Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Fishing in North Devon
Hello and welcome to my FAQ page where you can find answers to frequently asked questions regarding fishing in North Devon
I regularly receive questions from visitors to North Devon who have never fished in the region before or are new to fishing and as I also have to work for a living it is not always possible for me to reply to everyone. Because of this I have decided to compile a list of the most frequently asked question about fishing in North Devon in an attempt to help answer your questions.
Q) Where can I charter a boat to fish in North Devon?
A) This will depend very much on the time of year that you are looking to charter a boat. During the winter season (Oct to March) it is very difficult to charter a boat due to the weather. Even on a good looking day the weather can change for the worse in a matter of hours and the sea can become difficult for small boats which means that most people / companies that charter fishing trips will not operate during this period. However in the spring and summer time it is possible to charter a boat from the following locations: -
1) Ilfracombe harbour - Information to follow.
2) Instow Beach - 01237 - 479585 2 hour fishing trips
3) Appledore - Cheeky Monkey 01237 - 476191
4) Westward Ho! - Independant Tickets 01237 - 431374
Note: These are not personal recommendations
If you are aware of other charter companies or are a fishing charter company in the area then please feel free to send me their / your details and I will add them to this list.
Q) Where is the best place to fish?
A) Fish are constantly moving round the coast and so what can be a hot spot one day can produce nothing the next. I can only recommend that you try a variety of spots until you find a place that produces for you. However if I were pushed then I would recommend Watermouth as one of my favourite spots to fish.
Q) Where can I buy fishing bait?
A) Fishing baits can be obtained from a variety of places and most towns will have several shops that you can buy Squid, frozen Sand Eels, lures and worms. Ilfracombe, Barnstaple & Westward Ho! all have very well stocked fishing shops and a lot of the general stores will stock basic baits.
Q) Do I need a Tide Times Table?
A) MOST DEFINATLEY YES! The tides vary from one foot to over thirty feet within just a couple of hours and the current is very strong. If you get caught out you run the risk of becoming stranded and in worse case scenarios you could endanger your life and those that accompany you if you do not know about the tides in this area.
Q) Is there a minimum catch size?
A) Yes there is and fish under a certain size must be thrown back in order to allow them to grow and reproduce. The current catch sizes for the most common fish caught in this area are: -
MLS stands for Minimum Legal size that you can keep
RRSL stands for Recommended Retention Size Limits
SPECIE |
DEFRA |
BOAT |
SHORE |
Bass |
36 (note 4) |
45 |
45 |
Bream |
23 (note 3 & 4) |
24 |
24 |
Brill |
30 (note 3) |
35 |
35 |
Bull Huss |
|
58 |
58 |
Coalfish (Saith) |
35 |
35 |
35 |
Cod |
35 |
35 |
35 |
Conger Eel |
58 (note 3) |
120 |
91 |
Dab |
23 (note 3) |
20 |
20 |
LS Dogfish |
|
46 |
38 |
Flounder |
27(note 3) |
25 |
25 |
Garfish |
|
38 |
38 |
Tub Gunard |
|
28 |
28 |
Haddock |
30 |
35 |
30 |
Hake |
27(note 4) |
30 |
30 |
John Dory |
|
33 |
25 |
Ling |
63 |
72 |
72 |
Mackerel |
30(note 1) |
30 |
30 |
Megrim |
20 (note 4) |
25 |
25 |
Mullet |
15 (note 3 & 4) |
33 |
33 |
Plaice |
27 |
28 |
28 |
Pollack |
30 |
30 |
30 |
Pouting |
|
25 |
18 |
Poor Cod |
|
18 |
18 |
Rockling |
|
18 |
18 |
Silver Eel |
|
38 |
38 |
Spurdog |
|
58 |
58 |
All Skates & Rays (note 2) |
|
41 |
41 |
Smoothhound |
|
51 |
51 |
Sole |
24 (note 3 & 4) |
25 |
25 |
Scad |
|
25 |
25 |
Trigger Fish |
|
30 |
30 |
Turbot |
30 (note 3) |
41 |
35 |
* Be aware that there is a national restriction on landing tope caught whilst fishing from a boat, which includes kayaks, by rod and line. The fish so caught should be returned to the water as soon as possible commensurate with any tagging and in all other cases returned immediately
Local Sea Fisheries Committee Bylaws must be observed if applicable.
Notes:
1. 30 cm in North Sea, 20 cm elsewhere.
2. Rays and Skate measured across the wings.
3. Southern Sea Fisheries impose the limits shown, note the further classification: Black Bream 23 cms, Lemon Sole 25 cms, Red Mullet 15 cms.
4. Cornwall Sea Fisheries impose the limits shown here
Information obtained from http://anglingtrust.net
Q) Can I keep and eat the fish I catch?
A) Yes as long as they are over the legal size. In fact I strongly recommend that you eat all the fish that you catch as there is nothing nicer then the taste of freshly caught fish, especially when you have caught it yourself. Almost all fish in the area are edible but if you are not sure then call into your closest fishing shop or look your fish up on the Internet before tucking in.
Q) Do I need a fishing licence to fish in the Sea?
A) No but if you plan to fish the lakes, canals or rivers then you will require a rod licence. Failure to buy one could result in you loosing your tackle or being fined. There are two specific licences that you will need depending on the time of year and the type of fish you are intending to catch. Salmon and trout (Migratory Game Fish) require a different licence to other fresh water fish.
Q) What is the best bait to use?
A) The most common baits are: -
1) Rag worm
2) Mackerel
3) Sand Eels
4) Squid
5) Baby Crabs or crabs when their shells are soft
However you can also use limpets, lures, feathers, prawns and bread. It is always advisable to take a variety of baits so that if you do not have any luck with one type of bait then you can switch to another for a better chance. For me number one bait is Sand Eel closely followed by Mackerel but then it depends on what you are fishing for. Flat fish prefer worms whilst dogfish will eat just about anything!
Q) What time of the day is best for fishing?
A) This depends on the type of fish you are fishing for, where you plan on fishing and the tides. Please read my section on Sea Fish for more information. However as a rule the following times will produce the best chance of catching.
1) Incoming tide to High Tide
2) High Tide to Low Tide.
Q) Can I fish all the rivers?
A) No – Most of the rivers are owned by private fishing syndicates and you should always look out for their signs when scouting a river. Ignorance is not an excuse and you could find yourself in big trouble if you fish a private section of a river without the appropriate day ticket.