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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
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Species
Archive
Venues & topics
Species
Archive

River Great Ouse - Offord (57)

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

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Arrival time: 10:30.
Weather: Overcast and occasional drizzle. Breezy but not too cold for October.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner, link leger and 6lb line direct to 10 hook. .
Baits: Bread flake and worms
Fish: One small roach

I had for some time wanted to return to a swim at the point of what's referred to as the Triangle, a wedge of land between the main river and the lock cutting. It's the confluence of the river and the outflow of the mill stream, creating a crease between the two flows. I had lost a fish there in the past, which was probably a chub, and had landed a chub on another occasion. But on both occasions it was later in the year when there was more flow and less weed. Unfortunately this time the weed proved to be a real problem and I moved a couple of times.

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Species: Roach

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

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

River Great Ouse - Offord (51)

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: 10.30.
Weather: A beautiful spring day but with a fresh downstream wind.
Tackle: Korum 12ft 'Multi-feeder', Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner, block leger on link, 6lb line to 8 eyed hook..
Baits: Bread Flake & cheese paste.
Fish: Blank

For what was probably going to be my last trip of the season I decided on the Mill Stream, reports suggesting that the river was around four inches over normal level. On arrival I found the stream to be moving through quite quickly and hoped that exploring a few slacks near the far bank might find me a chub. The stream being a fairly straight channel it doesn't offer too many places of refuge for the fish in high water conditions.

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Species: Blank

River Great Ouse - Offord (49)

Top Stream & other swims
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: 10.15
Weather: Mainly overcast after a bright start. Gusty wind throughout session.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, 6lb line, 4lb pre-tied Drennan hook length to 16 wire hook.
Baits: Maggots & worms.
Fish: 4 perch

I decided on another crack at the perch having only discovered a working method at the end of my session a couple of weeks earlier. I opted to float fish using my match rod in view of the depth of water, which was around 10ft. I thought that a float would be the best option, indication wise, but in the event I didn't get a touch and moved swims after a while. Another move followed, neither move proving fruitful, so I went back to where started and, just like on my previous visit, finally hit on a method that tempted a few perch.

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Species: Perch

River Great Ouse - Offord (48)

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: 10.00
Weather: Mix of cloud & sunny spells. Chilly breeze freshening during the day.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano 5000 RE reel, 6lb line direct to 8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake, cheese paste & worms.
Fish: Two small chub

After a reasonable amount of rain over the preceding weekend I decided to try the Mill Stream for chub. The club had reported the level up about an inch over the summer level. Not a great improvement but at least some water was moving through. The car park was empty when I arrived and there wasn't anybody on the stream. So I had the pick of swims. I made my way about half way along where trees that had made fishing virtually impossible earlier in the season had been cut back, making the swim much more accessible.

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Species: Chub

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