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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

Stake Hill (7)

Venue: Stake Hill
image

Only one photo today.
Larger light-box version in the full report

Arrival time: 18.00
Weather: Bright evening clouding over towards dusk, when the temperature dropped rapidly.
Swim: Far corner
Tackle: 12ft Greys’ Rova Float rod, Speedia centre pin reel with 3lb line, waggler, 14 hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn & bread flake.
Fish: Mixed bag of small bream, tench and roach, with a carp of about 2lbs.

A week’s holiday near Ilkley provided the opportunity to re-visit Stake Hill Fishery. I first went there in 2007, which I think was the year it opened. The fish have always been quite small but on light tackle provide a good evening’s sport.

Although there were more people this time than on previous occasions, I don’t think the fish receive anywhere near the ‘feed’ that would be put into the water on a more popular commercial lake. This probably accounts for the fairly slow growth rate, plus average temperature in this ‘high’ lake is probably lower than in lowland areas.

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Species: Carp, Tench, Roach, Bream

Syndicate Lake (11)

Venue: Syndicate Lake
Carp 11lb 10oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 15.45
Weather: Sunny at first but wind became cold and even colder when the sky clouded over.
Swim: Lily pads and NE bay.
Tackle: 12ft Drennan Barbel Specialist, 8lb line, 10 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line and 14 hook.
Baits: Bread flake & Luncheon meat.
Fish: three carp, best fish 11lbs 10oz.

In my last report I said I would return and have a go at the roach. Unfortunately fishing rarely pans out as you would like. Whereas on the last occasion I was getting a bite a cast from roach using my heavier tackle, today I could hardly tempt them with a nibble using a much more appropriate set up. However, let’s start at the beginning.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp

Syndicate Lake (7)

Venue: Syndicate Lake
Common 8lb 4oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 11.00
Weather: Sunny / cloudy.
Hardly any wind. Very mild for the time of year.
Swim: NE Bay and SW corner
Tackle:14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line and 14 hook.
11’6” Hardy Marksman, Shimano Exage 4000RC reel, 8lb line, 12 hook.
Baits: Used luncheon meat on the hook and sweetcorn as an attractor.
Fish: Two carp and a nice roach. Best fish carp 8lbs 4oz.

My neighbour Steve accompanied me today and I suggested he fished the ‘lily-pads’ spot, as it was the most accessible place, and I had caught there previously. This left me to find another fishable spot - not that easy!

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Species: Carp, Roach

Syndicate Lake (6)

Venue: Syndicate Lake
Mirror 11lb 8oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 11.00
Weather: Sunny / cloudy.
NW wind was behind me but it caused sideways drift, making it difficult to control a float.
Swim: Lily pads
Tackle: 14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line and 14 hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn and luncheon meat.
Fish: Two carp and 16 roach. Best carp 11½ lbs. Best roach 1lb 2oz

Today I decided to try for the roach. I started with sweetcorn and took two roach with the first two casts, the biggest around 4 oz.

After this it went quiet. I was having some difficulty casting to the gap between the lily pads. The cross-wind was troublesome and the overgrown mangle of bramble and shrubs behind me limited the backcast. I changed to a light ledger but things seemed to have gone very quiet.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp, Roach

Syndicate Lake (1)

Venue: Syndicate Lake
The Lake - First view

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 15.30
Weather: Bright with a light wind
Swim: Lily pads
Tackle:13ft FishTec multi float, 8lb line, waggler, 12 hook.
11’6” Hardy Marksman, Shimano Exage 4000RC reel, 8lb line, 12 hook.
Bait: Bread and luncheon meat. All fish taken on luncheon meat.
Fish: A couple of carp, best 7lb 12oz, and a couple of roach.

First trip to the coarse lake on my syndicate water.

As mentioned in my last diary entry, the coarse lake on this syndicate water is hardly fished. So I’ve found what for me is an ideal location. One could imagine it as one of those lakes mentioned in carp fishing books, with all the mystery of possible whoppers. But perhaps I’m romanticising too much.

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Species: Carp, Roach

River Indrois (1)

Venue: River Indrois
Common 6lb 5oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 16.00
Weather: Warm with little wind.
Swim: River walk at Montrésor
Tackle: 12ft Greys’ Rova Float rod, 5lb line, waggler, 14 hook.
Bait: All fish taken on bread flake.
Fish: One carp of 6lb 5oz and a very small catfish.

We were in France for three weeks so I took some tackle. I had bought two rods from the Greys’ Rova range and on this occasion used the float rod.

We had walked along the river the previous evening and I spotted a couple of carp under the lily pads. It always helps if you know where the fish hang out.

I returned the next afternoon (Saturday) but the river bank was quite busy with people taking a stroll. Many stopped to talk, which helped me practise my French, but didn’t do much for the carp.

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Species: Carp, Roach, Catfish

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