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

River Irwell Bream...... Sunday was the Salford  Friendly Anglers gathering on the River Irwell in Lower Broughton and I was really looking forward to it as it was my first session on the river this season due to work and family commitments. We were meeting at 4.30 next to the river . I gave Casterman a buzz to see if he had set off about  4.00 ish “ I am already here lad “ came the reply in a deep Lancastrian accent……..My car was already loaded and with a quick good by to  “ Salford Pete “  I was on my way to a bit of river I have been meaning to fish for years. As I pulled up there were already 3 or 4 cars parked up………but where was Casterman ??????????? A quick phone call was made to assertain his location ……….. typical………….he was out rekeying the pegs to let other people know which pegs where worth fishing.  I meet a few people I have talked to on face book but never met in person, Craig was there to , so we had a quick wonder upstream to giv

There will be a river Irwell match this Sunday at the bottom of Great Clowes street this Sunday. All in 17.30. Casterman aka " Derek Kenyon will be organising it. If you are doing nothing come down  see what we can winkle out of, what used to be the most polluted river in Europe !!!!!! Please contact me via face book if interested as we need an idea of numbers to pick out the best pegs. A full right up will be on next week. Its free to join. With just a couple of clicks of your mouse u can help us clean up the River Irwell. It will not cost you a penny. http://salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk/join/

20.02.15 Another Stick Float Test By The Casterman. Friday I finised work earlier than normal when on my way home I received a call from my pal to see if I fancied coming to watch him throw one of my new stick floats around the River Irwell .....  lol so ........straight from work I walked along the peg to where the Casterman was fishing. He didn't hear me approach and I keept quiet as I noticed a healthy bend in his rod. The line was singing as the fish put even more pressure on the line and his trusty Daiwa 125M. One of my floats which I had giffted to C.M. was also dacing and bobbing around as the fish kited and board further down stream." I'm good luck for you I am " I said as he pumped the fish slowly upstream  " Your right there Peanut " came the reply. " I've been here for over an hour and I've had nowt up until this fish As I got in position to take some action shots the Casterman realises the fish is foul hooked in the tail.  

River Irwell Chub On The Stickfloat. This session was about trying to extract a chub from the upper middle Irwell on the stick float and I was looking forward to a new challenge. The River narrows off at this stage and can be fished easily with a stick float on most stretches.   It was a lovely mild morning the sun was shinning when I arrived at my chosen peg and I noticed a few fish topping further down the run. My set up consisted of 4lb line straight through a stick float an 18's hook and maggot as the hook bait. I set up the " Peanut Station " a few feet into the river, finished faffing around with my tackle and rig and I was ready to rock and roll. The Peanut Station The legs on the P.S.are to long for a lot of situations. I must saw a third off each leg and put a screw & thread on the bars so I can screw the extra pieces in if needed. I chose to fish the deepest part of the run, just where the white foam is visible in the above picture. The

Salford Pete & The Casterman - A Dream Realised. Approximately thirty five years ago - 1976 ish - I caught the bus every other Saturday with my dad AKA  " Salford Pete "  to the old Victoria Bus Station off Chapel Street in the centre of Manchester. On our walk to the Arndale Centre I would always ask my dad to stop on Victoria Bridge, so I could dreamily look down at the solid, dark depths of the River Irwell and think" One day, one day I will catch fish from this river with my dad " I would then be dropped back down to earth with a bang by my dad as his answer was always the same.....  " It won't happen in my lifetime son ".  This answer always saddened me simply because I new my old man would love to catch fish from the River Irwell as he remembers what it was like in the 50's & 60's, a stinking cesspit !!!!!!! Victoria Bus Station.   Victoria Bridge. Manchester Town Center.   Little did I know tha

A BaldEagal - A Chub - And A Little Jigg. I have been fishing and drinking with John Doran AKA Baldeagal on and off for over 30 years, so, we are good mates as well fishing buddies. Today on The Chub Peg. In the Welcome Pub - Whitefield. From Left To Right, Me, Eagal & Horlicks. I love the Irwell even though its bloody hard going. Eagle gets out on it in the winter months sometimes but he hasn' t been on for a while - think he was a bit jealous of the chub I have bagged this season to be honest.....lol, anyway, I received a text off the Eagle saying he was going to have a dangle on the River Irwell for the chub. He had a two hour window to bag one. Not a lot of time but enough to have a good go at one peg.  I was a little late arriving at Eagles peg - I was on a Black Opps session for the pike in the reservoir above the river. "How you diddling Eagal" I shouted as I approached his peg though the bushes. His behatted bald napper tu

River Croal Chubbing - A First For The Peanut. I've bee sensible lately and instead of burning all my brass on anew Drennan Acolyte I bought some Ron Thompson Neoprene Waders instead. I have needed these for a while. There is nothing worse when one of your pals tells u he has found a new banker peg and the dredded words come forth - but you need waders - well ..... I have now so ....... Up ya frock boys ...... :P   (Salford Pete said I look like an ageing Teleytubby.....lol ) I decided to try a new river to me - The Croal at Mosses Gate - This is a River Irwell tributary. I didn' Even know it was a seperate river - I got there about 14.00 and was set up for about 14.30. Fishing with my trusty 14 ft daiwa connoisssuer X, centerpin reel, 6 NO 4 Stick float, 16s hook and 4lb main line I quite fanced my chances of a chub or to today.  I had been offering some loose feed while settting up, hopefully, to get a fish first cast ............it was not to

River Irwell Chub - Waggler Fishing. I have been itching to have a dangle on this peg for a few weeks. Its situated on  on the middle river and is a section of the River Irwell that is feed by another body of water that is rich in natural food and also, oxygenates that part of the river.These are the two main reasons I wish to have a dangle in this area. It may be possible to fish it with a stickfloat but as I am " waggler rich " lol I will be using this method to try and extract a chub or may be an elusive mid river roach. Casterman has fished it from the other side many moons ago but to do that now would involve a LOT of strimming and cutting out, so, I will take the lazy boy route and fish it with a waggler.......this one to be precise. A home made beauty. Lets hope it doesn't sink.....LMAO Casterman informs me it was only shallow in 1892. That was when he first fished the peg......pmsl. ( But ignore the Irwell Master at your peril :-) I have a