Bob Goes Fishing

Fields End (59)

19 July 2010 Venue: Fields End

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

Arrival time: 07.00
Weather: Cloudy bright with a south westerly breeze. Brighter intervals developed and it became warm with the breeze freshening.
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle: 12ft barbel rod, 12lb line, 8 hook.
Alternated between sliding pre-loaded waggler and small Arlesley bomb leger.
Baits: Bread flake (seedy bread!) and luncheon meat.
Fish: Nine carp, best 11lb 6oz and a roach. Seven lost fish!

An odd sort of day really. The night before I was in two minds whether to go because of the forecast wind. Then I didn’t sleep too well, but as I was awake at 05.30 I decided to go.

The other thing is that because of a bit of bad organisation I only had one rod with me.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp, Roach

Block Fen (12)

08 July 2010 Venue: Block Fen

Arrival time: 16.30
Weather: Bright and very warm with a breeze that dropped during the late evening.
Swim: Reed corner
Tackle: 12ft Barbel specialist, 12lb line, 8 hook.
Baits: Luncheon meat
Fish: One carp of 4½lbs.

After the relative ease of catching fish at Fields End on Tuesday, Block Fen brought me back to reality. It had a been a very warm day and even at 16.30 it was very hot. The breeze hardly affected the sheltered corner I fish but there was some line drag. More annoyingly there was a family of moorhens that emerged, tiny chick in tow, every time I cast, obviously looking for titbits. Unfortunately they often snagged the line forcing a re-cast, and the whole process started again.

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Species: Carp

Fields End (58)

06 July 2010 Venue: Fields End

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.00
Weather: Hazy bright with a slight westerly breeze. Remained bright cloudy and very warm throughout day with wind freshening to south-westerly.
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle:
12ft barbel rod, 12lb line, 8/10 hook
11½ft Hardy Avon Marksman, waggler, 6/8lb line, 12 hook.
10ft compact float 6lb line, pellet waggler, 16hook.
Baits: Bread flake/crust, luncheon meat and floating biscuit.
Fish: 13 carp, best 7lbs, three tench, best 3lb 10oz, two barbel, best 4lbs 2oz, a crucian and some small rudd.

Because of work on my pond and going on holiday at the end of June, I actually didn’t go fishing during June. Last outing was 27th May. To get me back into the fish I decided to go to Fields End, where catching is almost guaranteed.

The reed-corner swim was available and it now sports a new platform as the old gravel-filled base was collapsing.

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Species: Carp, Tench, Barbel (lake), Crucian, Rudd

Block Fen (11)

27 May 2010 Venue: Block fen

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

Arrival time: 15.15
Weather: Sunny with clouds and a south-easterly breeze that dropped during the late evening.
Swim: Reed corner
Tackle: 12ft Barbel specialist, 12lb line, 8 hook.
Baits: Luncheon meat
Fish: One carp 18lbs 3oz

After a couple of blanks at Block Fen I went back today to try my luck. I had been waiting at home for the delivery of my pond liner but as Helen was in for the afternoon I decided to grab a few hours fishing.

My reed corner was free when I arrived just after 15.00. There were a couple of ‘carp’ anglers on the opposite bank; multiple rods, big feeders and rather too much bait being fed in.

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Species: Carp 10lb+

Fields End (57)

18 May 2010 Venue: Fields End

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.00
Weather: Clear blue sky with little or no wind through morning. Cloud cover increased during afternoon although wind remained light SW until about 19.00, when it freshened.
Swim: Reed-corner swim
Tackle: 11½ft Hardy Avon Marksman, waggler, 6/8lb line, 12 hook.
10ft compact float 6lb line, pellet waggler, 16hook.
Baits: Bread flake, luncheon meat and floating biscuit.
Fish: Six carp, best 12lbs, two tench, best 3½lbs, a crucian and an ide.

After being outgunned on my 13ft multi-float rod on the last visit I had set up my new Hardy Avon Specimen rod that I bought last year at an offer price. It was its first outing. I had paired it with my Rapidex centre pin and 6lb line. First cast, using bread flake, resulted in a firm bite five minutes later and a fish rushed into the reeds, breaking me easily. The tackle upgrade obviously hadn’t worked. I then lost another fish that slipped the hook as I was trying to stop it getting into the reeds. Not a good start!

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

Block Fen (10)

14 May 2010 Venue: Block Fen

Arrival time: 07.15
Weather: Sunny with a light southerly breeze that freshened during the morning.
Swim: Reed corner
Tackle: 12ft Barbel specialist, 12lb line, 8 hook.
Baits: Bread flake and luncheon meat
Fish: Blank

I was undecided today as to whether to go back to Block Fen or go to Fields End. In the end as the forecast was for fresh SW breeze, which is always difficult at Fields End, I decided to return to Block Fen after yesterday evening’s disappointment.

I arrived about 07.15 and there was nobody there. The lake is fairly sheltered and the southern end, where I fish, is protected from southerly winds. In fact, conditions seemed ideal and there were signs of fish moving in the reeds.

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Species: Blank

Bob Goes Fishing

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Fields End (59)

Block Fen (12)

Fields End (58)

Block Fen (11)

Fields End (57)

Block Fen (10)