Acolyte Plus - The Christening - River Irwell Lumps.
RIVER IRWELL. ACOLYTE THE CHRISTENING.
Well, two weeks ago I had a quick session on the Irwell in Salford trying out my new Barbel Stick Float. All DID NOT go as planed. The float performed great, just as describe in his independent review by Andrew Boyne. On my Fifth trot down the Barbel Stick banged under and I was into my first fish on a new section of river. After a spirited battle a brownie of about 10 oz graced my net…….A good start I thought……………….
I put my rod down behind me an un-hooked the little beasty. My gear was behind me so I turned round to grab my disgorger when I felt something out of place under my feet………………….
IT WAS MY ROD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You know when you get that sinking feeling ………….. like just after you have banged your car …………. and its YOUR FAULT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, that’s how I felt inside. This rod was my pride and joy and I would not swap it in a million years. I picked it up looking at the blank ………………It looked ok………..A deep breath was exhaled………I counted my lucky stars, unhooked the trout, took a snap, released the spotty, baited up and cast out again hoping for a chub or a beard this time. Half way down the boilly run my float buried again and I was into a good fish ………………… It was then that I heard a crunch……….and the rod I have converted since I was a teenager SNAPPED IN HALF………..
I felt like crying…………….It had snapped right in the centre of the middle section………………….
Have you ever seen a grown man cry…….!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just tackled down with tears in my eyes and went home………….
I just hope the magicians a Daiwa may have an old spare middle section of this near 20 year old rod but I very much doubt it.
On a brighter note, It is a good job I had ordered a Drennen Acolyte Plus from Phil at
“ Elton Tackle “ Raddcliffe the day before.
I told Phil about my disaster and I didn’t have to wait long for my new Acolyte Plus………..thank the lord !!!!!!!
After the disaster of last weeks session and the braking of my Daiwa Connoisseur Waggler rod………..It was time to christen my newest acquisition........a Drennan Acolyte Plus . I did have plans to go roach fishing on the River Mersey but I got up late and I had a few other things to do so I opted for a session on the River Irwell and due to the stretch targeted I could try a new Irwell stick to.
With " Salford Pete " in tow I arrived at my first swim about 13.00 and introduced some hemp and maggots while I was setting up and chatting to my dad about how I snapped my Daiwa Connoisseur X LD.
I had to chuckle as I looked back from the middle of the river. My old man had set himself up with a good view of my trotting line down river and was almost totally hidden from most eyes in the jungle of Japanese Balsam........proper black ops......lol.
I had a few false trots without any bait on my hook. It started quite shallow, a deeper hole then formed, about 4.5 feet deep, then, it shallower off slowly as the run ended.
Standing in my wadders, mid river I plopped the float at the head of the run and gazed at it meandering down the swim..........
" The Irwell Stick is travelling down nicely I said ".........Happy with the performance of one of my best floats to date...........STRIIIIIIIIIKE......came a squeal from my dad........I hadn’t been paying attention whilst talking to my old man and my float had buried first trot down I struck........more out of fright from my dads high pitched squark.....but I had contacted with a good fish and it was none to happy at being hooked. She made a powerful downstream run.......and I thought she may be a trout at first, but as I turned her easily with the Acolyte and she gave a few heavy thumps on the rod which identified her as a chub......just what I had come for.....and on my first cast as well......happy days. ……………..A few more heavy runs an thumps ensued and as she tired she turned in front of me and I saw a lovely flashed of bronze scales which did , indeed identify hers as a good chub. She tired quickly then and I soon slipped my net under her......mission accomplished, Acolyte christened on an Irwell chub.... first cast and in front of my dad to ........fantastic…………..." What a start " I said as I un-hooked her in the landing net. " Yea......she is a good one son. Its the first one I have seen out of the Irwell " said Salford.. This made the day even more special for me and I slipped old rubber lips into the keep net.
The next 10mins was very quiet so I upped my feed a little and right on queue the Irwell Stick bobbed under once and the dissapeared . This time my quarry went ballistic, spinning, snagging and ragging me all over the run. No problem for the Acolyte though. Within a few minutes I had a typical Irwell Wild Brown Trout in the landing net. Not bad for 30 minutes fishing……………..
