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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 - Offord (30)

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

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

Arrival time: 09.50
Weather: Bright but cloudy with sunshine between clouds. Windy and certainly not overly hot.
Tackle: Ryan Burns 'Arrow' 10' split cane rod, Mitchell 300 reel, 2xSSG link leger, 7lb main / 5lb flouro-carbon hook length to 6 eyed hook.
Baits: Cheese paste, spam, flake.
Fish: One chub, an unwanted eel and a foul-hooked dace.

With my left hip playing up I hadn't been out fishing for over three weeks, but it had calmed down and I decided to go to the Offord Mill Stream as it would involve less walking than the other river venues that I normally fish. With no cars in the car park when I arrived it wasn't surprising to find nobody on the Mill Stream. I set up at the head of the stream and proposed to then work my way downstream, dropping in the few swims that exist.

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Species: Chub, Eel, Dace

River Nene - Backwaters (7)

Wellington
Venue: River Nene |Nene backwaters

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Arrival time: 09.15
Weather: Sunny start, clouding over with freshening wind. Mild.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano 5000 RE reel, 6lb line direct to 6 hook.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: 4 chub and one small roach.

Having had to cut short my trips to the Nene backwaters last year because of my back problem, this was my first trip this season. The banks were much more overgrown than on my trip last July, indicating perhaps that fewer people had fished there before me. I should have read my report from last July since on that occasion the better fish were taken on spam, a bait I didn't take this time.

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Species: Chub, Roach

River Great Ouse - Houghton (9)

Trout Stream - on the fly rod
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: 09.45
Weather: Overcast start but very warm, becoming sunny and extremely hot and humid.
Tackle: 9' 6" #6/7 Sonik sk3 fly rod, Rim Fly DISC 75 fly reel, Airflo 40+ Floating WF7 line, Greys 9' copolymer knotless tapered leader 4lb/0.16mm
Baits: Fly
Fish: One small chub.

I had decided to go for a Saturday walk along the Houghton Trout Stream just to check out how weed congested it was, when I thought, "why not take my fly rod". I fished the stream in June last year and it was almost unfishable in a conventional manner, but I had seen fish rising. I assumed these were probably dace that could perhaps be taken on fly, assuming I could get enough clear access to cast.

Read full report

Species: Chub

River Great Ouse - Offord (29)

Mill Stream, Top Stream & Triangle
Venue: River Great Ouse |Mill Stream |Offord |Top Stream

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

Arrival time: 08.30
Weather: Warm start becoming very hot. Little wind throughout the session.
Tackle: Korum 'All Rounder' 10ft quiver with 1oz tip, Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner, 2xSSG (Mill Stream) / small bomb leger (elsewhere), 6lb line to 8/10 hooks
Baits: Bread flake & worm.
Fish: One chub, a roach & a dace all from the Mill Stream.

The plan for the session was to start at the Mill Stream in the hope of taking a chub or two, then to move to the Top Stream after perch. The first part was challenging, only one chub coming to the net. The second part proved to be even more challenging, with not a bite at the Top Stream, nor in the pool below it. A move to the Triangle on the main river was equally disappointing.

Read full report

Species: Chub, Roach, Dace

River Great Ouse - Offord (28)

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

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

Arrival time: 10:30 (at swim)
Weather: Bright but cold. Little wind throughout the session.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano 5000 RE reel, 6lb line direct to an 8 hook. Flat bed 1oz leger.
Baits: Cheese paste, luncheon meat & maggots.
Fish: A couple of small chub, a roach and a gudgeon.

With no rain for a couple of days I decided to take a chance on the Mill Stream at Offord. The river had been up and fast the previous week but I was pleased to find the Mill Stream in good condition. There was a good flow and it was still coloured but general speaking it looked very promising. I made my way to a swim about half way along that had been reliable in the past.

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Species: Chub, Roach, Gudgeon

River Great Ouse - Offord (25)

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: 10:15 (at swim)
Weather: Started bright but clouded over as wind freshened to become quite strong.
Tackle: 11ft 6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver tip, Shimano 5000RE reel, 6lb line direct to 6 eyed hook: changed to a 12 later. Started with a feeder but changed to leger weight and finally to single SSG in final two swims.
Baits: Bread flake & spam.
Fish: One small chub.

The plan was to return to the tip of the Triangle and fish the crease between the main river and the lock cutting. I had caught chub there before and with some flow back in the river I hoped to catch again.

Read full report

Species: Chub

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