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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
Species
Archive
Venues
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

The Clay Pit (17)

Side pond
Venue: The Clay Pit

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

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Chilly with a weak sun and windy. Clouding over later.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 12 eyed hook.
Baits: Dead maggots, sweetcorn, bread flake, cheese paste.
Fish: Three tench, one small roach and a tiny perch.

After around four weeks of coughing and nose blowing with a cold, or perhaps some other virus, this was my first trip out in just under a month. I decided to give the rivers a miss in view of the recent heavy rain and rising levels. Instead I went to the side pond at the Clay Pit where I have had fairly consistent sport, although I wasn't too confident this late in the year.

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Species: Tench, Roach, Perch

A look in my tackle bags

Venue: Tackle

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

On a warmer day in late summer I made a short video in my garden showing what tackle I usually take with me, the emphasis being on travelling light.

Click for photos

River Great Ouse - Offord (31)

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

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

Arrival time: 10.30
Weather: Bright with increasing cloud and freshening wind.
Tackle: 9ft Shimano Aero X1 feeder rod with 1oz quiver, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel, maggot feeder, 5lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggot & worm.
Fish: One perch and one ruffe.

With my left hip limiting my walking range I decided to go to the Top Stream at Offord which is only about a five minute walk from the car park. This choice was also influenced by the fact that the water level had been high following heavy rain and the Top Stream offered perhaps the least affected stretch, although in fact the main river had returned to normal levels. I stopped off at the tackle shop for maggots and worms, thus delaying my arrival.

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Species: Perch, Ruffe

River Great Ouse - Houghton (10)

Trout Stream
Venue: River Great Ouse |Houghton

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

Arrival time: 09.30
Weather: Cloudy, becoming warm with a freshening wind and sunny intervals.
Tackle: Ryan Burns 'Arrow' 10' split cane rod, Mitchell 300 reel, 1xSSG link leger, 7lb line to 6 eyed hook.
Baits: Cheese paste, cheese & worm.
Fish: Blank.

After a couple of outings to still waters I decided to give a stream another try, following some quite difficult sessions earlier in the season. As there had been quite a lot of recent rain I expected the water level to be up, but in fact it was very low. And I had also hoped that some of the weed growth had died down, as well as the dense bank side vegetation. I was disappointed on both counts, at one point doubting whether I would find a fishable swim.

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Species: Blank

Fields End (117)

On the waggler
Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 09.20
Weather: Fresh start, warming up later with sun and light cloud. NW breeze.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line. Started with 12 hook, later changing to 14 and then to 10.
Baits: Sweetcorn, bread flake and luncheon meat with hemp loose feed.
Fish: Mostly rudd with a couple of roach and one perch.

After the Clay Pit last week I fancied another session on a stillwater. I had struggled on the streams this season, finding them more heavily weeded than normal, and had also been avoiding venues requiring too much walking because of problems with my hip. So I set off to Fields End Waters which is very local. I was, however, a bit worried as to how busy it would be given the Indian summer we're enjoying, and sure enough it was literally full when I left at around 3.00pm.

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Species: Rudd, Roach, Perch

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