Plenty of fish for anglers staying local in lockdown

Newbarn Farm seems to be producing the goods with manager Matt Skelly taking his daughter Summer and Evie Stewart on a stalking session in the margins, where they found a fine mid-double figure common carp in a feeding mood.

Elsewhere on the lake, Lee Mills fished a night session and found another fully scaled common, this one tipped the scales at 20lb12oz. Lee was fishing with a Phoenix Baits prototype wafter.

Steve Prior with the orange koi from Spring Ponds (Image: Archant)

Andy, a sea fisherman, visited and tried his luck on Island Pool and fishing with ledgered sweetcorn, landed carp up to 8lbs 12oz.

Regulars at Spring Ponds have also fared well this week with Steve Furze fishing the waggler and corn rewarding him with over a dozen carp and a new personal best perch.

Steve Prior managed to land the pond's crafty orange koi during a short session.

Darren Stride, Chris Kidd and Adam Styles all reported good sessions with Adam finding a lovely winter tench.

The beach fishermen have been finding a few fish, unfortunately not the monsters that we all hope for.

The pick of the week being a flounder of 2lbs 6oz to the rod of Steve Heard from a local estuary.

Lee Mills 20lbs 12oz common carp from Newbarn (Image: Archant)

George Hakin fished after dark and landed a small conger as did Honiton SAC member Liam. Another Honiton member Callum fished his local beach and caught a small cod.

Boat angling has been very quiet, as can be expected. However, George Phippard managed a trip in his own boat and landed an angry bull huss just short of that magical 10lbs.

With this lockdown showing no sign of ending in the near future, many of us are thinking of spring and preparing tackle, servicing reels and generally getting ready for what can be a prolific time of year.

I love the spring and the arrival of the marauding packs of smoothounds that visit our coast and have been busy tying rigs in preparation.

One of my favourite boat rods is a 25-plus-year-old Fladen solid carbon rod, 7ft in length and classed at 15-30lbs. It was beginning to get very tired looking so I took it along to Alan Riddell at the old Seale Hayne site in Newton Abbot, where he lovingly restored it to its former glory, I can’t wait to use it again, it looks great.

Stay local, stay safe and tight lines.

Andy with an 8lbs12oz common carp from Island Pool at Newbarn (Image: Archant)

Gary Phippard with a bull huss (Image: Archant)

A 2lbs 6oz flounder for Steve Heard (Image: Archant)

George Hakin with a conger (Image: Archant)

Liam with a beach-caught conger (Image: Archant)

Callum with a small cod (Image: Archant)

Steve Furze, with his personal best perch from Spring Ponds (Image: Archant)