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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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Venues & topics
Species
Archive

The Clay Pit (24)

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: 09.30
Weather: Overcast most of the day and colder than recently with little wind.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler, single shot, 6lb main line to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots & bread flake with crumbed bread ground bait.
Fish: 4 tench and one lost at net.

My second consecutive trip to a stillwater with the rivers still being in a poor state because of lack of rain. I last visited the side ponds in July when I mentioned the low water level and now in October it was far worse. An indictment of the parlous lack of rain this area has received over the summer. I estimate that the level was down between 3 and 4 feet. This was very concerning and I feared it would spell trouble for fishing but in fact as it turned out I did very well.

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Species: Tench

Earith (16)

Venue: Earith

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

Arrival time: 09.00
Weather: Bright start clouding over with rain early afternoon. Strong gusty wind.
Tackle: Drennan 1¾ TC 12ft 'Specialist Barbel', Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, 2SSG on simple line-loop link, 8lb line to 8 eyed hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn, bread flake & luncheon meat.
Fish: Two tench, a bream and two carp. One lost fish.

After a few challenging sessions at Offord on the river I decided to have a change and went to a favourite little lake at Earith. I hadn't fished there in the autumn before, it usually being a spring venue before the river season opens. There were only two other anglers who were fishing nearer the car park so when I walked around to the back of the lake I was on my own and nobody else arrived. My target species was tench and I had come prepared to leger in view of the forecast for strong winds. In fact it was relatively calm in my little corner when I arrived but the wind freshened during the day.

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Species: Tench, Bream, Carp, Carp 10lb+

The Clay Pit (23)

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: 09.30
Weather: Mild with increasing light cloud cover and little wind. Perfect conditions.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler with lift-method single shot, 6lb main line to 14/12 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake with crumbed bread ground bait and sweetcorn.
Fish: 7 tench (one juvenile) and 2 crucians.

Following a break of just over two weeks, caused by sitting out a hot spell followed by few days away, and then avoiding a period of heavy rains, I decided on an easy day at the side pond on the Clay Pit. This little pond has nearly always been kind to me and with parking next to the swim, and few people around, it was just about perfect for a restful session. The only disappointment was that the water level was down around a couple of feet, not great given that the pond is only normally about four to five feet deep.

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Species: Tench

Earith (13)

Venue: Earith

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

Arrival time: 09.30
Weather: A bright sunny day with a light breeze but still not over warm.
Tackle: Hardy 11' 6" Marksman Specimen Avon, Speedia 4" centrepin, preloaded waggler, 6lb line direct to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake & luncheon meat.
Fish: A tench, a roach/bream hybrid and a bream.

After some warmer weather I returned to this Earith lake in the hope of catching a tench. There was nobody there when I arrived so I was looking forward to a quiet and peaceful session. Unfortunately my hopes were misplaced as a lot of people turned up later, and the owner was grass cutting throughout my stay, adding a loud background drone to a lot of talking and occasional shouting. But I managed one tench, so you could say that it was a qualified success.

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Species: Tench, Bream

The Clay Pit (22)

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: 09.30
Weather: Fresh start but becoming quite warm. Sun all day with light clouds and just a hint of a breeze.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler with lift-method single shot, 6lb main line to 14 eyed hook.
Baits: Maggots.
Fish: 3 tench.

With the close season in force on the rivers I went over to the Clay Pit to try my luck for some spring tench. We had had a few warm days and when I arrived the water in the side pond was coloured, indicating some aquatic activity. On my previous trip in winter the water had been clear and I blanked. Chatting to a chap as I tackled up, he informed me that he believed that cormorants had raided the pond, which was a bit disheartening. But I took a positive view that even if this was true perhaps the tench had evaded their attention.

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Species: Tench

The Clay Pit (19)

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: 10.00
Weather: Beautiful sunny autumn day with a fresh breeze.
Tackle: Greys 12' Prodigy TX Float rod, Allcocks 4" centrepin, 4BB waggler with lift-method single shot, 6lb line direct to 10 eyed hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn, bread flake and spam. Hemp-based groundbait with added hemp & sweetcorn.
Fish: Two tench and a carp. Two fish lost.

A mild episode of shingles delayed my return to the water, this being my first outing for three weeks. After a couple of challenging trips to the 20ft drain, and general malaise because of the shingles, I decided on an 'easy' session on the side ponds at the Clay Pit. I usually mange a few fish on this venue and being able to park almost next to the swim was a bonus, given my post-viral state! I was fortunate to get the spot I usually fish although there were a few people on the main lake.

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Species: Tench, Carp

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