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Diary of an average angler

Who favours traditional methods & baits

fisherman

This diary dates back to a holiday in 2003 when I think the urge to get back into fishing took off. From around 2007 the trips became more frequent with 2010/11 probably being the peak of activity.
Things again pick up in 2020 - a sort of rebirth!

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Venues & topics
Species
Archive

River Great Ouse - Offord (54)

Top Stream
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord |Top Stream

You can view the video on this page or open YouTube by clicking the YouTube icon above.

Arrival time: 08:00.
Weather: Cloudy start - brightening late morning and becoming hot.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler, 6lb line with a 3.8lb Supplex hook length to a 16 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots, sweetcorn & hemp as attractor.
Fish: Roach, perch, small chub & bleak.

I had cut short my previous session on the Houghton back channel because of the heat and had maggots left over. At the same time another very hot spell was forecast so I decided to go to the Offord Top Stream to try for some perch before it once again became too hot to get out. On arrival the amount of surface weed on the car park pool was unbelievable and the top stream was also affected. But fortunately a gentle flow had kept the middle clear and I managed to find a spot where it was possible to fish over the marginal weed.

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Species: Perch, Roach, Rudd, Chub, Bleak

Houghton (23)

Back Channel
Venue: River Great Ouse |Houghton

You can view the video on this page or open YouTube by clicking the YouTube icon above.

Arrival time: 09:30
Weather: Full sun becoming very warm throughout the day
Tackle: Korum 10ft 'All Rounder' 1.1lb TC, Shimano Exage 1000 reel, small bomb leger, 6lb line with a 4lb Drennan short hooklength to a 16 red fine wire hook.
Baits: Maggots, worms, corn & hemp as attractor.
Fish: Roach, perch, gudgeon, bream.

With an overcast day forecast following days of endless sun I decided to try the Six Gate weir pool at Houghton. I had fished it a couple of times last July and caught predominantly dace with a few roach along the way. So I set up a light feeder rod and made the around 20 minute walk from the car. I arrived to find a barrier of nettles and other plants obstructing access to the pool. Another 20 minutes was spent clearing an opening using just small scissors from my tackle bag. Not a great start!

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Species: Roach, Perch, Gudgeon, Bream

River Great Ouse - Offord (53)

Mill Stream
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord |Mill Stream

You can view the video on this page or open YouTube by clicking the YouTube icon above.

Arrival time: 08:15.
Weather: Overcast with a cooling NE gusty wind. Warming towards midday.
Tackle: Drennan 1¾ TC 12ft 'Specialist Barbel', Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, SSG link, 8lb line to 8 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread Flake & cheese paste.
Fish: Blank

After much deliberation following yet another very hot spell I decided to return to the Offord mill stream as I felt that with some guaranteed flow the fish would be more comfortable. A cool break in the exceptionally hot weather was also a factor as I just wanted to get out on the bank. The swim I had fished a couple of weeks earlier was free so I settled there hoping for a repeat of the success I had on that occasion. But fishing isn't like that, is it?

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Species: Blank

Houghton Meadows (22)

Checking out the Trout Stream
Venue: Exploring |Houghton |Trout Stream

You can view the video on this page or open YouTube by clicking the YouTube icon above.

After weeks without rain, and knowing that the Trout Stream can be very weed congested in summer, I decided to check it out before committing to fishing it. It was also the case that I didn't want to actually go fishing because of the heat, as we were entering another period of extreme heat, the third this year!

My worst fears were confirmed with the stream being almost completely congested. Rushes were filling the whole width of the stream in many places, while lily pad beds and floating weed covered much of the remaining visible surface. The level was very low, there was negligible flow and the water gin clear! Verdict - basically unfishable.

See photos comparing 2025 with 2026

Species: Roach, Perch, Gudgeon

River Great Ouse - Offord (52)

Mill Stream
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord |Mill Stream

You can view the video on this page or open YouTube by clicking the YouTube icon above.

Arrival time: 08:30.
Weather: Cloudy bright and warm with more sun appearing after lunch. Light downstream breeze. Tackle: Ryan Burns 'Arrow' 10' split cane rod, Trudex centrepin, 2xSSG link leger, 6lb line direct to 8 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread Flake & cheese paste.
Fish: One chub - lost three!

My second chub session of the season and this time I went to the Mill Stream at Offord. I got the swim I was aiming for but during the session I was surprised by how many anglers walked past me, some dipping in the stream while the majority seemingly walking on to the main river. It's certainly a much busier venue than when I first joined the club a few years ago. I usually rove the few fishable swims on the stream but on this occasion decided to stay put, especially as there was evidence of chub under the tree overhanging from the far bank.

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Species: Chub

Rockells Farm (1)

Venue: Rockells Farm

You can view the video on this page or open YouTube by clicking the YouTube icon above.

Arrival time: N/A.
Weather: A very warm weekend but cooler on the Saturday.
Tackle: 9ft Shimano Aero X1 'Finesse Feeder' rod with 1oz quiver, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel, 5lb line direct to 10 hook.
Baits: bread flake, lobworm & hookable pellets.
Fish: A number of small carp, best around 3lb.

Something a bit different, a Fathers' Day weekend away with my son who had dabbled with fishing a bit before but was keen to learn more. And it was an opportunity for us to chat as we don't get together that often. He was fishing with a 13ft Fishtec Multi Float rod that I had given him years before, along with a Mitchell Prince reel, also a gift from me. I took a couple of small carp off the surface on the Friday evening and we then returned to the lake on Saturday morning.

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Species: Carp

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