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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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Species
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

River Great Ouse - Offord (38)

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

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.

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Species: Bream, Roach, Dace

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 (35)

Car Park Pool
Venue: River Great Ouse |Offord

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

Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Drizzle on and off interspersed with heavier rain. Quite mild.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano match rod, Rapidex II 2400 centrepin, Drennan stick float and 6lb line to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Corn, bead flake & spam.
Fish: A couple of roach

After a few trips to streams that had proved challenging I decided to fish the car park pool that is at most times an almost still area of water. I chose a swim on the far bank, on what is called Sismey Island, having chatted to a chap earlier in the season who had lost a tench there. I realised that a tench would be a real bonus but also hoped to attract some silver fish.

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Species: Roach

River Great Ouse - Offord (34)

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: 09.00
Weather: Cloudy start with sun breaking through and becoming very warm
Tackle: Korum 10ft 'All Rounder' 1.1lb TC, Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner, single SSG link, 6lb line to 6/8/12 eyed hooks.
Baits: Bread flake & cheese paste.
Fish: Dace and a couple of roach

The plan was to pop over to the Mill Stream and try to fish by the bridge, where I had seen another angler wade in and catch a number of chub on my last visit. When I got there the nettles had grown to such an extent that I chose not to try to get to that spot. As it turned out the water level was up slightly and I doubt my wellingtons would have been high enough to wade. Instead I chose to fish the spot I fished last time, casting down towards the bridge.

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Species: Dace, Roach

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

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