Huge carp have Devon rods' reels in a spin

A number of huge carp and catfish have been taken at the region's premier coarse fisheries.

South Devon's Emperor has given rods many new personal best as the fish piled on weight following the spawning period.

Andy Sweatland headed up a remarkable list of huge mirrors with a bulging specimen of 37lb and also had a hefty catfish that was minutely short of 50lb.

After soaking up advice from experts during the Nash Roadshow at the venue, which despite pretty awful weather drew hundreds of enthusiasts, 12-year-old Jamie McMahon put it to very good use. He slipped his net under a 2lb roach, then a 21lb 10oz ghostie, and topped it off with a common of 29lb 10oz. It was only tamed after a very gruelling encounter on the pole that carried a size 22 hook and a mere 2lb hook length.

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The venue's day ticket water provided Keith Redford with a 40lb catfish and there was also full activity with the species at Zyggy Gregorek's Paradise Lakes at Halwill where simultaneously John Staple and Dave Kneeshaw fought big fish. On the bank they weighed 36lb and 47lb 12oz and Kneeshaw went on to bank another of exactly the same high weight.

An even heavier one of 48lb 8oz fell to Julian Chidgey a personal best that took a trio of halibut pellets well soaked in salmon oil and aquastim. The fish was described as "angry" and determined not to be landed, but had to give way to Chidgey's determination.

The 21st staging of the Peninsula Classic Trout Contest was staged at Kennick Reservoir where the water was divided into four zones, with two hours of fishing in each. The bag limit in each zone was three trout with a total limit of eight fish for the day.

Newton Abbot's Darren Penfold ran out the winner with a total of seven rainbows together weighing 14lb 2oz. He caught fish in each of the four zones. Chris Bolt of Kingsteignton and Martin Braund of Exeter filled the places.

Exeter's John Hern collected the prize for the heaviest individual fish a rainbow of 6lb 15oz.

Burrator Lake, which has been seriously upgraded to first-class trout status, is providing superb fishing. While in the distant past one or two giant trout of considerable age have emerged from the great depths the reservoir, a 2lb fish has been considered "good". In recent weeks a 6lb 2oz rainbow was caught by local rod Alan Behan and a 4lb 12oz fish fell to Plymouth's Terry Buttle. Peter McConnell was there as the hawthorn flies were being blown from the trees onto the surface in high winds so giving the trout a feeding field day. McConnell took a dozen and lost as many in a four-hour session.

The Skerries Banks, off South Devon, yielded a very fine thornback ray of 16lb 11oz 13drm for Paignton SAA member Mike Johnson. It is an unusual species for the Banks and is normally found in the estuaries.

Camborne Angling Association's annual open shore festival was won by the promoting club's David Hamill with a spotted ray of 5lb 5oz 6drms which made 133.407 percent of specimen. He picked up the first prize of £150 plus a £24 pool, trophy and commemorative plaque.

Fellow clubman Nick Pryor was runner-up with a spotted ray of 4lb 10oz 15drm and third went to Grenville Arms SAC member Ross Hawken who brought in a bull huss of 12lb 5oz. Hamill and Pryor won the pairs trophy.