same hardcore group of ageing hedonists that made their way back down the M5 once more, cars loaded up with surfboards, paddleboards, golf clubs and fishing tackle. 

The weather on arrival was extremely pleasant and after unloading all the gear into the bungalow we were off down the beach, some of us to make the best of a small, but surfable wave and others to have a stomp in the direction of Crow Point and back. The following morning I was up before first light and on the road up to Ilfracombe for a dabble off the pier. Was a bit of a gloomy morning and I had to wait until about 7.30 before it was really light enough to see what I was doing. With about 2 hours to high tide, the bottom deck was already flooded but with nobody else there I had my pick of the spots up on the top, so headed to my usual "pouting hole". Had been unable to get any fresh worm locally but had a mackerel fillet and some raw king prawns from Lidl as adequate back-up baits. 

Tackled up with my usual scratching rig, a mini two hook flapper with size 14 Kamasan Animals. Baited up with a slither of mackerel belly on the top and a chunk of prawn on the bottom and dropped it down the side of the wall. Ilfracombe can be a bit fickle at times but it has thrown up some unusual species for me, notably my first topknot and a Connemara clingfish. 

Sport this time last year had been particularly fast and furious, so I was a bit disappointed not to get an instant bite as soon as the lead hit the bottom. In fact it was probably a full five minutes before I had a rattle on the rod tip resulting in the first fish of the morning, a rock goby. Next few drops down produced three different members of the cod squad - pollack, pouting and poor cod. 

However, it was pretty slow compared to last visit and I quickly moved onto the next little bay between the wooden mooring posts in an attempt to find the fish. Had another rock goby and a couple of pollack before hooking something much bigger, probably one of the resident wrasse, that immediately stitched me up in the weed. However, managed to land a smaller consolation ballan wrasse a few casts later before spotting a bait ball of small fry being scattered by something bigger from below. 

Dropping the rig through the shoal I immediately had another pollack on the drop on the mackerel belly strip, followed by a sand smelt. Quickly added several of the latter by just jigging the rig a couple of feet below the surface before the shoal moved off and it went quiet again.

Had put two hours on the parking ticket and with about fifteen minutes left the pouting finally decided to appear in numbers and I had half a dozen in rapid succession before I had to call it a day and get back to Saunton. A few other anglers had turned up by this stage, including a mum with her teenage son and a dad with his three young boys, which was not only good to see but also meant that there were some willing recipients for my un-used bait other than the greedy herring gulls. Got back in time to walk over to The Rock at Georgeham with the others for a couple of pints before rounding off the day with an excellent supper at Squires in Braunton - £15 for cod, unlimited chips, a side and a drink - what's not to like about that? 

17/09/2025 - Need to get my mojo working!

Suffice to say that I have had little or no enthusiasm to go fishing recently. Work has been particularly shite and has been sapping my energy, whilst life in general seems to be stuck in fast forward and I just seem to be hurtling from one day to the next. However, the first of two annual trips with friends down to North Devon offered some respite and a chance to break the cycle. 

The drive down on Friday was thankfully smooth and interrupted - an increasingly rare event on our over-crowded motorway network - and we were all safely installed in the bungalow by mid-afternoon. Rest of the day was spent catching up and celebrating my friend Craig's birthday with a home-made, three course, Italian meal washed down with plenty of beer and red wine. Was still feeling the effects when I snuck off early the following morning at first light and headed the short distance up to Ilfracombe for a couple of hours with the LRF gear. Pulled into the carpark overlooking the pier as the sun was coming up over the far headland and lighting up Verity. Could see that there was an angler already on the lower deck, so got my stuff out the boot and wandered down for a chat. 

