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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

Fields End (58)

Venue: Fields End
Tench 3lb 10oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.00
Weather: Hazy bright with a slight westerly breeze. Remained bright cloudy and very warm throughout day with wind freshening to south-westerly.
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle:
12ft barbel rod, 12lb line, 8/10 hook
11½ft Hardy Avon Marksman, waggler, 6/8lb line, 12 hook.
10ft compact float 6lb line, pellet waggler, 16hook.
Baits: Bread flake/crust, luncheon meat and floating biscuit.
Fish: 13 carp, best 7lbs, three tench, best 3lb 10oz, two barbel, best 4lbs 2oz, a crucian and some small rudd.

Because of work on my pond and going on holiday at the end of June, I actually didn’t go fishing during June. Last outing was 27th May. To get me back into the fish I decided to go to Fields End, where catching is almost guaranteed.

The reed-corner swim was available and it now sports a new platform as the old gravel-filled base was collapsing.

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Species: Carp, Tench, Barbel (lake), Crucian, Rudd

Fields End (54)

Venue: Fields End
Leather 14lb 8oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.00
Weather: Clear blue sky and no wind
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle: 13ft multi-float, waggler, 4lb line, 12 hook.
10ft compact float rod, free-line/controller float, 8lb line, 12 hook.
Baits: Bread flake/crust, luncheon meat and floating biscuit.
Fish: Ten carp, best 14½lbs, two tench, best 3lbs 14oz, a 2lbs crucian and a 1lb roach

A really nice day. There wasn't a ripple throughout the morning and with only two other swims occupied it was very quiet. If only all fishing days could be like this.

I started with the 13ft float rod and luncheon meat, and at 07.40 landed a nice tench of 2lb 6oz. I had missed a couple of bites previously that I suspect were also tench. Soon after I had a close-up view of a reed bunting. I had to check the bird book to see what it was; a first sighting for me.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp, Tench, Crucian, Barbel (lake)

Fields End (39)

Venue: Fields End
Mirror 9lb

More photos in the full report

After losing so many fish in the reed swim and, quite frankly, getting a bit paranoid over the carp, I decided to have a change of approach. Being first on the lake I went for a swim on the west bank that has the benefit of being sheltered from prevailing westerly winds, the forecast for the day being for quite fresh westerlies.

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Species: Carp, Tench, Roach, Crucian, Barbel (lake)

Fields End (28)

Venue: Fields End
Barbel circa 1½lb

More photos in the full report

I got the reed swim again, but only just, as the chap who arrived with me turned out to share my love of it. He fished from the other side of the reeds and although he was using the ubiquitous 2-rod carp set up, he was casting one to the margins and the other a short distance out, rather than the distance feeder approach favoured by many. He was, however, using boilies whereas I still stick to bread flake and luncheon meat.

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Species: Carp, Barbel (lake), Crucian

Fields End (16)

Venue: Fields End
Mirror 12lb 4oz

More photos in the full report

Despite vowing that I would limit myself to afternoon visits after the last trip, I went for the day again and this time things worked out a bit better. I wasn't first on site this time but had decided to fish the (north-east) reed corner having not done too well on the west bank the previous week. I rather like the reed corner but it tends to produce smaller fish.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp, Barbel (lake)

Fields End (15)

Venue: Fields End
Tench 3lb 4oz

More photos in the full report

Well, first week of retirement so first full day over the lake. Got there just before 07.00 and was first on the water. Took the tree swim as it was sheltered from the westerly wind.

As I was there for the day I tried a bit of float fishing in the margins, but despite lots of bites I hooked very little (one small roach), suggesting that they were mainly small fish. I resorted to free-lining the margin as this has proven to be a reliable technique on all previous visits.

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Species: Carp, Crucian, Barbel (lake), Tench

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