Anglers honour Trevor Telling with memorial competition at Wimbleball
Twenty-five keen fly anglers fished at Wimbleball Reservoir in a memorial competition to celebrate the life of Trevor Telling, who greeted anglers at the reservoir for several years as he organised the fishing boats on a daily basis.
Trevor was a very well-liked and respected member of the Wimbleball Fishery team, giving valuable advice to visiting anglers and inspiring them with his positive and friendly demeanour.
His widow, Karen, delivered a heart-warming thank you to all who attended. The money raised is to be shared between two charities: Hospice Care and South West Fishing For Life.
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Martin Williams won the competition, catching eight rainbow trout. Andrew Hall won the bank section with two trout. Most of the competitors caught trout, with the biggest of the day estimated at 7lb.
The competition is set to become a popular event on Wimbleball’s annual fixture list.
Derek Spears fished at Wistlandpound Reservoir and banked a stunning brown trout of 2lb. The lightly fished venue holds a good head of wild brown trout that have the potential to grow large, feasting on the prolific numbers of rudd fry that now populate the reservoir.
Heavy rain over the weekend has swelled the region’s rivers, bringing hope of a run of salmon to save what has been a lacklustre season, with very few salmon caught on all of North Devon ’s rivers.
On the coast, tuna have been sighted close to North Devon’s shoreline for the second consecutive year. These huge game fish are now prolific off the South Coast, and it is hoped that future seasons will see a big game fishery operating out of Ilfracombe, a port that has already established a reputation for shark fishing in addition to the well-established offshore fishing for tope, bass, pollock, conger, and bull huss.
As autumn sets in, anglers will be hoping to tempt a wide range of species that move close inshore at this time of year.
Daniel Welch has been taking friends to inshore waters off Ilfracombe, where tope up to 45lb have provided exciting sport. Ross Stanway caught a goldsinney wrasse that was undoubtedly close to the British record of 110 grams.
September is often a great month to target thick-lipped grey mullet, as Combe Martin SAC member John Shapland discovered when he tempted a personal best of 5lb 1oz.
Darren Polden won Bideford Angling Club’s monthly coarse match at their home venue with 58lb 7oz. Kevin Shears was runner-up with 41lb 8oz, and Craig Lamey was third with 34lb 2oz.