Turned out he was targeting wrasse, fishing a whole, cooked prawn on a Texas rig straight down the side. Dropped in a bit further along and was amazed by the clarity of the water, probably the clearest I'd ever seen it. Got tackled up, baited up my mini two-hook flapper with bits of salted ragworm and dropped it down to the bottom. Had to wait a bit before I started to get some interest, however, my first positive bite resulted in a small, long-spined sea scorpion. Had a much larger one a few minutes later, but it was soon obvious that it was going to be slow going, unlike in October when it had been a fish a cast. There was decent swell pushing into the bay and as the tide came in it wasn't long before the waves started breaching the lower deck, pushing both of us up onto the steps and up onto the top level. 

My fellow angler left at this stage to try the rock ledges on the other side of the car park, whilst I dropped my rig down into my "pouting hole". Got a rattle on the rod tip straight away, but it wasn't a pouting but a poor cod that had snaffled the bait. Had another one soon after, followed by a tiny tompot blenny. Moved into the next "bay" between the pilings and had a pollack almost immediately. However, after no further interest I was soon back in the pouting hole. 

However, again it was a different species - a female corkwing wrasse - that took the ragworm on the bottom hook. My companion from earlier returned at this point and showed me a picture of a nice, orange ballan wrasse of about 3lb that he'd caught before being pushed off the rocks by the incoming tide. Had another corkwing whilst we continued to chat and look at some more photos of his previous captures but, despite the sun, the wind had really started to cut through me (it had only been 4 degrees Centigrade when I'd left the bugalow earlier!) so when my new friend headed off I decided to do the same. Have found that this time of year can be very hit and miss, having blanked completely on occasion.

Was therefore pleased to have had a few fish, not least so I had something to report upon my return to the bungalow. Hopefully on the bass next.

05/10/2024 - Ilfracombe part I (what a load of pollocks!)

As expected the rain put paid to any further sessions on the rivers so my left-over maggots went out on the lawn to feed the birds instead. Next opportunity to wet a line was our second Old Boys trip of the year down to Saunton. 

Weather forecast wasn't brilliant - very mixed, some heavy rain but above all very windy. However, nothing ventured nothing gained, so a selection of fishing tackle went in the car, including my LRF and bass lure gear, the latter with a view to possibly meeting up with Joel Squires for a session on the estuary again. Picked up friend Ken from Bridgewater on way down, arriving in Saunton mid-afternoon to find the others already settled in and the "bar" open, so joined in with a few beers and had a much-needed catch up. As is customary, Friday night is curry night, my contribution being a spinach and paneer butter masala, which we had with roasted vegetable madras, dhal, bombay potato, rice, naan and poppadoms. 

It was therefore a bit of struggle when the alarm went off at 0630 hrs the following morning, but after a quick coffee I was off up to Ilfracombe to fish a couple of hours either side of high water. Had brought some squid and mackerel with me, but popped into Lidl for some raw prawns as well. Got down to the pier as the sun was just creeping over the headland to find two anglers already installed on the top deck with three rods out apiece. The lower deck was already flooded by the incoming tide, so it didn't leave many options but after a quick chat they were happy for me to slot in next to them. Got set up with my usual two hook mini-flapper, alternating a small piece of prawn or mackerel on the bottom and a strip of squid on the top.

Dropped it down between the wooden posts, feeling the dropshot lead down until it just touched bottom. Didn't have to wait long before I had my first rattle followed by a confident pull down on the rod tip, the culprit being a poor cod that had taken the squid strip. Next drop down it was the squid again that accounted for a hand-sized pollock. After that nothing else was able to get a look in, because it was just pollock after pollock. The little spot in front of me must have been thick with them as sometimes the bait didn't even reach the bottom before it was intercepted in mid-water. Had got few under my belt when I struck into something that caused my rod to hoop over before the 5lb hooklink gave way. 

This happened three times during the session, the prawn on the bottom hook being taken each time. Therefore guessed that a decent, resident wrasse was responsible. Had turned into a fantastic, sunny morning and Verity was now lit up in all her glory. Another five anglers had also arrived to my right by now, all chucking leads or float rigs to the horizon whilst I carried on winkling out fish from under my feet. In fact the only other fish I saw caught the whole two hours I was there was a mackerel that one of the chaps to my right found unknowingly attached to his rig when he wound in to rebait! Packed up just before my parking ticket ran out, having caught 34 pollock, one poor cod and a single, small ballan wrasse that came right at the death. 

