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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!

fisherman
Venues
& topics
Species
Archive
Venues & topics
Species
Archive

The Chubb Stream (14)

Venue: Chubb Stream

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

Arrival time: 10.15 am
Weather: Cold but bright with a freshening to strong wind.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, small Arlesey weight, Shimano 5000 RE reel, 6lb line direct to 6 eyed hook.
Baits: Luncheon meat & cheese paste.
Fish: One chub

I was in St Ives the previous day and I checked out the Chubb Stream to see if it had fined down after recent heavy rain. It looked pretty good, with some extra water and colour, but nothing to worry about. So I returned with a fairly positive feeling. I stopped at the first fishable swim, basically to cut down on walking too far in one go, my ailing left hip limiting me. I noticed the new flow deflectors just upstream from the swim, installed recently by the EA to promote the formation of a deeper pool and cleaner gravel.

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Species: Chub

River Nene - Backwaters (8)

Castor
Venue: River Nene |Nene backwaters

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Sunny and becoming very warm by midday.
Tackle: 12' Korum Multi-feeder, 1xSSG sliding link, 6lb line to 6 eyed hook.
Baits: Cheese paste & cheese.
Fish: One chub.

My second trip to a Nene backwater this season, this time to Castor. I was surprised to be the only car in the lane and when I got on the stretch there were only two anglers. The last time I was there it was much busier. I was also fortunate that the two guys appeared to be 'static', which meant that in all likelihood nobody had dipped into any of the other swims.

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Species: Chub

The Chubb Stream (13)

Venue: Chubb Stream

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

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Mainly overcast but warm with a light breeze.
Tackle: Ryan Burns 'Arrow' 10' split cane rod, Mitchell 300 reel, 2xSSG link leger, 7lb line to size 6 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: 2 chub and one lost fish

After a blank on the Chubb Stream on the first day of the season, which I still believe might have been because somebody fished my chosen spots before I arrived, I decided to make a return visit in the hope of a better outcome. The meadow had been mown, the grass having been almost waist high on my last visit. But the vegetation on the banks was still dense and access to the stream was very difficult. Unfortunately the session ended with me breaking my new cane rod but up until that point I quite enjoyed the challenge.

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Species: Chub

River Great Ouse - Offord (30)

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

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

Arrival time: 09.50
Weather: Bright but cloudy with sunshine between clouds. Windy and certainly not overly hot.
Tackle: Ryan Burns 'Arrow' 10' split cane rod, Mitchell 300 reel, 2xSSG link leger, 7lb main / 5lb flouro-carbon hook length to 6 eyed hook.
Baits: Cheese paste, spam, flake.
Fish: One chub, an unwanted eel and a foul-hooked dace.

With my left hip playing up I hadn't been out fishing for over three weeks, but it had calmed down and I decided to go to the Offord Mill Stream as it would involve less walking than the other river venues that I normally fish. With no cars in the car park when I arrived it wasn't surprising to find nobody on the Mill Stream. I set up at the head of the stream and proposed to then work my way downstream, dropping in the few swims that exist.

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Species: Chub, Eel, Dace

River Nene - Backwaters (7)

Wellington
Venue: River Nene |Nene backwaters

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

Arrival time: 09.15
Weather: Sunny start, clouding over with freshening wind. Mild.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano 5000 RE reel, 6lb line direct to 6 hook.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: 4 chub and one small roach.

Having had to cut short my trips to the Nene backwaters last year because of my back problem, this was my first trip this season. The banks were much more overgrown than on my trip last July, indicating perhaps that fewer people had fished there before me. I should have read my report from last July since on that occasion the better fish were taken on spam, a bait I didn't take this time.

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Species: Chub, Roach

River Great Ouse - Houghton (9)

Trout Stream - on the fly rod
Venue: River Great Ouse |Houghton |Trout Stream

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

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Overcast start but very warm, becoming sunny and extremely hot and humid.
Tackle: 9' 6" #6/7 Sonik sk3 fly rod, Rim Fly DISC 75 fly reel, Airflo 40+ Floating WF7 line, Greys 9' copolymer knotless tapered leader 4lb/0.16mm
Baits: Fly
Fish: One small chub.

I had decided to go for a Saturday walk along the Houghton Trout Stream just to check out how weed congested it was, when I thought, "why not take my fly rod". I fished the stream in June last year and it was almost unfishable in a conventional manner, but I had seen fish rising. I assumed these were probably dace that could perhaps be taken on fly, assuming I could get enough clear access to cast.

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Species: Chub

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