River Oude Ijssel, Doetinchem 

This is a stretch of the Oude Ijssel that I've only fished twice before. Since the last time I fished, they have made concrete platforms to fish from.

My peg for today. Concrete platform and path from the bank. I've fished some cosy pegs recently.

On my two previous trips, I managed to catch a few Bream the first time, and a few Perch the second time - in the Masterclass 2.

On the left a picture from June 2015, and on the right, a picture from the Masterclass 2 from 2016.

Roger, Nico and Ingo were here today to fish the pole, and Matthias was fishing the feeder on the downstream end peg.

42 permanent pegs on concrete platforms - comfortable pegs. Just a short walk with the trolley from the car park.

I used the Deeper Pro to check the depth and bottom contours before the start. 4.5m deep at 13m and coming it to 11.5m is was 4.4m deep and a bit weedy, so I decided to fish at 13m today.

What's this? Car not parked next to the peg! I must be slacking :-)

The back legs of my Octbox were on the concrete platform, and the front legs were on the rocks - this meant I could get the keepnet out into deeper water at the side.

Mini Extension protecting the end of the 13m section and taking the pole to 13.08m

I set up just 2 top kits, one with a 2g Dave Harrell DH13 with an olivette and 3 droppers, and a 2g DH21 with an olivette and a string of droppers. I wanted to use a DH21 1.5g but only had them made up to 4.5m - some more rigs to make this weekend.

Nico on the upstream peg to my right - although there was almost no flow today. Plenty of anglers fishing today.

A had a size 13 Kamasan B711 to a Accu Power 0.12mm bottom on the 'big fish' rig, and a size 16 B611 to 0.10mm Accu Power on the 'lighter' rig.

Balls ready for the start. They all went in at about 12.5m.

Top 4 was required today, and after plumbing-up I had 4.55m of water - so the Deeper Pro is quite accurate. Preston Original Slip elastic in the Monoblocks - No.6 yellow and No. 8 black.

I balled it in at 12.5m with 14 balls at the start - no prisoners today! A few dead pinkies, casters and some hemp mixed in should do the trick. Ingo balled it in and Roger cupped in at first, then balled it in after he saw me do it :-)

Same baits as always on the side tray. Only extra bait today was some dead pinkies.

I have all the usual baits with me today.

Ready for the off. We were all optimistic of a good pleasure fishing session. Oh well, at least we are keen.

I started on the lighter rig and it wasn't long before I had my first Goby. Oh dear. Not long after, another one. These things are everywhere.

Mega impressed with the Preston Euro Competition 3000 pole. Fishing at 13m was never so easy.

It was clearly going to be hard, as after 90 minutes I had just 4 Gobies and a small Roach. Ingo had a couple of fish, and Roger some Gobies. Nico had a small Skimmer early on, then nothing.

A view from the driving seat. The venue is great, the fish are just not interested at the moment.

I tried a spell on the heavier rig with worms, but just had a Tommy Ruffe. A switch back to the lighter rig, single maggot, and - hooked and lost a bigger fish. Grrrr...

I moved the shotting around, changed depth, over depth, dead-depth, well off bottom, different hook sizes - I just couldn't get the fish interested today. I don't know what else I could have tried. Matthias only had 2 fish on the feeder, so it was hard for everyone - we didn't see anyone else catch any fish.

We all tried hard to catch fish, not least Roger, but today was not our day.

I went back to the heavier rig and tried for Bream but just couldn't get a sniff. I persevered but after 5 hours I gave up with 11 fish in the net.

All I have to show for 5 hours of fishing. Golf next on Saturday I think.

This is a great venue, but the heat at 28°C, and the hundreds of small motorboats and canoes did not help.

It will be worth fishing here after we have has some rain. There was colour in the water but no flow - and the fish may still be spawning. Hopefully, the next visit here will be better.