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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 (35)

Car Park Pool
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Drizzle on and off interspersed with heavier rain. Quite mild.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, Drennan stick float and 6lb line to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Corn, bead flake & spam.
Fish: A couple of roach

After a few trips to streams that had proved challenging I decided to fish the car park pool that is at most times an almost still area of water. I chose a swim on the far bank, on what is called Sismey Island, having chatted to a chap earlier in the season who had lost a tench there. I realised that a tench would be a real bonus but also hoped to attract some silver fish.

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Species: Roach

River Great Ouse - Offord (34)

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

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

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Cloudy start with sun breaking through and becoming very warm
Tackle: Korum 10ft 'All Rounder' 1.1lb TC, Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner, single SSG link, 6lb line to 6/8/12 eyed hooks.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: Dace and a couple of roach

The plan was to pop over to the Mill Stream and try to fish by the bridge, where I had seen another angler wade in and catch a number of chub on my last visit. When I got there the nettles had grown to such an extent that I chose not to try to get to that spot. As it turned out the water level was up slightly and I doubt my wellingtons would have been high enough to wade. Instead I chose to fish the spot I fished last time, casting down towards the bridge.

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Species: Dace, Roach

River Great Ouse - Offord (32)

Top Stream & Car Park Pool
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord |Top Stream

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Bright sun and very warm with increasing cloud but little wind.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, 6lb line, 4lb pre-tied Drennan hook length to 14 fine wire hook.
Baits: Maggots with hempseed attractor.
Fish: 3 small roach and 2 small perch.

I was full of hope for the first trip of the new season, with a clear plan of action, but it didn't go that well. I had decided to fish a swim on the Top Stream that I had eyed-up on previous visits. It can be affected badly by wind but with very little wind forecast this seemed an ideal opportunity. It is also secluded and away from the nearby public footpath, so everything looked good. With very little flow I had decided to try laying on with maggots, my target species being roach and perch. But it wasn't to be. A small roach slipped the hook early on but after that, besides a few half-bites, there was nothing happening.

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Species: Roach, Perch

Fields End (119)

Morning session
Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 08.15
Weather: Overcast with a strengthening south-westerly breeze (from behind me).
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line to a 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Breadflake & luncheon meat
Fish: Rudd & roach throughout the session with 3 crucians and a small perch.

Today's choice of venue was decided by the forecast for a strengthening SW wind. I would have preferred to return to Earith but the part of the lake that is accessible would have been exposed to the wind, which wouldn't have been great for waggler fishing. So I went to Fields End hoping to get the swim in the SW corner, which I did. In fact the lake was deserted, mine still being the only car in the visitors' parking when I left. And only a couple of anglers arrived from the on-site caravan park. So it was a very peaceful day.

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Species: Rudd, Roach, Perch, Crucian

Fields End (118)

On the waggler
Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 08.30
Weather: Beautiful spring day. Sunny with light westerly breeze (from behind me).
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line to a 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Breadflake & luncheon meat
Fish: Rudd throughout session with 4 carp, a crucian, a couple of roach and a small perch.

After debating whether Fields End would be too busy the week of the bank holiday, I took a chance and was pleased to find that it was actually quite quiet. To cut down walking and ensure that the breeze was behind me, I went to what I call the tree corner, a quiet little niche in the SW corner of the lake. Conditions were perfect for float fishing and after ground baiting with a bread mix I started with bread flake. But things were very slow.

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Species: Rudd, Roach, Perch, Carp, Crucian

The Clay Pit (17)

Side pond
Venue: The Clay Pit

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

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Chilly with a weak sun and windy. Clouding over later.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 12 eyed hook.
Baits: Dead maggots, sweetcorn, bread flake, cheese paste.
Fish: Three tench, one small roach and a tiny perch.

After around four weeks of coughing and nose blowing with a cold, or perhaps some other virus, this was my first trip out in just under a month. I decided to give the rivers a miss in view of the recent heavy rain and rising levels. Instead I went to the side pond at the Clay Pit where I have had fairly consistent sport, although I wasn't too confident this late in the year.

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Species: Tench, Roach, Perch

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