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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
Archive
Venues & topics
Species
Archive

River Great Ouse - Offord (42)

Mill Stream & Car Park Pool
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: 08.30.
Weather: The beginning of a very hot spell of weather with little cloud cover.
Tackle: Korum 12ft 'Multi-feeder', Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner simple 2SSG link, 6lb line to 8 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake, cheese paste & prawn.
Fish: Two chub.

I had walked a number of streams the previous week before deciding on a venue for the opening day. In the end I chose Offord because it offered different types of water, although I had planned to fish the Mill Stream. My destination was the swim at the top of the stream and I was pleased to see nobody in it as I approached. My bubble was burst however when I found tackle stacked in the swim - no anglers, just tackle. Slightly annoyed I went back to a spot just upstream of the road bridge where I had seen chub the previous week. As it turned out this forced change of plan might have been fortuitous.

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Species: Chub

River Great Ouse - Offord (41)

Mill Stream & Car Park Pool
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: 10.30.
Weather: Much milder than of late with warmth in the sun and a gentle breeze.
Tackle: Drennan 1¾lb TC 12ft 'Specialist Barbel', Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, 2SSG link, 8lb line to #8 eyed hook. (Tackled up for small stream chub!).
Baits: bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: One bream.

Having been away from the water for almost three weeks I was keen to get out, even though recent heavy rain was affecting the rivers - again! I missed a perfect day the previous week when the rivers had fined down but I wasn't feeling up to going. It turned out to be a last minute decision on choice of venue as I compared the water level data on the government web site. In the end I opted for Offord as it was the only one of three possible choices that was not showing rising levels. It also offered some choices if the mill stream proved not to be fishable.

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Species: Bream

River Great Ouse - Offord (40)

Triangle - Lock cutting
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: 10.30.
Weather: Chilly and overcast with little wind.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, 6lb line, 4lb pre-tied Drennan hook length to 16 red wire hook.
Baits: maggots.
Fish: Small perch & roach.

With the river only recently returned to some sort of normal after yet another spate of heavy rain, my plan was to go to the Triangle section and fish the lock cutting. The spot near the bridge was my destination but unfortunately two other anglers were already there. I walked to what was effectively the end of the cutting and set up there. It wasn't as sheltered a spot as I had been aiming for but it wasn't affected by the fast moving water in the main streams. The sitting position was quite high above the water which made it a bit awkward.

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Species: Perch, Roach

River Great Ouse - Offord (39)

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

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Chilly with low cloud cover and complete absence of wind.
Tackle: Korum 10ft 'All Rounder' 1.1lb TC, Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner, small bomb leger, 6lb line to size 8 eyed hook..
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: One decent chub.

My plan was to go to the tip of the Triangle section and fish the crease between the main flow and the outflow of the lock cutting and mill stream. I had been successful with this approach in the past. On this occasion the main river flow wasn't all that strong, meaning that there wasn't actually a well defined crease. Whether this influenced the fishing it's hard to say but there was certainly no immediate action.

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Species: Chub

River Great Ouse - Offord (38)

Top Stream & Car Park Pool
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Cold & damp with a chilly north-westerly wind. Mainly overcast with occasional sunny intervals.
Tackle: 9ft Shimano Aero X1 feeder rod with 1oz quiver, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel, 5lb line direct to 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots and worms.
Fish: One decent bream, a very small roach and a minuscule dace.

The EA website and the OBAS club Facebook page suggested that the river level at Offord had returned to normal so I decided to take a gamble and give it a try. I headed for the Top Stream as I thought it would probably be the least affected by the extra water, but I was to be proved wrong. It had a strongish flow and was very coloured. What's more the bank was slippery and quite dangerous. I had hoped for perch, thus the choice of maggots and worms as bait but I soon doubted my chances.

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Species: Bream, Roach, Dace

River Great Ouse - Offord (37)

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

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

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Sunny with clear sky, clouding after midday. Becoming very warm.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano 5000 RE reel, 6lb line direct to 6/8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: One lost chub & one chublet

I thought I would have another crack at the mill stream having not done too well on a previous visit. A number of large chub were spotted under the road bridge and after not being able to cast to them from my first spot, I found a difficult but much closer location. I later moved along the stream, which seems more overgrown and weedy than ever. A truly challenging venue.

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Species: Chub

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