ANGLING

Wayne Thomas

ONE of the largest congers caught from the North Devon shoreline has been landed by Julian Stainer.

The huge eel is thought to be the biggest conger caught from our coast in the last 30 years.

It weighed 38lb and succumbed to a cocktail bait of bluey and dirty squid presented on a pennel rig comprising two 6/0 hooks and a hook length of 250lb b.s mono.

Fishing from a rock mark pounded by a huge sea, the fish was landed with the assistance of Kevin Legge who carefully chose his moment to lift the fish from the water.

The catch won the latest heat of the North Devon League for Stainer, of Barnstaple's Triple Hook Club.

Dave Brooke, of Combe Martin Sea Angling Club (SAC), was runner-up with a bull huss of 11lb 10½oz. Simon Sylvester, of Rod 'n' Reelers B, was third with a rockling of 1lb 2½oz.

Phil Vanstone, of Bideford Angling Club, also landed a huge eel, scaling 36lb 2oz, from a North Devon mark.

Conger eels are the subject of many tales of the one that got away – offering anglers a fleeting glimpse of a swirling serpent in the night.

Strong tackle is essential if these powerful fish are to be subdued.

It is surely only a matter of time before someone lands a 40lb-plus eel from the North Devon coast.

A trawler off Hartland landed a mighty eel of more than 80lb and eels of well over 100lb are hooked from south coast wrecks each year.

The British shore-caught record is a mighty eel of 68lb 8oz, caught from Devil's Point in Plymouth.

Simon Sylvester, of Combe Martin SAC, landed a spotted ray of 4lb 7oz while fishing from an Ilfracombe shore mark.

Club-mate Legge also landed a specimen small-eyed ray of 10lb 2oz.

Graham Curnow secured victory in Bideford Angling Club's 24-hour rover with a whiting scaling 15¾oz.

Ilfracombe Match Group's Champion of Champions fixture at Legge Farm Fishery, near Hatherleigh, saw the 18 competitors endure a cold day beside the water.

Nielson Jeffery was the winner with a bag of carp totalling 40lb 6oz, beating Andy Gray's mixed bag of 22lb 2oz. Gray also took the silvers bag with 11lb.

Peter Slade was third with 15lb 7oz of carp and skimmers.

In the club's monthly match, fished at the same time, Daniel Underwood split the two top champions with a bag of 25lb 9oz.

Peter Slade won the group's match at Mill Pond with 30lb 14oz taken on the pole and pellet. The bag also clinched the silvers prize with 23lb 9oz.

Gray was second with 30lb 1oz of skimmers taken on quiver-tipped maggot; Jeffery was third with 25lb 13oz; John Lisle fourth on 19lb 8oz; and Kevin Wilton fifth with 19lb 6oz.

The club's next match is at Slade Reservoir on Sunday, February 5.

Milder weather has encouraged fish to feed at Furzebray Carp Lakes, near South Molton, with several of 20lb-plus banked.

Jez Stephenson landed the best of recent weeks – a fine mirror known as Blackspot, scaling 27lb 8oz.

He also caught carp of 22lb 3oz, 16lb 8oz and 14lb.

Dan Coffey landed a brace of ghost carp, the best of which weighed 20lb 4oz.

Martin Cox had six carp to 23lb, while a first-time visitor from Bristol landed a 27lb 7oz mirror.

Trout sport is good at all local stillwaters. At Simpson Valley, Paul Harris took 18 trout from Skylark on a catch-and-release ticket, the best a stunning rainbow of 7lb 11oz.

Cat's whiskers and green damsels are proving successful patterns.

West Country anglers can enter a new competition this year with the launch of the Airflo World Bank Masters.

Two heats are to be held at Exe Valley Fishery on the weekend of March 3 and 4. For full details visit www. nickhartflyfishing.com

Diary dates

Sunday: Wistlandpound Flyfishing Club Winter Challenge, Blakewell Fishery.

Wednesday: Combe Martin SAC slideshow, Braunton Cricket Club, 7pm.