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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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Species
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Venues & topics
Species
Archive

The Clay Pit (11)

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: 14.00
Weather: Mild for October with a light breeze.
Tackle: 10ft TFG Compact Float rod, Speedia centrepin, light (5 x no.4) waggler, 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggot.
Fish: Five tench, a number of good roach and one rudd.

With the remainder of the week forecast to be blustery with some rain, I decided on the spur of the moment to go over to the side ponds at the Clay Pit. I also wanted to use up some maggots that I had from the previous week. It turned out to be a good decision.

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Species: Tench, Roach, Rudd

River Great Ouse - Offord (24)

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: 11:00 (at swim)
Weather: Bright and not too cold but with a freshening breeze.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, 6lb line, 4lb pre-tied Drennan hook length to 14 'red' hook.
Started with Drennan 6.4g loafer float and changed to loaded waggler on main river.
Baits: Maggot & bread flake.
Fish: Mixed bag of small chub, dace, perch & roach.

When fishing the Mill Stream the previous week I thought it would be interesting to float fish the bridge swim, so today I returned hoping for a mixed catch on maggot, with the chance of a better chub by trotting towards the bridge.

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Species: Chub

River Great Ouse - Offord (23)

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: 10:30
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.

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Species: Chub, Dace

River Nene - Backwaters (5)

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: 10.30 at swim
Weather: Warm, cloudy with sunny intervals, a light 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 very small roach and a small chub.

This was my first fishing trip to the Castor backwater that I had viewed before the beginning of the season. It's very popular, with a limited number of swims, so I had waited until the early season enthusiasm had died down. But there were a couple of other anglers on the stretch when I arrived.

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Species: Chub, Roach

The Clay Pit (10)

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: 11.00
Weather: Warm with sun & cloud and a possibility of showers.
Tackle: 10ft TFG Compact Float rod, Speedia centrepin, light (5 x no.4) waggler, 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn.
Fish: Five tench, a number of crucians, a small carp and two roach.

After a number of trips to the Nene backwaters I fancied a less energetic day so decided to go over to the local Clay Pit to fish the side ponds. I hoped for a tench or two but would have been satisfied with a mixed bag of whatever turned up.

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Species: Tench, Crucian, Roach, Carp

River Nene - Backwaters (4)

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: 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.

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Species: Chub, Dace

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