Small is just as beautiful in the fishing world

Fishing isn’t always about catching big fish or even great numbers of fish.
After my previous exertions boat fishing at three different venues around the South West, I fished a short early evening session at Newbarn Angling Centre’s Willow Pool with Tony Fordham where we tried several methods to catch the smaller carp that inhabit it.
Tony was successful with hair rigged banoffee boilies, landing a couple of Carp up to about 5lbs. I opted for a method feeder and banded monster crab pellet, which only caught me the one fish, a small but pretty crucian Carp, a fish I don’t see very often but was totally over the moon with. It was a great few hours in beautiful surroundings.
On the boats this week, Shaun Pedley took his charter boat Our Joe’l out from Paignton with his anglers finding plenty of medium sized Pollack on the wrecks, Ivan Southway landed a surprise Tub Gurnard weighing in at a magnificent 6lbs 4oz.
Stuart Pike took his boat Orca out from Beer with a group from Beer Angling Club where they found nine species during the day, including a Ballan wrasse for Richard Westlake and a Pollack and Poor Cod triple hook up for Nigel Derne.
On the private boats, Paul Millman fished the skerries Banks and found the Smoothhounds eager to take the bait, he boated a superb fish of 16lbs 4oz.
Honiton SAC member Dan Heap fished an East Devon shore mark for the Smoothhounds finding a few decent fish. Bass are being taken on both lures and baits around the coast and in the estuaries at present, with night being the most productive time.
Mike Stone and Bill Hand took a trip to Roadford Reservoir this week in search of the resident Brown Trout, finding fish up to 5lbs.
Please remember our fish of the month competition where the prize is either a pack from Sidewinder Lures or a 24-hour fishing ticket from Newbarn Angling Centre, send your pictures and reports to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com.