Wayne Thomas

SOME magnificent carp catches have been made at Stafford Moor.

Regular visitor Nathan James had a sleepless night on Joseph's Lake, landing 34 carp in a hectic night-time session.

Oliver Evans, from Cornwall, spent 48 hours at the fishery, landing 19 carp.

They ranged from 8lb 8oz to a fine specimen ghost carp named Belinda, scaling 20lb 4oz.

Mark Jensen also enjoyed a 48-hour session and landed 42 double-figure carp to 23lb.

With the carp on a feeding spree, heavy baiting is required to hold the fish in your swim. Mark used 11mm trout pellets and 8kg of HP boilies.

With plenty of anglers' baits going into the water, it is no surprise that the fish at this fishery are packing on weight.

Lee Taylor landed a 25lb mirror from the Summerhouse swim.

Match anglers are also enjoying great sport at Stafford Moor.

Dave Downton, from Bristol, used paste bait on the pole to put together a match-winning weight of 171lb that included carp to 10lb.

His mate, Mike Etheridge, took runner-up spot with 115lb.

Ilfracombe Match Group's match at Spires Lakes saw plenty of small carp landed on paste and pellet.

Andy Gray took the top weight in the match at 45lb 11oz. John Lisle was runner-up with 36lb 10oz, and Colin Ashby third with 31lb 14oz.

Kevin Wilton took the top silver-fish bag with 6lb 13oz of small rudd and perch.

Sea anglers are finding an abundance of mackerel from marks all along the coast.

While many are content to catch these obliging fish using strings of feathers, stocking the freezer for the winter ahead, a more enjoyable approach is to use lighter tackle and target these hard-fighting members of the tuna family on float or spinner.

Grey mullet are another worthwhile target on light tackle and frequent harbours, estuaries and rock marks.

Bread is the No 1 bait for these wily fish, although an increasing number of anglers are experimenting successfully with fly-fishing tactics.

My son and I paid a visit to a local beach a few nights ago, hoping for a silver bass.

A light, north-west breeze drove light surf onshore, fresh white crests surging.

Beneath the dark waters surely there should be bass.

The rods responded to the sea's rhythmic pull; high above, the sky was populated by thousands of stars; occasionally a shooting star flashed across the darkness.

There came no thrilling jolt of life through the line and it was time to head home all too soon.

Many would say it had been a wasted trip, yet the memory of the night will linger for a lifetime. I guess there is more to fishing than catching.

Trout fishing is proving challenging at many waters, with weed and low water levels creating a few problems.

Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club have changed the venue of their annual away day and will now visit Tavistock fishery on August 22, when members will have the chance to win a weekend in one of the fishery's lodges.

South West Fishing For Life is holding a sponsored walk at Wimbleball Reservoir on Saturday, August 21.

The organisation offers valuable support to breast cancer victims and its membership includes 30 women and one man.

For more information on the group, visit www.southwestfishingforlife.org.uk.

Diary dates

Saturday: Appledore Shipbuilders boat competition, fishing 9am to 9pm.