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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 - Houghton (5)

Trout Stream

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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.

River Great Ouse - Offord (17)

Top Stream

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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.

BGF Web site

My fishing website

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

A new addition to the Bob Goes Fishing experience - I've built a web site.
https://www.bobgoesfishing.uk

I have been 'messing about' with computers since the 1980s and already had a fishing diary on my personal website. But I thought the time had come to give fishing its own site so I've transferred the diary and added some extra features to the new site.

River Great Ouse - Offord (16)

R Ouse & Mill Stream

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Arrival time: circa 11.00 at swim
Weather: Overcast, no wind and very cold (3⁰C)
Tackle: 11' 6' John Wilson Avon Quiver with 1.5oz quiver, feeder / simple SSG link, 6lb line, 8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste
Fish: Blank

I returned to the point of the Triangle at Offord where I lost a fish a couple of weeks ago. The intention was to make good on that loss, but the conditions were entirely different.

The main flow was almost non existent meaning that the crease between the main flow and the lock cutting had effectively disappeared.

The Chubb Steam (9)

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Arrival time: 11.15 (bank side)
Weather: Bright sunshine, cold and windy.
Tackle: 9ft Shimano Aero X1 Finesse Feeder (1oz quiver), link leger, 5lb line, 8 hook.
Shimano Exage 1000RC reel.
Baits: Bread flake & Cheese paste.
Fish: One chub

I fancied a trip back to the Chubb Stream despite it involving perhaps a bit more walking than I should be doing at this stage of my hip recovery. I still can't cross the two-bar fence between the meadows so have to take the longer route across the field.

I set up first in what I call the bypass swim.

River Great Ouse - Offord (15)

The Triangle

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

Arrival time: circa 11.00 at swim.
Weather: Clear blue sky, no wind but cold (5⁰C).
Tackle: 11' 6' John Wilson Avon Quiver with 1.5oz quiver, feeder / simple SSG link, 6lb line, 8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: Blank - one fish came off

The Environment Agency site again showed the river levels normal although the Ouse was still carrying extra volume. But I was more hopeful than on my last outing.

I returned to a swim where I had tried trotting a few weeks ago, on that occasion without success. This time I decided to try the feeder. But after an hour or so I hadn't had a touch despite trying different parts of the swim.

© 2025 Robert Bassett

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