A decent session in terms of numbers, but a bit more variety would have been welcome. On to the next one...

12/05/2024 - A new species and a new venue

Haven't a clue where April went but at least some planned trips in May promised a few fishing opportunities. The first of these was the regular lads' weekend in Saunton Sands in North Devon and whilst the tides weren't ideal I threw some bits and bobs of tackle in the car to try and cover a few different eventualities. 

Early Saturday morning saw me heading to Ilfracombe pier in search of some mini-species. I arrived as the sun was rising above the headland, bathing Verity in golden morning light. The flood tide had already breached the lower part of the pier, so I started fishing from the steps to the upper deck. I'd brought two rods with me and started by throwing out a small metal jig in the hope of a pollack or an early mackerel. Half an hour later and fishless I switched to the other rod and dropped a mini two hook flapper baited with bits of salted rag down the side of one of the wooden pilings. Had to wait a few minutes for my first proper bite, resulting in a scrappy little ballan wrasse. 

Added a small rock goby before I was pushed onto the upper deck. However, bites continued to be slow in coming and I was on the verge of giving up when the tip jagged over and I lifted into what I thought was a snag, but with a bit of pressure the culprit came free and was brought up to the surface with little resistance. Was stunned when I swung it to hand to see it was a topknot, a real prize in LRF circles. Fairly common, but rarely caught, they are a proper little ambush predator. Perfectly camouflaged they are able to cling to vertical surfaces and even upside down on overhanging rocks and on the inside of caves, waiting to suck in any passing small fish and crustaceans with their exendable mouths. Took a quick photo and popped him back into his lair, allowing myself a quick fist pump in celebration. Carried on for a bit longer but didn't catch anything else. Not that I really cared as that ugly, but wacky little fish had made my morning! 

Got back in time to join the others in our coustomary walk over to Georgeham for a drink at The Rock. When we got back there was still a couple of hours to kill before dinner, so I hopped into the car and headed into Braunton for a quick session after the prolific, wild brownies that frequent the River Caen thaat runs throught the town. Fishing with just a small worm on a size 14, 0.5 gram jighead I dropped in at the fish ladder and made my way slowly upstream, flicking the baited hook into any likely spots whilst trying to avoiding the various bits of urban "furniture" as I went. As usual I had plenty of interest from the off, mostly from tiny little trout that pursued and nipped at the worm as it drifted downstream, causing me to curse as I missed bite after bite. 

However, every so often one of their bigger brethren managed to get a look in and by the time allotted time was up I'd managed to land a dozen, colourful spotties. Would have liked to have stayed longer, but the day was roundly off nicely with a huge fish supper at Squires instead. No fishing the following morning. Instead we got the paddleboards out and paddled from Crow Point, up the estuary and then all the way up the tidal part of the Caen to Velator Quay. Unfortunately, when we turned round to go back we found that the breeze had strengthened significantly and we had to battle against a headwind for most of the return journey. Was therefore a bit knackered when we eventually got back to the chalet, so after lunch most of us retired to our beds for a nap! 

Weather took a turn for the worst on Monday, coming in wet and windy, so we didn't hang about and were soon packed up and on our way home. However, after dropping my friend off in Bridgwater I decided to go and have a look at Portishead Marina, which is only about ten minutes from junction 19 of the M5. The venue had cropped up in a few videos on YouTube and there was definitely potential for a couple of different species I'd not had before, such as grey gurnard. 

When I arrived it was still very grey and gloomy, but at least the rain had eased of, so I grabbed the dropshot rod and some salted rag and went for a wander. Was surprised to see that the water quality wasn't that bad seeing as the marina is fed directly by the muddy Bristol Channel. The crabbing platform at the deep end of the marina looked to be a popular spot in the vidoes but it was locked off, so I carried on walking round until I spotted a chap sat float fishing with bread for mullet. Had a quick chat (always after local knowledge!) and it seemed that there was potential for basically anything to swim through the lock gates from the Channel, including bass, pollack, flounders and even gilthead bream. 

