Chubbing - A Stolen Few Hours In The Sunshine

After waiting in all day for various tradesmen to turn up I finally got a little free time to go fishing. I had planed to try the River Mersey if the tradesmen were finished by 1.30 pm but it was not to be and decide on an Irwell session.

I pulled up near the Irwell stretch around 4.15 pm trying for the illusive River Irwell Chub.

I have had a small amount is success on the Irwell lately.
So, with a little more enthusiasm than was usual I made my way to the same run I fished a few days ago to pass some time in the sunshine.

http://purplepeanut007.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/chubbing-on-irwell-irwell-stick-strikes.html?m=1

I was hopefully of adding another chub to my list of captures........

(Always dangerous being hopefully when fishing the Irwell.....lol
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣)

As I approached the run I had a closer inspection of the river, my high hopes took a dent right from the off !!!!!!!!

The river was dropping but still about a foot above normal levels which is not too bad but there was quite a bit if colour showing.
I just hoped it wasn't too much !!!!!!!!!

Un - perturbed I tackled up with a
new float I had made.
It was an. . . .

Extra Wide Irwell Stick

Finished in fluorescent green with a small jay feather.

This float takes a round 14 no 4's, but , with the extra water, even this stick float would struggle. I did think I may have to get a loffa out but decided to go with the stick in the end.

I was using the same baits as the last session, maggot and hemp.
Bread was an option today and I tried it for the first half a dozen trots down hoping for an early chub.

Thirty minutes and..............nothing !!!!!!!!!!

A change of rig was in order. I was now fishing for a bite !!!!!!!!

and was now on a Drennan Red Maggot Hook with a pair of white maggots on.

First trot with the new rig and bait was bite less .........

This was becoming a grueller !!!!

I had another five or six trots down without any interest . . . . On the next trot, three quarters of the way down the run the float shot under and I was finally into a fish.
I landed it quickly as it was only small.
A brown trout of around 10 oz. I persevered for another thirty minutes trying my damnedest, hoping for a chub but I didn't get another bite. The Irwell is a very peggy river even when you find some fish it doesn't mean they will feed when you think they should.

Right . . . .time for plan B.

I had prepared a second swim on my way up to the first run I had been fishing.

So I packed up quick sticks and plodded off, a little deflated, to trying my luck on the second peg.

The second peg has a large man made structure right in the middle of the river. Just before the structure is a very shallow run which the drops off to six foot glide. I must admit I did fancy my chances of a chub from this run.......it looks perfect for them.

First trot down on the maggot rig and I was into a small fish.......and YES..........

it was a chub......about 6 oz.....lol
🤣

Not the size I was after but an encouraging start. After admiring the miniature chub for a few seconds I thought I would get a quick picture for the blog but the wriggly little devil had other ideas and made his escape before I could reach the shore......bugger.... !!!!!!!

😔😔😔😔
A few minnows were caught by accident as my maggot hook bait dangled in the slack water by my feet.
Good news for the river that these little fellas are still here in abundance.
😊😊😊😊😊😊

I had a few more trots down which were uneventful and the light was playing havoc with my float. I could not see it when the light sky was reflected on the water. The float was fluorescent green similar to the new one but lighter so I changed to fluorescent pink / red tip which was much better to see..

Another ten minutes passed by and I was fully into my trotting groove.

Cast, mend, feed, retrieve. Cast, mend, feed , retrieve........

This was interrupted by a very positive bite. !!!!!!!!

a little shocked and with a quick strike I was into my first decent fish of the session and I witnessed a lovely bend in . . . . .

The Creature Reacher.

I love this rod !!!!!!!!
❤❤❤❤❤

The action when playing a decent fish is tremendous !!!!!!!!

😁😁😁😁😁

Another trout, but a good one of about 1.5 lbs.
I didn't bother with a picture. I was confident I would get a decent chub from here.
Three more brownies of around two pounds hammered my maggot offering and fell victim to . . . . .

The Creature Reacher and Irwell Stick combination . . . .

but still no chub!!!!!!

The light was fading now, a few bats glide past me and I new it was time.
A bait and rig change was required.

I dispensed with the Drennan Red Maggot size 14 rig and switched to the bread rig on a Guru Specialist size 12 and a big lump of bread flake hoping for the target species.
😊

If there was a big chub feeding now is the time......the witching hour !!!!!!

First trot down was bite less for the first three quarters of the trot at this point I held the float back hard. This action lifts the bait up high in the water column. I held it there for about three seconds then released my figure from the centerpin allowing the float to move freely down stream and the bread flake to slowly drop through the water. This is when most bites occur. . . . but not this time. . . . .I let the float travel normally for another five yards then tried this trick again.

As the bait rose to the surface

I felt, and saw, my rod hoop over.

I didn't even need to set the hook !!!!!!!!!

What ever was hooked really wanted that bread.
😲😲😲😲😲😲😲😲😲

The fish just held there in the faster water at the end of the run and nodded around . . . .

like a big chub . . . .

" I could have done it at the death here "
I thought to myself.

😁😁😁😁

It felt big in this fast water but it was difficult to judge.
My hart was in my mouth as I slowly gained line.
Inch by inch, foot by foot the spool on my pin was gaining line. I was slowly edging her up stream.

" If it's a chub it's a big one "
I whispered to know one in particular.

She seemed to wake up then and bolted for the big rubbish right in front of me.
You REALLY have to wind quickly ehen this happlend in the pin otherwise the fish will take full advantage of the slack line.
A large amount of side strain changed her mind and she was now in the shallow water right in front if me. Barring a hook pull she was now mine but I still hadn't seen her. I then felt a tell tale rattle . . . . just like the shaking head of a fight trout.

A minute later a tail walking brownie of around three pounds exploded out of the shallow water.
She tail walked for about six feet. Its very exciting to watch I must say.
A few more nervous minutes fighting in the shallows then I netted her.

I must admit I felt a little gutted it was not a chub. It really fought like one up until then end.
I took few snaps of the fish and packed my kit away.
A long and lean fish with turquoise markings on her gill plate.
Beautiful.