River Ribble - Chub & Dace On The Waggler - 31/12/2014.

River Ribble,
 Caught More Friends Than Fish !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got a fishing pass off the Mrs so a quick tinckle to the Casterman and a trip out to Church Deeps on the River Ribble was formulated and put into action.

Arrived in good time with Casterman five minutes behind me. We parked up behind the Shaws Arms Pub at Walton- Le-Dale and walked up to the sand bank pegs.

Unfortunately there were already a couple of anglers on the best sand bank pegs and I don't like fishing shoulder to shoulder. Casterman managed to get on the fence peg but I chose to fish in the shallows further down stream.

Armed with my own personal wagglers I was set up and fishing in good time. I new it was shallow down this end but I didn' realise how shallow. It was about 2.5 foot deep ...... :( ....... however, I was already set up so .........in for a penny in for a pound and I gave it a bash.

The idea of moving away from the sand bank pegs was not one of my brightest ideas. After 40 mins of wagglering I still had not had a bite so, I decided to 

" Risk it for a  Biscuit" and up my feed ......... and that ......... was when my catapult snapped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shit, no spare........ I don't know what it is with the Ribble, every time I go I have either forget something - Wagglers last time - Or break something like this time. I couldn' t reach my trotting line so I ended up spreading my feed over a wider area  and feed at the limit of my trowing arm - Not the best plan but I was stuck. -  Five minutes later I had a bite and my first fish of the day was in the net. 

Only a small dace but after a fruitless hour I took it gladly. 

As I was contemplating my next move regarding my snapped catapult when I heard a shout behind me " Peanut " says a gent with a dropshot rod and a jack russell. " Yes mate " I replied......" Do I know you pal ".He smiled and said yes........." I'm JohnnyCharChar off Breaking The Surface Fishing Forum" Now, I have been speaking to the BTS lads a lot over the past two years regarding Salford Friendly Anglers, Little Britain Anglers and the River Irwell and now I have finally met one of them. - Johny warned me about the quick rising tide that affects the Ribbles lower reaches on my previous outing - . A very helpful fella was JohnnyCharChar. We had a good chat about the river and pegs - He knows it far better than I do - He then put me on a better peg and helped me to carry my gear. What a nice chap. Thanks for all your help Johnny.

Johnny CharChar with a nice pike from a few years ago.

The better peg fished poorly on the day, not Johnnys fault, even with a  catapult loan off the Casterrman. I gave it an hour on the waggler but to no avail. This was becoming a bit of a grueler................ After an hour I got a call of Casterman. He'd had enough of his peg and was on the move, so I joined him.

Chatting about how the day was unfolding we walked past the peg I was on initially. There was a bearded fellow looking at me. I politely looked away at first then, I stopped in my tacks. The chap now had had a broad grin on his face and it was only then I recognised him. I squinted to have a better look " Neil I said !!!!!!!, Neilpeel !!!!!!!!!!!!! ".......Orite Peanut ........." came the reply............It was another BTS member, a moderator no less. I had been speaking to Neil and commenting on his posts for the last two years also. So thats two  BTS fishermen I had met in one day......there like bloody buses ....lol....Seriously, it was fantastic to meet these two gents. I can only describe the meeting as like..........meeting old friends that you haven't seen for years - even though I have never meet them.

Casterman with an Irwell chub.

Myself and Neilpeel dropped down next to each other about 500 yards up from the bridge, Casterman went a dangling right next to the bridge. After another fruitless forty five minutes on the waggler, fishing over and under depth on both maggot and bread the rain started. That was it, I had had enough. It was at that moment Neilpeel came over for a chat. - Neilpeel runs the annual rod race compation on the forum so, I gave him one of my floats for all his hard work. I also showed Neil " The Peanut Station " ( My home made fishing seat. I will put a separate post on about this later). We proceeded to have a good natter regarding the Irwell, Mersey and various other venues and also talked about some of the lads on the forum when Neil then started smiling at me strangely, as if he was trying not to   " AYE UP " came a voice from right behind me. Casterman had sneaked up on me and made me jump, the little rascal. He'd had enough to so it was off to the car park, me, Neilpeel and Casterman walking and talking like old friends.

Neilpeel with a lovely Lower Ribble October Roach.

Goodbyes and handshakes were the order of the day. Neilpeel was off to a local lake to try for a few roach before the light faded. Castman was treating me to a pint in exchange for a pint of maggots I purchased for him but we changed our minds and had a hot coffee at McDonald's to warm us up instead.

 Not the best days fishing I have ever by a long way - I'd had about 10 small dace and a chub about 8 oz - 

but it was brilliant to meet Neil & Johny. 

It wont be the last time either lads.

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TTFN

Peanut.