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Diary of an average angler

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!

Venues
Species
Archive
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Venues
Species
Archive

River Great Ouse - Offord (27)

The Triangle

Arrival time: 10:30 (at swim)
Weather: Overcast and chilly. Little wind to start with but blew up during the session.
Tackle: 9ft Shimano Aero X1 feeder rod with 1oz quiver, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel, 5lb line direct to a 14 hook. Link leger with 2SSG.
Baits: Maggots and worms.
Fish: A number of smallish roach and dace, with the occasional gudgeon and one small perch.

After yet more heavy rain I was unsure about going to a river but I took a chance, with the intention of going to a particular swim if the river was up. And up it was. Coloured and moving at a pace I was pleased to find that the spot I had decided upon offered some slack water.

The Clay Pit (12)

Side pond

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: 10⁰C, overcast with a NW wind. Brightened for a short period.
Tackle: 10ft TFG Compact Float rod, Speedia centrepin, light (5 x no.4) waggler, 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggot & worm.
Fish: Three tench, a small carp, roach, rudd, crucian & perch

I had proposed to go to a river but because of torrential rain the previous day I decided to go over to the local Clay Pit and fish a side pond. I had had a fair measure of success in these ponds earlier in the season but hadn't fished them in colder weather. I hoped for some roach and perch but things actually worked out a lot better.

River Great Ouse - Offord (26)

Top Stream

Arrival time: 10:00 (at swim)
Weather: Once again a bright start but it soon clouded over and the wind freshened with strong gusts.
Tackle: 9ft Shimano Aero X1 feeder rod with 1oz quiver, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel, 5lb line with circa 3lb hook length to a 14 hook. Started with a small bomb leger. Tried float and maggot feeder before reverting to bomb leger. Also tried a micro lure.
Baits: Maggots and worms.
Fish: A good bag of perch with two notable fish at 1lb 2oz and a PB of 1lb 14oz.

With the chub proving to be a bit challenging over the previous weeks I decided to try for perch at the Top Stream at Offord Cluny. I had caught perch there before and had spoken to another angler the previous week who said he had had some success with perch and roach. I picked up some red maggots and worms on the way.

River Great Ouse - Houghton (8)

Trout Stream

Arrival time: 08.15
Weather: Bright, sunny and a light breeze, with increasing cloud cover.
Tackle: 9ft Shimano Aero X1 feeder rod with 1oz quiver, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel, 5lb line with simple link leger and a 14 eyed hook tied direct.
Baits: Maggot
Fish: Small dace & perch.

I had about half a pint of maggots left over from my trip to the Offord mill stream and decided to go to Houghton for a few hours to use them up. I went to a spot I had fished once before where one of the main channels feeds the head of the trout stream.

River Great Ouse - Offord (21)

Mill Stream

Arrival time: 07.30
Weather: Overcast & breezy - brightening later
Tackle: 10ft EFGear compact float rod, Speedia centrepin, Drennan stick float, 6lb line with Drennan 4lb pre-tied hook length and 14 'red' hook.
Baits: Maggot, bread flake.
Fish: Small dace & perch and a couple of gudgeon.

I returned to the Mill Stream having the previous week thought that the swim at the head of the stream would be ideal for trotting. In fact the cross-flow of the stream and a cross wind made trotting quite difficult.

River Great Ouse - Offord (20)

Mill Stream

Arrival time: 08.30
Weather: Overcast & breezy - brightening later
Tackle: 11ft 6" John Wilson Avon quiver, Shimano 5000RE baitrunner, 2/3xSSG link leger, 6lb line direct to 8 eyed hook (14 hook for a while)
Baits: Bread flake, cheese paste, worm.
Fish: Two chub including a PB for the stream + small dace & perch.

After visiting a couple of heavily weeded streams this season, today I went to the Mill Stream at Offord. Weedy, certainly, but nowhere near as bad as those other streams. It was a slow start, a usually reliable swim not offering up anything.

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