Not a sniff after that brownie so I asked my old man to help me with a few pics. As we were getting ready for the first picture my phone died and I placed it on top of my carryall, luckally, Salford had his phone at the ready so we took a few snapps as you can see. It was then my dad lost his footing slightly and bumped into my carryall……………………………..we both stared in horrer as my phone plopped into the shallows !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OOOOH NO……………my hart sank again………two weeks on the run has cost me about £700 ………
Quick as a Rattle Snake Salford Pete was in the water and grabbed my mobile. I have only seen him move that fast in the pub when its my round ………….. LMAO. Luckily my phone was turned off which, with Pete “ The Rattle Snakes “ fast reactions is what saved its life and me a shed load of dolla !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still worried about my phone we moved to a virgin run for me. One both Bald Eagle and Casterman have both fished before and mentiond it was worth a dip……..VERY TRUE as it turned out.
We both navigated our way down the step treacherous banking to the short run.
( My dad still amazes me how nimble he is on his feet for someone in their mid 70,s ). I repeated my tactics of earlier, had a few false trots without any bait on my hook and introduced some freebies.
First proper trot down the Irwell Stick buried and I bumped a good fish. Gutted, thinking I may have spooked the fish I feed again and rested it for 10 minutes.
“ Do you want a trot down I asked my dad “
“ No son. I am happy to watch on a river. I just like to get out and watch you fish nowadays “. I accepted my dads decline thinking I will have to remedy this………………..Next trot my float buried and the water exploded in front of our eyes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
An immaculate out of season brownie with a big caped jaw came thundering out of the fast run right in front of us……………” This will test that new rod of yours son he shouts as my Okuma Pin is smoking off as the trout fires off all over the place !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A little audience had gathered behind us as they had obviously seen the commotion and were not used to seeing fish caught from this once dirty river. “ What is it pal “ came a shout from behind me. “ Big Brownie “ I replied as the quite drew in as I played him out in the fast water. He gave a cracking account of himself and I could have sworn I had broken my PB which is 4.5 lb. He only weighed in at 2.75 lb which is by no means large by Irwell standards, testament to the way in which he battled I think. What an amazing fight from an average Irwell brownie. Both of us then took a few snaps of the fish. His colours were amazing . The picture does not do him justice at all. He is without doubt the best looking fella I have ever caught ….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!……LOL.
The first fish from the run.
“ This is turning into a red letter day “ I said to Salford. He smiled and nodded……………..” You need to bag another chub yet “ he whispered, to keep my head from swelling under my black, crooked bobble hat. “ Your right there dad, but I can’t be greedy. I have had a good one already. “ Get a bit more bait in son “ I obliged, feeding a handful each of maggots and hemp, baited up and went for another trot down the little babbling run. This time it went through without a bite so I held the Irwell Stick back for a few seconds and then let it settle. Just then the float buried and I was in again. The Acolyte arched over and I was into something different. It didn’t feel like a trout but was fighting very hard in the fast water. A managed to get a glimpse of her ………………………………………………….
SHE LOOKS LIKE A BARBEL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My hart was in my mouth. I have only ever caught one from the Irwell and that is probable the highlight of my River Irwell campaign to date.
Another minute or two she fought hard. First upstream then downstream really pulling me around the run. It was a fantastic fight on the centerpin. I eased here up to see her properly. I must admit I was a little disappointed ………………………….
It was another chub, but a fighting fit pristine one.
“ You shouldn’t be disappointed with that fish Mike, she is a belter “ muttered my dad………..I landed her without further incident and weighed her. She was a little bigger than my first fish and weighed in at 3 ¼ lbs. a beautiful fish which, again, fought well above her weight. My old man took some more snaps for me as I dare not turn on my phone until I dried it out. Only a small brown trout follow after that. We then up sticks and move on to the last run.
About 8 brownies followed in the last pool but nothing out of the ordinary to report. It was a lovely crisp evening and a Kingfisher graced us with a fly by just before we packed up to go home. I reckoned I had about 15 lb in all and my dad confirmed my estimate. We chatted on the way home about possible improvements to the Irwell Stick but nothing concrete came from the discussion. We were just happy to spend some time on the bank together.
What a baptisement for The Acolyte Plus. Plenty of lumps putting a bend in her on her first trip out, I can definitely recommend these rods better than the Connoisseur X and that coming from me is definitely saying something !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t know hen my nest trip out will be as I have some family time coming but I will blog it as usual if I do.
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If you would like to look at all of the hand crafted floats I make please click on the link below and it will take you to my float page.
TTFN
Peanut.
http://salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk/join/
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