River Great Ouse - Offord (57)
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Arrival time: 10:30.
Weather: Overcast and occasional drizzle. Breezy but not too cold for October.
Tackle: 11'6" John Wilson Avon with 1.5oz quiver, Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner, link leger and 6lb line direct to 10 hook. .
Baits: Bread flake and worms
Fish: One small roach
I had for some time wanted to return to a swim at the point of what's referred to as the Triangle, a wedge of land between the main river and the lock cutting. It's the confluence of the river and the outflow of the mill stream, creating a crease between the two flows. I had lost a fish there in the past, which was probably a chub, and had landed a chub on another occasion. But on both occasions it was later in the year when there was more flow and less weed. Unfortunately this time the weed proved to be a real problem and I moved a couple of times.
I started with a bomb leger wanting to test the swim for weed, thinking that a feeder might snag more easily. Weed was visible on the surface meaning that I had to cast further downstream than I had intended. I started with bread flake and didn't get any bite indications for a while. Winding in I felt weed throughout the retrieval. I changed to worm and cast to the centre of the main channel but once again there wasn't any response, and again I retrieved weed. At this point I decided to move to the top stream and try for perch.
The top stream had a reasonable flow, the rushes that had been blocking the outflow onto the small weir on my previous visit having been cut back. I set up in the first swim upstream of the weir and cast out the bomb leger with worm bait. There were no takers! I then removed the bomb and free lined a worm down the margin, a technique that had attracted perch on previous visits. But not this time.
Talking to a woman walking her dog, when asked she confirmed that there wasn't anybody on the mill stream. It was a long walk but I decided to move again.
First swim - main river
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Second swim - Top Stream
Mill Stream - small roach hooked
Roach - the one and only fish
All swims on the mill stream were indeed free so I settled in the spot where I had caught on two previous occasions this season. However, the water level seemed to be down a bit as the branches of the overhanging tree were clear of the water, whereas previously they were touching it. The water was also very clear with a strong flow. Not ideal conditions.
I changed to a 2xSSG link leger and as on previous occasions cast bread flake as far under the overhanging branches as practicable. I soon had some taps on the quiver and one firmer pull that I missed. The taps continued with subsequent casts but it soon became clear that these were small fish. I finally hooked a small roach confirming my suspicions.
Changing to worm as a better bait for roach and dace surprisingly didn't produce any bites, perhaps because it was less visible amongst the streamer weed.
When the drizzle returned and the increasing wind threatened rain I decided to call it a day.
So an energetic but disappointing session.