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Diary of an average angler

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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River Great Ouse - Offord (38)

Top Stream & Car Park Pool

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.

Earith (10)

No head-cam today!

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

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Overcast with hardly any wind and rain forecast.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 10 eyed hook.
Baits: White bread flake & spam.
Fish: 8 bream, a crucian & a crucian hybrid + a lost carp.

I've been alternating between Earith and Fields End since getting fishing again this spring, my other normal choice of venue, the Clay Pit, being closed for spawning. Today I was back at Earith and once again hoping for some tench. Things didn't start well when I discovered that I hadn't replaced the SD memory card in my head-cam, thus requiring me to improvise filming using my iPhone and a camcorder. When I eventually got set up my first hooked fish was almost certainly a largish carp that tore off into a large bed of lilies, leaving me attached to a lily stem. I got everything back but it wasn't a great start. I had switched from bread flake to spam which had it seems tempted the carp.

Earith (9)

A short session

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

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Sunny with light clouds. Becoming very warm.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Seedy bread flake with crumbed bread & 'insect feast' bird food as groundbait.
Fish: 6 bream (one hybrid) and 2 tench. + a lost carp.

The day didn't start well when my car wouldn't start. In fact it was dead, no warning lights, nothing. It later transpired that the battery had failed completely. Fortunately my wife's car was available but with my car problem in the back of my mind I had been in two minds whether to go. The weather forecast was perfect and in the end I set off, but I only stayed for just over three hours as I wanted to get back to sort out the car. Fortunately I had some decent sport in those three hours.

Earith (8)

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

Arrival time: 09.45
Weather: Sunny with light clouds. Quite mild but with a troublesome wind.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 10 eyed hook (changed to 8 later).
Baits: Seedy bread with 'insect feast' bird food as groundbait.
Fish: A crucian hybrid, 2 bream, a tench and a carp.

My first trip since November last year, and after my left hip replacement in February. High water level at the lake prevented me from fishing my usual spot at the back, the only available swims being nearer the entrance. This wasn't an issue although whereas the back of the lake is very sheltered, in today's location I was exposed to a troublesome wind.

Earith (7)

On the waggler!

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

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.

The Clay Pit (14)

Side pond

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Bright start with a light breeze, clouding over later.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler (with 1.2g olivette), 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake & corn.
Fish: Four tench and a bream.

Almost exactly a month since my last trip to the Clay Pit. I was undecided where to go and opted for this venue as it's close to home and rarely busy. I took bread and corn as these were available at home, the bread being the Hovis seedy loaf that I mentioned on my last outing. I was able to get my preferred spot.

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