Great gurnards making their autumn appearance

I managed to get amongst them this week, fishing out of Beer on Kim Aplin’s boat Sambe, a small Tub gurnard and a couple beautiful Red Gurnards.

Also fishing out of Beer, members of Honiton SAC had a great day with a good mixed bag of fish, including Bull Huss, Undulate Rays, Cuckoo Wrasse and Black Bream. The pick of the fish was Alan Decan’s Huss of 11lb 11oz and Richard Hills Undulate Ray of 10lbs. Tom Travers of the same club fished out of Lyme Regis, finding plenty of Black Bream and Bass.

The beaches are still throwing up summer species with a few of the winter species amongst them. A few small Whiting have been caught, good news for those who like as few for the table but they can be a nuisance when fishing for larger fish as they will strip the hooks of bait very quickly.

Chesil beach has produced a few Cod and a fish of 6lbs 12oz to the rod of Luke Bartlett and 5lbs 10 oz to Barry Hawkins. Newton Abbot’s Chris Wagstaff travelled to the Hinkley area of Bristol Channel searching for Rays and landed four Thornback to 5lbs 6oz, plus plenty of small Conger Eels to just over 10lbs.

Torquay charter boat Silver Halo has been targeting Bluefin Tuna as part of the CHART tagging programme, two fish have be successfully brought to the side of the boat tagged and swiftly released. Tuna have been spotted all along the south-west coast and can often be seen jumping out of the water in the process, an impressive sight.

Both Newbarn Angling centre and Spring Ponds continue to fish for the Carp but with cooler days it can be slower on occasions.

There is still time this to get your pictures and reports for the fish of the month competition, kindly sponsored by Sidewinder Lures and Newbarn Angling Centre. Please send them to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com

Chris Wagstaff 2 Thornback Rays (Image: John Sherlock)

Chris Wagstaff Conger Eel (Image: John Sherlock)

Richard Hill 10lbs Undulate Ray (Image: John Sherlock)

Alan Decan 11lbs 11oz Bull Huss (Image: John Sherlock)

Barry Hawkins 5lbs 10oz Cod (Image: John Sherlock)

Jamie-Leigh Morgan with a Tub Gurnard (Image: John Sherlock)

Tom Travers with a Bass (Image: John Sherlock)

Luke Bartlett 6lbs Cod (Image: John Sherlock)