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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
Venues & topics
Species
Archive

River Great Ouse - Offord (19)

Top Stream
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: circa 11.30 at swim
Weather: Bright sun with a chilly SE wind.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Rapidex 2400 centre pin with 5lb line, waggler float, 16 to 2½lb hook length.
9ft Shimano Aero X1 Finesse Feeder (1.0oz quiver), maggot feeder/link leger, 5lb line, 16 to 2½lb hook length.
Baits: Maggot with hempseed attractor.
Fish: Blank

The idea was for a fun few hours catching perch or whatever else turned up, based on my catch a few weeks earlier. But things turned out very different today.

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Species: Blank

River Great Ouse - Offord (18)

The Triangle
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: circa 11.15 at swim
Weather: Overcast with a cold NE wind.
Tackle: John Wilson Avon Quiver with 1.5oz quiver, cage feeder and later a small cube leger weight, 6lb line direct to 8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake
Fish: One chub

I returned to the point of the Triangle at Offord Cluny having blanked twice previously at this spot. But I had lost a fish on the first occasion and this was another attempt to tempt a chub.

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Species: Chub

Exploring River Great Ouse

A walk along Dolphin Meadow
Venue: Exploring |River Great Ouse

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

A walk along the Gt Ouse at Hemingford Grey Meadow (Dolphin Meadow) with the river high and Storm Franklin still making its presence well and truly felt.
Some interesting spots to check out in the future when the river has returned to normal.

River Great Ouse - Houghton (6)

Venue: River Great Ouse |Houghton |River Great Ouse

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

Arrival time: circa 11.30 at first swim.
Weather: Bright start then clouded over. Extremely windy.
Tackle: 11' 6" John Wilson Avon quiver with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano 5000RE reel, simple 3SSG link, 6lb line, 8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake.
Fish: Blank

The plan was to explore a side channel at Houghton that I hadn't viewed previously. But on the way I crossed the Trout Stream which was running very high, as was the side channel when I arrived. Things didn't look very promising.

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Species: Blank

River Great Ouse - Houghton (5)

Trout Stream
Venue: River Great Ouse |Houghton |Trout Stream

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

Arrival time: circa 10.50 at swim.
Weather: Bright start then clouded over. Mild but very windy.
Tackle: 9' Shimano Aero X1 with 1oz quiver, simple SSG link, 5lb line, 8 hook.
Changed to 3lb flourocarbon hook length and 12 hook at one point.
Baits: Bread flake.
Fish: 2 chub

I had a plan today but like on many previous occasions nature and the fish conspired to render the plan useless. But, as things turned out, good fortune rescued the day.

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Species: Chub

River Great Ouse - Offord (17)

Top Stream
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: circa 11.30 at swim
Weather: Mainly sunny with a strong westerly wind. But not too cold.
Tackle: Shimano 9ft Aero X1 with 1.0oz quiver, simple SSG link and later a small cube leger weight, 5lb line, 2½lb hook link, 16 hook.
Baits: Maggot with hemp as attractor
Fish: A number of small perch, 1 roach and 1 bream

After struggling for chub recently I decided today to try for roach in the Top Stream at Offord. I hadn't fished this stream before but had been advised that it held some good roach. I think they're best fished for with the pole but as I don't have one it was to be match rod and centrepin. However, on arrival not only did my planned swim look uninviting because of the strong wind but the idea of float fishing in such conditions wasn't appealing.

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Species: Perch, Roach, Bream

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