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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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Fields End (112)

Venue: Fields End

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Arrival time: 10.00
Weather: Sunny and unseasonably mild but with a strong SW wind
Tackle: 12ft Greys Rova Float, Advanta Discovery centre pin with 6lb line, 4lb bottom & 16 hook. Insert waggler.
Baits: Maggots, worms.
Fish: Roach/Rudd & one Carp

A few days after the start of the close season on the rivers so I went to my local commercial lake. The idea was to catch some roach on maggot or worm and hope that something else might show up.

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Species: Roach, Rudd, Carp

Fields End (101)

Venue: Fields End
Rudd ?

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 08.40
Weather: Sunny with a warm westerly breeze.
Swim: East bank 'Reed End'
Tackle: 10ft Fishtec Compact Float, Shimano bait caster, 8lb line, 8 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line, 12 hook. Insert waggler.
Baits: Bread flake and luncheon meat.
Fish: Six carp and quite a few roach/rudd

The easing of the coronavirus restrictions allowed me to make my first fishing trip of 2020.

With the caravan site and the holiday cabins closed the Lake was very quiet. A bit like when I first started fishing there in 2006. There were only three people when I arrived and nobody on the far (east) bank. I guess that was because it's further to walk and it meant fishing into the breeze.

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Species: Carp, Roach, Rudd

Fields End (96)

Venue: Fields End
Crucian 1lb 9oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.50 (started to fish at 08.15)
Weather: Overcast with a southerly breeze, brightening later.
Swim: Tree corner
Tackle: 10ft Fishtec Compact Float, Shimano bait caster, 8lb line, 8 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line, 14 hook. Insert waggler.
Baits: Bread flake and luncheon meat.
Fish: One carp and lots of small roach and rudd. A couple of crucians at the end.

After last week's reasonably successful outing I returned to the same spot, but today was entirely different.

Hoping for a repeat of last week's success with the carp close in, I went to the same spot. The overcast sky and a sheltered bay seemed to offer ideal conditions. I started by trying bread flake down each margin on a free line with the hope of a quick carp, but not a touch.

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Species: Carp, Crucian, Roach, Rudd

Fields End (95)

Venue: Fields End
Common 7lb

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 07.35 (started to fish at 07.45)
Weather: Sunny day with white fluffy clouds.
Swim: Tree corner
Tackle: 10ft Fishtec Compact Float, Shimano bait caster, 8lb line, 8 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line, 14 hook. Insert waggler.
Baits: Bread flake and luncheon meat. All carp taken on flake/crust.
Fish: Four carp and some small roach and rudd.

With sciatica ruling out golf, my first trip to Fields End in 2019. Interesting experience with the carp.

Having consulted the weather forecast I made for what I call the tree corner, the spot in the SW corner where you sit with trees and shrubs behind you, and where there's a reed bank either side offering a degree of seclusion. It's not a renowned carp swim but it's where I actually caught my biggest carp, a 19lb fish.

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

Syndicate Lake (17)

Venue: Syndicate Lake
Carp 9lb+

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 15.00
Weather: Warm, bright and cloudy with a light southerly breeze.
Swim: SW corner, Lily pads and east bank.
Tackle: 10ft Fishtec Compact Float, Shimano bait caster, 8lb line, 10 hook.
Baits: Luncheon meat & sweetcorn - all fish on luncheon meat.
Fish: A roach and a 9lb carp.

Second time at the lake this year. Hard work but managed one carp.

Today I had planned to fish the SW corner. A tricky swim that requires you to clamber down a steep slope, with about ten feet of water over the edge should you fall. Overhanging trees make it even more difficult to fish but I have had past success with carp on the couple of previous occasions that I’ve fished it.

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Species: Carp, Rudd

Syndicate Lake (14)

Venue: Syndicate Lake
Carp 8lb 3oz

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 11.00
Weather: Very hot with no wind to speak of
Swim: NE bay.
Tackle: 12ft Drennan Barbel Specialist, 8lb line, 10 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line and 14 hook.
Bait: Luncheon meat.
Fish: Three carp, best 9½ lbs.

Hard work due to heat but 3 carp caught.

My neighbour’s father, Mick, was house-minding for them and we arranged a trip to the lake. He hadn’t been before as he usually fishes Fields End when he’s up here. We arrived at the lake at around 11.00 and I showed him to the Lily Pads swim, being probably the easiest to fish of the few swims that are not totally overgrown. I settled into the NE Bay.

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Species: Carp, Rudd

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