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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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Fields End (116)

On the waggler

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Arrival time: 09.30
Weather: Overcast start with light NE breeze becoming very warm later in the sunshine.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler (with 1.2g olivette), 6lb line direct to 12 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots and sweetcorn with hemp loose feed.
Fish: A lot of roach, 2 rudd and one dace.

The day didn't start well. I had set out for the Clay Pit but after a long road diversion I arrived to find it closed because fish were spawning. I decided to go instead to Fields End, the nearest alternative. On settling into my pitch I thought I had lost my car keys only to find them in the grass where I had unpacked my gear, but only after returning to the car park on the far side of the lake. I then discovered I had left my bread bait at home, limiting me to maggots and sweetcorn. But on the plus side the lake was very quiet with only three other anglers when I arrived.

Earith (7)

On the waggler!

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Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Chilly start with drizzle. Remained overcast with light wind.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler (with 1.2g olivette), 6lb line direct to 12 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots and bread with hemp loose feed.
Fish: 5 tench, 5 bream + small roach/rudd/dace and tiny perch.

After the frustration of missing so many knocks on the bobbin the previous week, I returned to the same swim at Earith to try fishing it with a waggler. I took maggots for hook bait and hemp seed loose feed. I also had four slices of seedy brown bread as a fallback, which turned out to be a wise decision.

River Great Ouse - Offord (27)

The Triangle

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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 Chubb Stream (11)

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Arrival time: 10:30
Weather: Sunny and very mild for October with little wind.
Tackle: 11ft 6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver tip, Shimano 5000RE reel, 6lb line direct to 8 eyed hook with 2xSSG link leger. Changed to 12 hook for dace.
Baits: Cheese paste & maggots.
Fish: One chub and two dace.

I didn't feel in the mood to travel too far so decided to go to the Chubb Stream that I last fished on 16th June. The EA water level report showed low but I thought I would take a chance. During a chat with a chap in the car park in St Ives he mentioned that there was too much weed in the stream.

River Great Ouse - Offord (23)

Mill Stream

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Arrival time: 10:30
Weather: Sunny and mild for September with a freshening breeze.
Tackle: 11ft 6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver tip, Shimano 5000RE reel, 6lb line direct to 8 eyed hook with 2xSSG link leger.
Baits: Spam, bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: Four chub and two dace.

It's a while since I had been to the Mill Stream and I found that things had changed a bit. Reed growth had made a favoured swim by the bridge very difficult to fish. And the clearance of a tree bough that had been restricting the flow had changed the character of a couple of swims.

River Nene - Backwaters (4)

Wellington

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Arrival time: 13.45 at swim
Weather: Pleasantly warm with fresh NNE breeze.
Tackle: 11' 6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver tip, Shimano 5000RE reel, 6lb line direct to 8 eyed hook with 2xSSG link leger.
Baits: Bread flake, cheese paste and spam.
Fish: One reasonable chub and two dace.

I returned to the backwater that I first fished a few weeks ago, this time with a better idea of what swims I would fish. I had hoped to concentrate on perhaps two or three spots, but the continual taps on the quiver tip from small fish caused me to rove the stretch in the hope of a better chub.

© 2025 Robert Bassett

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