Wayne Thomas

THE OLD adage "big bait, big fish" was true for James Corner.

A huge cod weighing 32lb 10oz succumbed to the Combe Martin angler's bait of four Ammo dirty squid, fished using a down-tide set-up.

Corner was fishing with fellow members of the Severn Estuary Angling Club from Steve Webber's Minehead charter boat Osprey.

After an exciting tussle in a strong tide, the fish was eventually boated to be carefully weighed, photographed and released.

Corner said he was lucky to have caught such a special fish and to see it swim away was a great feeling.

Hopefully the fish will escape the netters, breed and perhaps return to our waters when it could top 40lb.

There is a changing culture in sea angling with more anglers embracing the ethics of the freshwater sector where catch and release has been practised for generations.

While keeping a few fish for the pot is an established and sensible act for the sea angler, increasing gestures towards conservation show a greater environmental awareness.

A party of anglers braved a chill east breeze to enjoy a fine day's sport aboard Ilfracombe charter boat Jay Jay.

The top spurdog of the day was a specimen of 13lb 8oz to the rod of Mark Hutchings.

Ross Stanway caught a conger of 19lb and they also had a dozen bull huss to 13lb 6oz, conger of 22lb, whiting and numerous dogfish.

Kyle Bishop hooked a tope estimated at between 30lb and 35lb while fishing from John Barebeary's boat Bluefin.

Other members of the party landed spurdog, bull huss and conger to 22lb.

Dave Shapland caught a whiting of 2lb 2oz and a spurdog of 11lb 8oz.

Several cod have been landed from North Devon shore marks, including a specimen of 13lb 10oz.

This year has been the best cod season for at least a decade and Kevin Legge, of Combe Martin Sea Angling Club, tempted a fine brace of shore cod scaling 11lb 2oz and 8lb 12oz from a local rock mark.

Kevin Hicks and Rob Guest fished a 36-hour session at Slade Reservoir and were rewarded with seven carp, all doubles, the best a fine common of 18lb.

Simpson Valley is giving good sport to anglers using chopped worm and maggot, with perch to 2lb 10oz.

The specimen lake at Furzebray is still producing some stunning specimens for winter carp fishers, especially on milder days.

Damian Braund landed three carp scaling 21lb 9oz, 18lb 6oz and 17lb 8oz. Tim Mountjoy landed a 23lb carp and Dan Coffey a 19lb specimen that had not been previously recorded.

Diary dates

Saturday and Sunday: Bideford and District Anglers 24-hour rover.

Saturday and Sunday: Appledore Shipbuilders night rover, fishing 6pm Saturday to 7.30pm Sunday.

Saturday and Sunday: North Devon League.