Jungle Warfare - River Yarrow Part Three

I had made plans over a week ago to have a silver session this Sunday on either the River Mersey or the Ribble. I got a pass for the day and night off the Mrs and was really looking forward to it.

Just before I finished work on Friday afternoon I was approached by one of the managers. He asked me if I could could help them out and work on Saturday afternoon as well as the morning . . . . . .

AND ALL MY ANGLING PLANS WENT OUT OF THE WINDOW THERE AND THEN !!!!!!!!!!
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I agreed to work and let a few people know I had to change my plans.
😔.

On Saturday afternoon the phone buzzed. It was John Derbyshire

" The Ginger Assassin "

" What you up to Peanut "
" Nowt. At work till four "
I replied with a glum tone in my voice.
I'm sure he could feel my pain !!!!!!!

" Do you fancy a few hours exploring the Yarrow.
There is a new stretch I wont to explore.
I'm free from three o'clock till late"

" John .........I'm on it like a car bonnet "
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I could have jumped for joy. It's not very often we get to fish with each other so we grab every opportunity.

We had a chat about what we would need.
All my rods are too long for the Yarrow and John had just bought a 13 ft Korum float rod which is still to long but better suited than my 14 foot rods.
( Andrew Boyne take note  . . . . .lol )
😉

So we decided to take johns rod and pin. I would supply the bait and end tackle.

As soon as I got home I made up two different Yarrow rigs.
One a heavier Irwell Stick for the faster runs taking around 5 no 4's
and an Irk stick for the shallow glides
taking around 8 no 8's.
Once made I packed up the car and race off down the M61 to meet John at our usual meeting place.

We said our hello's and put all the kit in his van and headed of the the virgin stretch of river.
The first swim was a lovely little confluence. A very small tributary entered the Yarrow here and created a a lovely winding glide with a few creases.......
" Gotta be a few fish here pal "
I said as we wadded to the first run.

I introduced some liquidised bread and maggots while I took a few false trots down stream to get my depth right and we were off.

With John stood beside me in mid-river I took my first cast.
With in seconds the Irk Stick buried and we were in !!!!!!!!!

" What do you think it is Mike, trout " John whispered.

" Not sure pal.....may be "
I tired my first little capture in the shallows away from the main run. It turned out to be a beautiful, fin perfect,  little perch. Which surprised us both but was a most welcome first fish and boded well for the coming session.

I don't now why he was whispering but looking back the scene was magical.
We were stood mid river in the shade of a sycamore tree with speckled shafts of sun light peeking through the the leaves couple with the sound of running water it was wonderful just to be there !!!!!!!!

I took a few quick picks of the lively little stripy and handed the rod to John so he could have a go.

Now, john has rarely used his pin before but, like any good angler he didn't need much help and with a little back seat coaching he was soon into his first fish........
an obligatory trout......
but the patterns on these Yarrow fish are truly stunning !!!!!

My turn now . . . . .

A few trots down and the Irwell Stick bobbed under. . . . . . . .

" This is a little better John "
I whispered " . . . . . .
It was catching . . . . . . .LOL
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

" Its a roach........ a bloody roach you stuffy bugger" !!!!!!!!!

Roach, perch, chub and dace were our target fish for the session so I was two points up on the first session.
😉
It was a good fish for this little river about
6 - 8 oz

Note the tittle of this blog

" Jungle Warfare "

This run was quite open and easily accessible, the rest of the session was bloody hard work

!!!!!!!!!!!

We could have fished this pool out for another hour but time was ticking and the adventure was waiting for us.

" Right " said John, 

" Lets get exploring "

So, off we toddled to see what was around the bend.

There was zero chance of wadding up the river on the banks. It was too over grown. I must have looked quite comical !!!!!!!!

One fit young landscape gardener on point 

and one grey haired, over weight, pen pusher taking up the rear !!!!!!!!!

We both nearly took a dunking on many occasions,both laughing at the others misfortune. The overhanging foliage saved us from an embarrassing splash down into the Yarrow !!!!!!

Careful with our footing we managed two hundred yards up stream without a fishable pool and stopped for a quick chat.

" Didn't think it would be this hard Mike "

" No pal "  I replied. " I'm knackered to. I wouldn't mind if we went on a commercial as the moment

LOL !!!!!

