Bob Goes Fishing | Welcome

Please rotate your device

This page is best viewed in Landscape orientation
(or tap anywhere to view in Portrait orientation)

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!

QR code

YouTube channel

Venues
& topics
Species
Archive
Venues & topics
Species
Archive

The Clay Pit (15)

Side pond

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

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Slightly chilly start with freshening wind but became warmer later.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler (with 1.2g olivette), 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn, bread flake, cheese paste, worm.
Fish: Seven tench, 8 crucian, one small rudd, perch & carp.

After some challenging sessions on streams, not helped by extreme temperatures and low water levels, I fancied something a bit easier. A few hours at the Clay Pit on the relative easy side pond was just what I needed and, in the event, it proved to be a very productive session.

Earith (7)

On the waggler!

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

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Chilly start with drizzle. Remained overcast with light wind.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler (with 1.2g olivette), 6lb line direct to 12 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots and bread with hemp loose feed.
Fish: 5 tench, 5 bream + small roach/rudd/dace and tiny perch.

After the frustration of missing so many knocks on the bobbin the previous week, I returned to the same swim at Earith to try fishing it with a waggler. I took maggots for hook bait and hemp seed loose feed. I also had four slices of seedy brown bread as a fallback, which turned out to be a wise decision.

Earith (6)

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

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Warm & sunny with some cloud later.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy VX Rova Specimen, Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, small bomb leger, 8lb main line, 6lb fluorocarbon hooklength to 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake.
Fish: One carp and one small tench.

A return to Earith after three weeks away from the bankside. I had not been feeling too good but tests following a visit to the GP all came back negative, so although still not feeling altogether normal I decided to have a few hours by the lake. A beautiful warm spring day in an idyllic setting certainly lifted my spirits.

The Clay Pit (14)

Side pond

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Bright start with a light breeze, clouding over later.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler (with 1.2g olivette), 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake & corn.
Fish: Four tench and a bream.

Almost exactly a month since my last trip to the Clay Pit. I was undecided where to go and opted for this venue as it's close to home and rarely busy. I took bread and corn as these were available at home, the bread being the Hovis seedy loaf that I mentioned on my last outing. I was able to get my preferred spot.

Earith (4)

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Sunny with increasing cloud and breeze.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy VX Rova Specimen, Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, small bomb leger, 8lb main line, 6lb fluorocarbon hooklength to 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake & corn.
Fish: One carp, 6 bream, a tench and a hybrid carp .

A fished this pretty little pit in May last year and loved the tranquility. Being a bit earlier in the year the reeds hadn't grown as high on this occasion and the lily pads were still to show themselves. So I was unsure how it would fish.

The Clay Pit (13)

Side pond

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Frosty start to a sunny day with light wind.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler (with 1.2g olivette), 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggot & corn.
Fish: Three tench, a crucian and some roach/rudd.

My first fishing trip since the end of November, following back surgery in February. I chose the Clay Pit side pond as it is not far from home and I could park next to where I was fishing. It is also a fairly easy water that hasn't disappointed in the past, so I was almost assured of a fish or two.

© 2025 Robert Bassett

Report bugs to webmaster

Built in RapidWeaver
with Shaking The Habitual's
Source micro framework

Your privacy
Cookies are only used for the correct functioning of this site and to prevent you seeing this message every time you visit.

Read more about third party cookies ☞

Note that links to third party sites can result in cookies being loaded. For example, there are links to YouTube to display the embedded videos from my channel.