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

I have never worked with  " Norfolk Reed " before. So when I was very kindly offered some from a fellow float maker I was quite eager to have a play. I did, indeed, have a play but unfortunately the float has been left un-fishished for quite a few months. In the last few weeks I have re-visited this little project and finished of the job. It was a pretty straight forward build for me to be honest. I decided to load the this float to aid with balance while casting . It will be fished mid river  in deep water on three wide stretches of the River Ribble, Weaver and the Mersey, may be even the Trent if I get my act together ay Jordan ! 😉 I made the tip extra long so the float can be under shotted, the extra tip length above the water will also help dislodge the hook bait from small snags as it travels down stream along the river bed. I decided to use blue as one of the main thread colours this time plus gold, black and violet. Two feathers were added for ...

To day was the day that myself and Salford Pete were heading off over to the wrong side of the hills, up the M67 and over to Yorkshire. Our target for the day were  Yorkshire Ladies . . . .  Ladies if the stream that is . . . . .  Otherwise known as. . . . . GRAYLING !!!!!!!! Being born and bred Mancunians grayling are a foreign species to us and, unfortunately neither of us have bagged one on our travels.  ( Well. . . . . I have had one from Lymm Vale but I don't count still water grayling ) We were meeting a friend of mine and a new member of my float making group on face book, Jordan O'Halloran, a local Yorkshire lad with bags of knowledge regarding ladies. 😉😉😉😉😉😉 ( Dont tell the Mrs.... 🤣 ) We met around 08.00 on the River Don. Unfortunately, the river was high, coloured and pushing through at a fair old rate of knots. Not the best grayling conditions but this trip was planned months ago so we all decided to give it a go. ...

A long overdue social session had been orgsnised by " The Casterman " on the Irwell. . . . . Unfotunately "Bald Eagle" was working and "Salfold Pete"  was on taxie duties to the hospital all day  so it was just myself and Derek Kenyon for this session. We arrived around tea time and settled down fishing next to each other for the first forty minutes. Fist things first. I present Casterman with the but section of his Tricast XRS float rod. I had replaced the butt eye for him and he seemed impressed with my efforts. I am no Andrew Boyne but it seemed pretty good to me.  I had the better peg of the two but the session did not start off to well for either of us with a bumped fish, then I lost another. I was glad the Casterman was out of site, hidden behind an overhanging beech tree. He would have chastised me relentlessly if he would have seen me lose two fish !!!!!!!!! At the thrid bite of the cherry I got a hook up. ...

Both John and I finally got round to our River Yarrow trip. We have both been looking forward to this for a long time as next to nothing is known  ( by us ) about this little river. We were hoping for chub roach and dace but any fish from a new river would be most welcome. We tackled up next to the van as it would be easier to do so. Once ready we walked over to the field which the river flowed though. As we approached the river John stopped dead in his tracks . . . . . “ Is that Hogweed Mike “ ? “ Unfortunately yes it is mate “ I replied. Hogweed is a horrible invasive species which gives u a very nasty burn . If it gets into your eyes it can actually blind you . . . . . Horrid stuff ! ! ! ! Hogweed Hogweed Burns Click the link for more information on Hogweed http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/problem-solving/giant-hogweed-everything-you-need-to-know/ A little down hearted we fought through the Japanese Knot weed down to a VERY small wild river...