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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
Venues & topics
Species
Archive

Fields End (87)

Venue: Fields End
Tench 2lb 8oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 10.45
Weather: Warm and bright with southerly breeze.
The breeze freshened and was a bit of a nuisance.
Swim: Reed Corner
Tackle: 13ft FishTec multi float rod, centre pin, 8lb line, 14 hook.
Bait: Luncheon meat
Fish: Five carp, best fish 8lb 6oz, and a tench.

After a bit of a down-beat trip to Fields End in June I thought I would see if things had quietened down a bit now that it’s September. Charlie, the owner, feigned not recognising me when I arrived. I explained that I liked it when things were quieter and that he would probably see a bit more of me into autumn/winter. He gave me a fridge magnet with their details on it, the reason being that he had used one of my photos as the background. A little bit of fame.

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Species: Carp, Tench, Roach, Perch

The Clay Pit (3)

Venue: The Clay pit
The Clay pit

Only one photo today.
Larger light-box version in the full report

Arrival time: 13.00
Weather: Clearing after heavy rain during the morning.
Breeze freshened once rain had stopped. Bright afternoon.
Swim: Main lake. First bay on SW bank.
Tackle: 14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage reel with 5lb line, 16 hook on 5lb fluorocarbon link. Insert waggler.
Bait: Sweetcorn
Fish: A few roach.

My neighbour’s father was house-sitting while they were away and I had suggested a day’s fishing. We originally planned to go to Stamford but a morning of heavy rain, and an uncertain outlook, modified our plans. Instead we went to a local pit, which is much closer. In the event, after a little more rain the afternoon brightened with a freshening breeze and it was quite pleasant.

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Species: Roach

Fields End (83)

Venue: Fields End
Crucian 2lb 4oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.00 (started to fish at 07.45)
Weather: Bright, warm and sunny later.
Light S wind became troublesome in the afternoon.
Swim: Reed End.
Tackle: 11’ Korum light feeder, Shimano 5000 reel, waggler, 8lb line, 14/12 hook.
Drennan Barbel Specialist, Shimano Exage 4000 reel, 12lb line, 8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake and luncheon meat.
Fish: Three carp, best 10½lbs, six crucians, best 2lbs 4oz, a tench of 3lb 3oz and a 1lb roach.

Because of bank holidays and other things to do it’s been a couple of weeks or more since I’ve been fishing .

The forecast for a southerly wind made swim choice difficult. The south bank is somewhat featureless so I opted for the reed end swim in the north east corner. Things started well enough. With a light breeze conditions were perfect.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp, Crucian, Roach

Fields End (86)

Venue: Fields End
No photo message

Nothing worth photographing today

Arrival time: 15.00 (started to fish at 15.30)
Weather: Blustery and overcast. The westerly wind only moderated slightly into the evening.
Swim: SE Reed Corner / Tree Corner.
Tackle: 11’6” Hardy Marksman, Mitchell 301 reel, waggler, 8lb line, 10 hook.
Bait: Bread flake, crust, luncheon meat.
Fish: Two carp, best 6½lb and small roach.

I thought I would grab a few hours as I hadn’t been over the lake for over a month. There was only one van in the car park when I arrived, which was encouraging, but the caravan/camp site was full. This was borne out once I got to the bank, there being very few vacant swims. I thought I would try the reeds in the SE corner. It’s the shallowest part of the lake and with the levels down this year following the exceptionally dry spring, it was very shallow indeed.

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Species: Carp, Roach

Fields End (82)

Venue: Fields End
No photo message

Nothing worth photographing today

Arrival time: 07.00 (started to fish at 07.15)
Weather: Generally bright and warm although more cloudy in the afternoon.
Light SW wind swung to S at times during the day.
Swim: Tree Corner.
Tackle: 11’6” Hardy Marksman Avon Specimen, centre pin reel, pre-loaded waggler, 8lb line, 10 hook tied direct.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage reel with 5lb line, 16 hook tied direct. Insert waggler.
Baits: Bread flake and luncheon meat.
Fish: One carp of 8lb 4oz, six crucian carp to 1lb 14oz, four roach to 14oz and a 3lb 8oz tench.

First on the lake, I tried luncheon meat down the margin. On this occasion nothing took the bait. Was this an omen?

To be fair the fishing wasn’t that bad although very few carp were caught around the lake, with the exception of Mick Nash who was doing well off the surface.

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Species: Carp, Crucian, Roach, Orfe

Fields End (81)

Venue: Fields End
image

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.00 (started to fish at 07.15)
Weather: Bright start but clouded over later. Light W wind became strong during the afternoon.
Swim: Tree Corner.
Tackle: 11’6” Hardy Marksman, Shimano ST6000 reel, pre-loaded waggler, 8lb line, 10 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, new Shimano Exage reel with 5lb line, 16 hook tied direct. Insert waggler.
Baits: Bread flake and luncheon meat.
Fish: Six carp, best 13lb 9oz, eight crucians, best 2lbs 4oz, a 4lb tench and three roach, best 1lb 3oz.

After a marvellous weekend, weather wise, things deteriorated a bit today.

I was the first on the lake, and started with my Hardy Marksman by dropping a piece of luncheon meat down the right margin. First cast was short, but the second resulted in a bite almost immediately and a good fish tore off. It turned out to be an 8lb 10oz mirror carp that fought very well.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp, Crucian, Tench, Roach

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