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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
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Fields End (127)

Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 08.00
Weather: Bright and warm clouding over later with a westerly breeze.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler, 6lb line with 3.8lb Supplex hook length to a 12 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots, spam and bread flake.
Fish: A lot of small perch and a few roach and rudd.

After three quite challenging trips to the river I wanted something a bit more relaxing so headed for my local commercial at Fields End. I had quite a lot of maggots left over from the previous river trip so decided to make them the main bait with some spam and bread flake as alternatives. I couldn't remember ever fishing maggots on the lake and the predominance of small perch came as a bit of a surprise. Roach and rudd got a look in but only just !

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Species: Perch, Roach, Rudd

Fields End (126)

Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 15:45
Weather: Bright and warm with a light easterly breeze.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Speedia centrepin, waggler, 8lb line direct to a 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn, spam & bread/custard paste.
Fish: 4 carp, a number of roach and a couple of perch.

With another hot weather warning forecast for the remainder of the week, I decided to try a late afternoon and evening session at Fields End Water. I hadn't done that well there of late but was hoping that the carp would come into the margins in the evening. I got a favourite spot on the east bank where it's possible to sit on ground rather than a platform. So all was set to try out my theory.

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Species: Carp, Carps 10lb+, Roach, Perch

Fields End (125)

Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 08.15
Weather: Overcast and brightening later with a SW breeze.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Speedia centrepin, preloaded waggler, 8lb line with 6lb fluorocarbon hook length to a 12 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots, spam & sweetcorn.
Fish: a couple of nice rudd among small rudd, roach & perch.

I decided to take a chance on Fields End despite not doing that well there of late. Unfortunately my luck didn't really change. I arrived just after the site opened and chose the SW corner spot, because it was nearest the car park and sheltered from the SW breeze. That's not to say that it was a poor choice of swim, since I have caught there in the past.

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Species: Rudd, Roach, Perch

Fields End (124)

Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Overcast with virtually no wind. Quite chilly and becoming colder.
Tackle:
Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Speedia centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 12 eyed hook.
Drennan 1¾ TC 12ft 'Specialist Barbel', Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, 2SSG link, 8lb line to #8 eyed hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn, luncheon meat & bread flake.
Fish: Blank

I hadn't been out fishing for a month because of a family bereavement, involving some time spent in Durham, and other days were lost because my wife and I both had a number of hospital appointments. On the few days I could have gone out the weather wasn't particularly inviting, cold strong winds not being particularly conducive to sitting by a lake. So, having finally made it, I was hopeful for a bit of sport, anticipating at least a few rudd and perhaps a hungry carp or two. I was to be disappointed.

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Species: Blank

Fields End (123)

Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 09.30
Weather: Mild with hardly a breath of wind. Sunny all day.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler , 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots, worms, Spam and bread flake.
Fish: Rudd, roach & perch. One lost carp.

With the latest river report from Offord not being very promising I decided to take a short trip to my local commercial at Fields End. I had also had some minor procedures at the hospital the previous day and had been advised to take it easy, another reason for avoiding carting tackle along a river or stream. Arriving at the lake I found it quiet but with an extremely low water level. I don't like fishing from platforms at the best of times but it now involved sitting uncomfortably high above the water.

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Species: Rudd, Roach, Perch

Fields End (122)

Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 09.30
Weather: Continuing high pressure conditions. Bright with some cloud and a light NE breeze.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Speedia centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 10 eyed hook.
Changed to single SSG leger after losing float.
Baits: Sweetcorn, luncheon meat & bread flake.
Fish: 2 carp.

With the forecast for a light NE breeze I decided to go to Fields End Water, my local pit, and fish the NE corner. I was fortunate to get the spot I was aiming for, at the end of a reed bank, which I know often attracts carp as well as offering good sport from rudd. As it turned out the rudd didn't oblige, other than small fish that gave me unhittable bites, although I managed to hook a couple. In view of this I decided to target carp.

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Species: Rudd, Carp

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