River Irwell PB On A New Mini- Alloy Stem Avon

February 12, 2023

Hi all,

I had a short session to test some Mini-Alloy Stem Avons out this morning and ...

BOY.......AM I GLAD I DID !!!!!!

I hoped down to the SFAs stretch of the Irwell to hopfully grab some grayling pictures with my new trotters.

It was a smash and grab raid as I was taking out

T.O.W.M.B.O.

(THE ONE WHO MUST BE OBAYED)

out for an early Valentines Dinner.

(So Im frantically witting this blog as Dudds has put me under some considerable pressure to get it to you tonight) 😆

I got up late to throw a spanner in the works as well.

I managed a few coats of paint on some other floats I am currently making then it was off to the river.

I had a few grayling within the first ten minutes so my pictures were in the bag early doors.

😁

I checked my pictures and concluded they where what I was after and therefore could now relax for the next hour, enjoying the peace of being out in the fresh air as the new avon meandered along then bobed under

"Hmm another lady I thought"......

the the water exploded,

I jumped out of my skin as did a few of the walkers behind me.....my fifteen foot Drennan DRX bent in half and adrnalin shot through my vains. I had it on for about 5 seconds.....then the line went slack.....

I batted the pin to retrive the my new avon and looked at my 4lb hook link, a clean brake well above the delicate 18's hook !!!!!!

"A trout, it could only be an enormous trout"

I thought.......

A little saddened to loose yet another massive Irwell fish I re-tied my hook link and carried on.

My mum and "Salford Pete"came down for a walk and I was lucky enough to snare a few grayling to show them what is possible to catch in the Irwell nowadays.

They said their goodbuyes after 20 minutes as mum was getting cold.

I got into my trotting rythum once more, mending the line and whatching my little float dance down the crease......the float then bobed under once more ........

and I hit what can only be describe as a brick wall !!!!!!

For over 20 mimutes I played this fish.

Her first run was deep and powerfull. I had to check my line to make sure I had enough on the pin at one stage!!!!!

Slowly but shurley I was gaining line!!!!!!

Not !!!!!!

she just sat there, right in the middle of the flow not moving !!!!!

I was on a silvers Drennen rod and could do nothing with her whatsoever !!!!!

Eventually she started to rise in the water column and I started to tease her into the shallow water.

The gravel must have touch her belly.....she was having none of that !!!!! Her back was now out of the water and she bolted like a bullet back to the main flow.

I was knackered by now and my arm was about to fall off !!!!

Five times I manovered her into the shallows only to whatch her fire off, leaving me wanting.

Eventually she tired and I was able to litrally fold her into my landing net. Not an easy task with a 15ft silvers rod let me tell you !!!!!!

To say I christand my float is an understatment.

I have been broken off many times by

"Irwell Beasts"

this time I managed to bag one.

😁

She was 26 1/4 inches or 67 cms long and weighed in at 8 lb dead, a spawed out hen fish....accidental capture on maggot obviously !!!!!!

Thankfully Mike Duddy was free to weigh her and take some pictures for me......notice " Salford Pete " got in on the action !!!!! Lol

Cheers Dad.

😊