We swapped at this stage. With the old man on point and junior at the rear.

Another thirty yards up stream and a few swear words I stopped in my tracks . . . . .   

" Looooook at this John " I said as we past the bend !!!!!!!!!

" Wooooooow " John replied!!!!!!!

We had just stumbled on a scene from the film . . . .

" The Jungle Book "

It was breathtaking !!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was an old, stone arched railway bridge, all overgrown with trees and ivy.

" There is a little pool up stream. It's just beyond the bridge. We can get out just before the bridge, go around the pool as not to disturb the fish and trot down from the top of the run. 

" I whispered "

John laughed and said

 " Why are you whispering ".

" You started it " I snapped . . . . . .

 and we both burst out laughing, then,  I nearly fell in which literally made John cry with laughter.

The pool was quite small but well worth a drop. I introduce a few grubs an started to open the bread. Before I opened it John piped up 

" We're in "

and thirty seconds later a small brownie was swung my way to be un - hooked.

o

John had another trot whilst I was getting the liquidised bread out. I looked around and he was into another.

As he played it into the the shallows my heart sank . . . . . 

It was a chub !!!!!!!

Not a bad one either !!!!!!!!

That brought us level on species to.

John was doing some strange dance moves in mid river !!!!!!!

Not a pretty site in olive green neoprene waders let me tell you !!!!!!!!!!!

I had a small brownie next then it went dead.

We sat down and had a brew.  Both of us were knackered by this stage.

Up stream looked like it was private with back gardens backing on to the river but we decided to fish it anyway . . . . . 

as you do !!!!!!!!!

We were there for may be ten minutes before we heard a voice from the trees on the opposite bank say . . . . . .  

" Can I help you? 

This land is private land you know"

I knew her side was private but our side definitely wasn't!!!!!!

John takes no prisoners when being question with regards to  river access but I am little older and more diplomatic in these situations. So I looked at John an I engaged the lady in a little conversation.

Mid conversation John hooked up into another bownie. The ladies young son had joined her by this stage and was excited to see a fish caught from the bottom of his garden. I nodded to John and he wadded belly deep over to the other side to let the little fella have a good look at what lives in the river at the bottom if his garden. He squealed with excitement as he touched Johns little capture and his mum was very exited to see her son so excited !!!!!!!!!

After this little interaction the young lady gave us permission to fish on

 HER !!!!!!!

river any time which I thought was very good of her !!!!!!!!

LOL

I told the lady of our adventure, what we had caught in the river and showed her some of our pictures.

 She seamed quit interested in what we were doing as did her son.

We had had enough of river trekking by this stage.

Goodbyes were said to the young family and we retreted with an invite to fish her stretch whenever we wished !!!!!!!!!!

" Not always best policy to be confrontational John "

I chuckled as we splashed back down stream.

" Aye . . . . you may be right there pal "

" Do you fancy the last hour on the salmon ladder stretch Mike.

" Chance of chub and a few nice perch with the river low and clear "

" Yes mate I do. 

I have only had trout from there "

" That's because you're shite mate "

and the banter lasted all the way back to the van !!!!

.................................

We arrive at the known stretch with about an hour and a quarter of light left.

John had first drop in an caught a lovely perch about 10 oz straight away.

 While I made up a new rig specifically for fishing right under the weir.

John also had a couple of trout while I was busy so I had the first drop on the new, 8 no4's, Irwell Stick.

A big chub would finish off the session so a big juicy lobworm was my bait, couple up with size 12 Guru specialist hook.

As the float passed through the swim and approached the foot of the weir it buried and I was in. It was not a big fish but a beautiful, fin perfect perch none the less. I remembered to get a picture of this one to...lol.

Although not as big as Johns first perch it was a beauty and I was happy with my pictures for once. 

We had a few good perch and trout but no chub gave themselves up this time. 

I did try bread for a while but didn't have a touch.

By this time it was dark so we packed up and headed for the van.

We finished off the day with a pie and pint in a pub john recommended and re-caped on the days events.

A few more plans were drawn up to fish some other sections in the autumn so stay tuned for the 

Yarrow part 4.

😉

Until the next time. 

😊

TTFN

Peanut

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