Walked on a bit further, eventually stopping near the main slipway. Dropping my rig down the side of the wall I soon started to get little rattles on the rod tip and after a couple of minutes I had my first fish, a fat rock goby. Added a couple more before landing a male black goby with his extravagant, sail-like dorsal fin. After catching half a dozen of each I upped sticks and headed down to the shallow end. There were plenty of small fish about in the margins, possibly bass fry or sand smelt, but rather than try for them I opted to try the small, stone pier on the far side of the marina. However, I couldn't tempt anything else and I was getting a bit twitchy about being stuck on the motorway at rush hour, so headed back to the car. 

An interesting venue and one I would definitely try again, although preferably when the sun is shining! Exmouth next weekend so more mini-species potential, tides permitting.

07/10/2023 - Return to Ilfracombe

Hot on the heels of our visit to Cornwall it was time for the second of our bi-annual trips to Saunton Sands in North Devon - good job we have understanding wives and partners, although I suspect that they are glad to get rid of us for a bit to be honest! 

As usual I'd been keeping an eye on the weather and tides and had packed some fishing tackle accordingly. Early Saturday morning I therefore headed up to Ilfracombe hoping to catch a few mini-species. The sun hadn't yet risen over the headland when I pulled up in the car park under the imposing gaze of Verity. However, I could see that there was already another angler set up on the end of the lower landing of the pier, so I made my way down and set up at the bottom of the steps to the upper deck. Tackled up the Rock Rover with my usual mini-two hook flapper consisting of size 10 wormer hooks baited up with sections of leftover ragworm that I'd salted down in Wales. 

Dropped this down down the side of one of the wooden pilings and didn't have to wait long before I started getting some aggressive taps on the rod tip. After a couple of minutes I hooked into my first fish of the morning - a female corkwing wrasse. 

The bites continued to come thick and fast and over the next hour I added several more species to the list, including pollack, poor cod, rock goby, common blenny and ballan wrasse.

 

By now the occasional larger wave had started to wash over the end of the lower deck, so my fishing companion had wordlessly moved his gear to the steps above me. However, he became a bit more chatty after he dropped his bait elastic in the drink and I rescued it with my long-handled landing net. 

He'd been fishing since 3 o'clock and showed me some pictures of some decent pollack that he'd had along with some strap conger and a single mackerel on feathers. The latter had been cut into strips that were now bobbing around under a couple of floats in the hope of a garfish. Moved up onto the upper deck myself in order to avoid wet feet and first drop down between two of the pilings I had an aggressive bite almost as soon as the lead hit the bottom. 

This resulted in another species - a lovely coloured pouting. Quickly had a three more, followed by species number eight - a tompot blenny. Unfortunately, having just discovered this little honey hole I was approached by a crew member from the Lundy Island ferry and politely asked to move so they could adjust the mooring ropes. 

When they susbequently fired up the bow thrusters and turned the water below into a boiling vortex I decided to call it a day. I'd rattled through all of my rag by now anyway and was using a bit of squid that I'd cadged off my new friend, who had also added to his tally with two small garfish. 

Armed with that knowledge I returned at  first light the following morning with some small metal lures in the hope of snagging one, or  even a late mackerel, for myself. In contrast to the previous day the morning temperature was barely into double figures, requiring me to pull on my quilted jacket. Despite this there were again a couple of anglers already set up at the end of the lower deck. However, this still gave me plenty of water to cover with the lures. Decided to hedge my bets and tied on a trace with two micro-sabikis and clipped a 7g Major Craft jigpara slim on the end. Started off by casting parallel to the pier, letting the lure hit bottom and the retrieving it close to the structure. 

