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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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Venues
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Archive
Venues & topics
Species
Archive

Fields End (120)

Autumn session
Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 09.30
Weather: Bright autumn day and unseasonably mild. Light breeze from behind.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Speedia centrepin, antenna waggler, 6lb line to a 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn, worms & luncheon meat
Fish: 2 good carp, a rudd and small roach & perch.

Still suffering from the effects of the shingles virus, I had decided against a fishing trip two days earlier. Feeling a bit better I went to my nearest water, the Fields End Pit, hoping for some sport with roach and rudd, with the possibility of a carp coming along. As it was the roach and rudd proved to be illusive but a couple of good carp made up for their absence.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Roach, Perch, Rudd

Middle Level drains (2)

20ft drain March
Venue: Middle Level drains

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

Arrival time: 10.30
Weather: Chilly start but bright sun and very little wind all day.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy VX Rova Specimen, Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, cage feeder, 8lb main line with 5lb flourocarbon hook length to 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots, bread & corn with hemp-based groundbait & hemp feed.
Fish: A small rudd and a reasonable perch.

A return to the 20ft drain to try a different approach, having been advised to try a feeder and groundbait. I hadn't bought proprietary groundbait for years and chose a hemp-based mixture with worm meal. I also mixed in some sweetcorn and hempseed. In high anticipation I cast in and sat back to watch my low-tech cork bobbin. And not much happened!

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Species: Perch, Rudd

Middle Level drains (1)

20ft drain March
Venue: Middle Level drains

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

Arrival time: 09.30
Weather: Cloudy bright with increasing cloud. No wind to start with but freshening to a light breeze.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, 6lb line, 3.5lb pre-tied Drennan hook length to size 16.
Baits: Maggots & corn with hemp feed.
Fish: Some small perch and a couple of roach/rudd.

Having ignored the local drains for years because of the difficulty of access, a chance look at a Facebook page alerted me to a venue where it wasn't necessary to risk the steep overgrown banks, and where there was parking. Just outside of March the local club has built gravel platforms and access steps that, while still needing a bit of care, have made access to the water immeasurably more friendly. It's the first time I've fished one of these drains so it was very much a learning exercise.

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Species: Perch, Roach, Rudd

River Great Ouse - Offord (32)

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

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Bright sun and very warm with increasing cloud but little wind.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, 6lb line, 4lb pre-tied Drennan hook length to 14 fine wire hook.
Baits: Maggots with hempseed attractor.
Fish: 3 small roach and 2 small perch.

I was full of hope for the first trip of the new season, with a clear plan of action, but it didn't go that well. I had decided to fish a swim on the Top Stream that I had eyed-up on previous visits. It can be affected badly by wind but with very little wind forecast this seemed an ideal opportunity. It is also secluded and away from the nearby public footpath, so everything looked good. With very little flow I had decided to try laying on with maggots, my target species being roach and perch. But it wasn't to be. A small roach slipped the hook early on but after that, besides a few half-bites, there was nothing happening.

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Species: Roach, Perch

Fields End (119)

Morning session
Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 08.15
Weather: Overcast with a strengthening south-westerly breeze (from behind me).
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line to a 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Breadflake & luncheon meat
Fish: Rudd & roach throughout the session with 3 crucians and a small perch.

Today's choice of venue was decided by the forecast for a strengthening SW wind. I would have preferred to return to Earith but the part of the lake that is accessible would have been exposed to the wind, which wouldn't have been great for waggler fishing. So I went to Fields End hoping to get the swim in the SW corner, which I did. In fact the lake was deserted, mine still being the only car in the visitors' parking when I left. And only a couple of anglers arrived from the on-site caravan park. So it was a very peaceful day.

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Species: Rudd, Roach, Perch, Crucian

Fields End (118)

On the waggler
Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 08.30
Weather: Beautiful spring day. Sunny with light westerly breeze (from behind me).
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Allcocks 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line to a 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Breadflake & luncheon meat
Fish: Rudd throughout session with 4 carp, a crucian, a couple of roach and a small perch.

After debating whether Fields End would be too busy the week of the bank holiday, I took a chance and was pleased to find that it was actually quite quiet. To cut down walking and ensure that the breeze was behind me, I went to what I call the tree corner, a quiet little niche in the SW corner of the lake. Conditions were perfect for float fishing and after ground baiting with a bread mix I started with bread flake. But things were very slow.

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Species: Rudd, Roach, Perch, Carp, Crucian

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