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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
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Species
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Venues & topics
Species
Archive

Syndicate Lake (2)

Venue: Syndicate Lake
Rudd 1lb 2oz

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

Arrival time: 14.30
Weather: Bright sun and clouds with hardly any 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: All fish taken on luncheon meat.
Fish: A couple of rudd, best 1lb 2oz, and a lost carp.

Second trip to the syndicate lake.

This time I took some shears and cleared the blackberry thorns from the path. I also opened up a route round to the east bank. However, I fished the same spot as last week. An Environment Agency chap was there checking licences when I arrived. Only the second time I’ve been asked in 50 odd years!

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Species: Rudd

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 (57)

Venue: Fields End
Leather 12lb

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.00
Weather: Clear blue sky with little or no wind through morning. Cloud cover increased during afternoon although wind remained light SW until about 19.00, when it freshened.
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle: 11½ft Hardy Avon Marksman, waggler, 6/8lb line, 12 hook.
10ft compact float 6lb line, pellet waggler, 16hook.
Baits: Bread flake, luncheon meat and floating biscuit.
Fish: Six carp, best 12lbs, two tench, best 3½lbs, a crucian and an ide.

After being outgunned on my 13ft multi-float rod on the last visit I had set up my new Hardy Avon Specimen rod that I bought last year at an offer price. It was its first outing. I had paired it with my Rapidex centre pin and 6lb line. First cast, using bread flake, resulted in a firm bite five minutes later and a fish rushed into the reeds, breaking me easily. The tackle upgrade obviously hadn’t worked. I then lost another fish that slipped the hook as I was trying to stop it getting into the reeds. Not a good start!

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp, Tench, Crucian, Rudd

Fields End (52)

Venue: Fields End
Common 4lb 12oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.10
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle: 13ft multi-float, waggler, 4lb line, 14 hook.
Baits: Bread flake, sweetcorn, luncheon meat

The 16 March trip had broken my winter duck and the weather had warmed up some more, so back to the lake. I arrived just after 07.00 and there was nobody there. I fished the reed-corner swim again, which while difficult is fairly reliable. And early in the year there is at least half a chance of keeping the fish out of the reeds.

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Species: Carp, Roach, Rudd, Dace

Fields End (51)

Venue: Fields End
Mirror 9lb 12oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 08.00
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle: 13ft multi-float, waggler, 4lb line.
Baits: Bread flake, sweetcorn, luncheon meat

After freezing my what's its off in January, I waited until things warmed up a bit before making another trip to Fields End. The weather had recently shown a marked improvement, with March 14th, the last day of the river season, being really quite nice. By Tuesday 16th the wind has also relented; so I set off.

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Species: Carp, Tench, Roach, Rudd

The Clay Pit (2)

Venue: The Clay Pit
No photo message

Having caught nothing at The Clay Pit on the Monday, I returned armed with pellets, biscuits and maggots. This time there was no sign of the carp (typical) so I persevered with bottom-fed maggot on a waggler. The water is deep off the fishing stage; about 6 feet just by the reeds.

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Species: Rudd

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