Had a few pollack this way early on, but when the sun rose over the headland they seemed to disappear, so I started casting out into the bay and retrieving the lure close to the surface. Had done this a few times when I felt knocking and banging on rod tip and as I drew the lure closer I could see a garfish snaking behind it in the clear water before it veered off. A couple of casts later I felt a few knocks again before the line tightened and I was into a gar, albeit a lot smaller than the one I'd seen tailing the lure earlier. Carried on a bit longer, but as quickly as they had appeared the garfish seemed to have moved on, so packed up and headed back to join the others for breakfast leaving the pier now bathed in full sunshine. Was happy with nine species as there have been times when I've caught bugger all! However, the oddities that Ilfracombe throws up, such as leopard spotted gobies and clingfish, still elude me. 

Hopefully I'll be able to keep going for as long as Verity continues to oversee things, which will be for next nine years at least!

08/10/2022 - A brief Devon dalliance

Headed down to Saunton at the weekend for our twice-yearly surfing trip, although the advancing ages of all involved mean that, unless conditions are absolutely bang-on perfect, the surfing is often replaced by other activities, such as walking, golf (God forbid!) and of course fishing. 

On this occasion I was keen to catch another bass or two, so had packed the lure rod again along with the usual LRF gear. Had a walk down the beach upon arrival to check the conditions (blown out mush!) then went on the scrounge along the high tide line for any free fishing tackle, but picked up a ball of sundry rope, nylon and twine discarded by the commercial boys instead. Following morning I was out early and first in the queue for the gate on the toll road down to Crow Point to be opened. Had rather unwisely packed my neoprene chest waders and by the time I had struggled through the dunes to emerge on the estuary I was already sweating cobs. However, it was a worth it as there was not another soul in sight, - only me, the egrets, oyster catchers and waders of various description. 

The tide was already racing out exposing the rocks and mussel beds despite it being only a couple of hours into the ebb, so put on a baby Patchinko  and spent the next hour or so following the tide and working the surface lure in amongst the rock gullies as they emptied out into the main channel. Looked back over my shoulder at one point and was surprised how far I had gone - it almost felt as if I could touch Appledore on the other side of the estuary with the tip of my rod! 

Slowly made my way back to the shore and then walked up to the river mouth where the current was ripping along the near bank. Took the Patchinko off and then spent another hour swinging and bumping soft plastics along the bottom. By this time the constant casting and "high-sticking" was playing havoc with my tennis elbow, so I reluctantly resolved myself to a blank. Took some comfort in that the two anglers moored up in boats nearby and the commercial hand-liner zig-zagging backwards and forwards across the estuary had also failed to catch anything either. Made the long walk back along the beach - I covered 8 kilometres in total, and felt like I'd lost about a stone in sweat by the time I reached the car! 

Back at the bungalow the others were proposing a trip into Ilfracombe, so after a quick shower we were off again. Left the majority to trawl around the tat shops whilst my friend James and I wandered down to the harbour. Unlike the bliss and solitude of the estuary earlier it was absolute carnage! The tide was already coming in over the lower deck of the pier, so the upper deck was completely rammed with noddies with rods and lines all over the place. Was minded to go and get a pint instead, but James persuaded me to get the LRF gear and we squeezed into the one available gap. Fished a mini two hook flapper made up with size 16 Drennan widegapes and baited with small pieces of salted ragworm left over from the summer. 

Dropping the rig down the wall resulted in bites straight away and alternating the rod between us we soon built up a respectable tally of sand smelt, pollack, ballan wrasse, rock gobies and shannies - much to the amusement of an elderly couple that stood watching us, but less so for everybody else who were catching bugger all. A very canny cormorant was patrolling close to the bottom of the wall for an easy meal and caused James to lose the best fish of the day as he popped up at our feet just as James was bringing the fish (probably a wrasse) to the surface. In the time it took me to scare him off the fish had found the sanctuary of a snag and was gone. By the time the others eventually rocked up with their tat shop bounty the odd wave had started breaking over the upper deck, so called it a day. 

Not what I was hoping for, but at least it wasn't a blank and the cod & chips at Squires in Braunton later that evening was top drawer as usual.

Roll on next May when we are back again!