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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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Chub Red Letter Day

A special day on the Welland
Venue: Stories |River Welland |Red Letter Day

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

As I'm unable to get to the riverbank because of the current lock-down, rather than the usual video here I relive a rather special day using photographs taken at the time.
It was June 2014 and I enjoyed an exceptional day on the River Welland at Stamford, taking ten fish to 5lb 2oz, eight of which were from the same swim.
It's also good to remind ourselves of summer as we watch the snow outside and the flooded rivers.

Species: Chub

River Welland (30)

Venue: River Welland

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

Arrival time: 08.30
Weather: Early rain but brightening later.
Swim: Roving.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Specimen Avon, Shimano Exage 4000RC, link leger, 8lb line, 8 hook
Baits: Spam and bread flake
Fish: Blank

Having had some reasonable success in producing videos of my fishing trips I decided on a visit to the Welland at Stamford. It's always been a very reliable venue for me. I had only previously blanked once when the river was in flood. But today was to prove fishless despite conditions seeming to be good.

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Species: Blank

River Welland (29)

Venue: River Welland
Chub 2lb 4oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Bright and at 15℃ warm for February, with a freshening wind.
Swim: Roving.
Tackle: 12ft Korum multi-feeder, Shimano bait caster, 6lb line, 6 hook tied direct. Three SG shots on a short link.
Baits: Luncheon meat
Fish: Three chub, best 3lbs 4oz

My grumbling back and resulting sciatica has put paid to golf, but this has spurred me into going fishing. My back, however, is also imposing some constraints on fishing, particularly at Stamford where the banks are difficult and crouching in tight spaces isn't easy when your mobility is reduced.

I was pleased to find that there weren't any other anglers on the stretch. There aren't many fishable spots and the chub are easily spooked.

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Species: Chub

River Welland (28)

Venue: River Welland
Summer chubbing

Summer chubbing

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Very warm and humid.
Swim: Roving.
Tackle: 12ft Korum multi-feeder, Shimano bait caster, 6lb line, 6 hook tied direct. Three SG shots on a short link.
Baits: Luncheon meat
Fish: Blank

I made the mistake of visiting this stretch on the first day of the season back in 2015, there being rather too much angling activity on that occasion. This time I left it a few days, but I still wasn't the only one there. In fact, there was another chap who had obviously arrived long before me, and was roving the stretch, clearly after chub. Not good news, as having the first cast into a chub lie is preferable, after which subsequent attempts become more challenging.

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Species: Blank

River Welland (27)

Venue: River Welland
Chub 2lb 6oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 08.40
Weather: Misty and calm and little warmer than of late.
Swim: Roving.
Tackle: 12ft Korum multi-feeder, Shimano bait caster, 6lb line, 6 hook tied direct. Three SG shots on a short link.
Baits: Luncheon meat
Fish: Three chub, best 2lbs 8oz

My last visit to the Welland was on the first day of the season in 2015! My New Year's resolution was to go fishing more often and I've been waiting for the freezing conditions to ease a bit. The conditions today were almost perfect. The river was high but not flooded, with some nice deep glides. There was no wind to speak of and while still cold (it's January), it wasn't bitter. There was, however, an awful lot of mud!

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Species: Chub

River Welland (26)

Venue: River Welland
Chub 4lb 5oz

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

Arrival time: 09.20
Weather: Started warm and cloudy but became very hot when sun broke through.
Swim: Roving.
Tackle: 12ft Korum multi-feeder, Shimano bait caster, 6lb line, 8 hook tied direct. Two SG shots on a short link.
Baits: Luncheon meat, cheese
Fish: Three chub and a small jack pike. Best fish chub 4lb 5oz.

I can’t remember the last time I went fishing on the first day of the season. Probably when I was a lad. Actually we’re often away in June but this year we weren’t, so off I went.

On reflection going to the Welland at Stamford on the first day wasn’t perhaps a good idea. It’s not easy fishing and often I have the stretch to myself, or there’s only one other angler. Today of course it was busier, with at least four or five anglers walking up and down the stretch, a couple of whom were spinning.

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Species: Chub, Pike

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