Purplepeanut007 PP007 FLOAT MAKING & FISHING ADVENTURES - THE RIVER IRWELL AND BEYOND.

Trying out my new Shallow Water Stick Floats has been over due. I fancied catching a few grayling so sorted out a few shallow rigs, got my maggots and bread prepared, loaded up the car and hit the road. Now.......I have not had much luck wader wise on this river...... The first time I fell in head first, tripping over an un-seen submerged boulder !!! The second time I discovered I had a hole in my waders and one leg was soaked all day long. This time I had new waders on but it didn't stop me getting a freezing cold wet leg in the first five minutes !!!!!! Note to self...... DON'T BUY CHEAP WADERS !!!!!  As I stood mid river I should see the tell tale ripples and bubbles of trout and grayling taking flies from the surface, so, plenty of fish in the swim I thought. I was fishing with an 8 no 4s shallow water stick float with a fluorescent red tip, easily visible under the overhanging sycamore trees. It took around fifteen minutes for my first fish, a l...

I have been struggling to get on the river I want to lately due to the rain but a conversation with Andrew Boyne got my batteries charged and my mojo firing !!!!! The Ribble was at least 2 metres up at 12.00 pm last night so this was going to be a proper gamble !!!!!! The alarm went off at 5.30 and a quick check on the river level revealed that is was dropping fast !!!!!! " This could pay off "  I thought. I headed off down the M61 to meet Boynie. He was waiting for me at the some noted pegs. " She dropping fast but still high Mike" came the enthusiastic deep mumble from Mr Boyne as he scanned the rivers features. We both pondered the runs in front of us for a moment. " These are not for me today Mr Boyne " said I. " I am going further upstream "  Boynie fancied a further walk so we left the well know fliers and headed to the pegs we thought more suitable. Boynie was the first into a fish, a good dace, then another an...

I decided to go back to basics with this stick. This float has a white and red tip, a plain body with black and grey whippings. After all the fancy painted ones I quite enjoy looking at the simplicity of this design. This one is in my roving bag ready for the next Irwell session......... When the rain eventually stops here in Manchester !!!!!!! TTFN   Peanut.   If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.      https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-and-fishing.html?m=1        Join our club......Its FREE  !!!!!!!  http://salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk/join/   

I have had to have another crack at  this pattern as  " The Casterman " decided to snap his in two the last time he was out dangling !!!!!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 🤣 I didn't have any paint to hand so opted for a wood stain instead. I am by no means an expert when it comes to using wood stain but I am pleased with this pair of " Stained, Slimline Roach Avons "  This pair of floats have balsa bodies and aluminium stems. The float tips are in day glow orange, threads used are black, gold and scarlet. Hopefully we will have some fish and float pictures to show you all in the coming weeks. TTFN   Peanut.   If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.      https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-and-fishing.html?m=1        Join our club......Its FREE  !!!!!!!  http://salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk/j...

Below are a pair of river wagglers I have made from sarkanda reed. Tips are day glow red and orange, both in Pearlescent red. Whippings are black, gold, scarlet and purple. These two will be dragging maggots or casters on the bottom of a north west river this winter, hopefully connecting with a few chub and dace. TTFN   Peanut.   If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.      https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-and-fishing.html?m=1        Join our club......Its FREE  !!!!!!!  http://salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk/join/   

Its the first time I have made Segmented Glow In The Dark Porcupine Quills. These three will be spending there life in Sweden chasing big crucians and tench. These are small floats taking approximately 3BB, are ideal for fishing the lift method at close quarters and great for fishing in low light or zero light conditions, a real bonus when fish are feeding into the darkness. A phosphorescent pigment was used to give the glow in the dark effect.     Basically, the phosphorescent pigment works by trapping the suns energy in crystals. Once the crystals are charged by sunlight the energy is then released as a glow of light giving you the glow in the dark affect. Lets hope they bag a few beauties TTFN   Peanut.   If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.      https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-and-fishing.html?m=1    ...

While I have been off work I have managed to finish a few on going projects. Here is the latest, Straight Still Water Wagglers. Two red/ pink and one orange. Once more made from reed and finished in pearlescent, metallic purple with black, gold and crimson threads, these will be at home on  natural or commercial still waters suspending larger baits like pellet, corn or bread etc I have included, in the pictures below, an olive green river waggler.  The basic difference between the still water floats and the river floats is the tip length. River floats have longer tip colours for dragging baits on the deck for when a really slow trot is require. River waggler. I need to get some fishing with one of these so I can get a few nice pictures for the blog. TTFN   Peanut.   If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.      https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/ha...