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

Work has been getting me down lately so a chance call from Derek Kenyon was most welcome and saw us meeting up at some new pegs " The boys " . . . .  Derek Casterman Kenyon & Dave Hovis  have cut out on the Middle Irwell which gave me the motivation I needed. Arriving first I had the pick one of the pegs. I picked one that visually looked the best but after two or three trots down I realised that the run was a little shallow and moved up one to try it out. The new swim was much deeper and I was more comfortable with it. By this time a deep thoated  “ Aye up lad “  echoes through the undergrowth and a head popped out of the foliage It was  . . .  “ The Casterman “  He was buzzin as was I.  We haven’t been out together for a VERY long time and very fitting it should be on the Irwell. We both new I had the best peg. Casterman was talking me through his last Irwell session when his phone sings into life . . . .. . It was Phil Clayton returning Dereks call.  (

I had a few hours spare after work this week and fancied a dangle on a river somewhere. Andre Boyne had kindly invited me up to a stretch of river he knows very well. So with the “ Mighty Megan " all loaded up I high tailed it up to the Ribble where I hoped to catch a barbel or big chub. . . . . on the float of course . . . . . 😉 My new Lofa which is now Andrews new Loafer. LOL The weather forecast wasn’t good . . . . RAIN . . . but the river was not too high and was nicely coloured so things were looking good. Andrew was coming down a little later so I headed over to a fast, shallow stretch of the river the barbel liked to hold in at the moment.  Andrew had already pointed this run out and I had tried it a few days before on a "Barbel Stick" snd a "Lofa".  I had some lovely silvers and a few trout but bumped a brace of barbel which probably killed the swim. Silvers from a previous session ona barbel stick. I was more prepared this

The Last Day Of The Season  - 2016 Well, it’s come full circle again and it is the last day of the river season. I was at Salford Pets for 7.30 to make a few floats. One pike pencil for Kaden McCarthy who is a 14 year old prodigy, a member of Salford Friendly Anglers and is showing the adults how the catch pike in the Mancunian canals and a pair of Perch Bobbers for a competition in one of the groups I am a member of. By the time the floats were ready for lacquering it was 10.30. I had yet to sort out my river kit. It was a right mess from my last blank on the Douglas. (Something terrible has happened to that lovely little river) By 11.30 I was in the “ Mighty Megan “and off to a quite stretch of the Irwell, hopefully to bag a few chub…….may be even a barbel. Here’s hopping …. lol I wanted to christen my new Avon float which I had rigged up the night before. Knowing the run I introduced some freebies as I tackle up. The river looked spot on with a ting

BLACK OPS MISSON - CHUB ON THE STICK. I had a three hour window on Sunday morning to extract an Irwell chub. Got to a " Deep Cover " out of the way peg that I have only seen in the winter. Casterman & myself trimmed the branches on the opposite side so you could trot under them. When I got there it was like the Amazon.........Hogweed, nettles and brambles were the enemy ....I had to fight my way through  100 meters of this shite being extremely careful not to get stung off the Hogweed. For those of you who do not know about Giant Hogweed it is an invasive species that grows all along the river Irwell making some sections of the river almost impossible to fish in the summer time. When stung by this plant it can produce huge blisters that can re-occur for seven years, is light sensitive so it comes back when the sun shines upon the infected area …….as I said…..NASTY STUFF INDEED………I could go on but I will leave it for know as this is a topic on its own. I

I had a pass off the Mrs this Sunday so with a quick line to a new pal of mine, John Derbyshire a plan was made to fish a little known river – to me anyway - ……The River Douglas in Bolton. I still don’t know exactly where we were  but I know we were near the Reebok Stadium. John said it’s a little river for roving so I was  traveling light, a bag and a rod…..that was it …..which is super light for me ......lol. I told john while we were having breakfast at his house that I do not possess any Irwell sticks. He stopped chewing his bacon butty and stared at me in disbelief and said ………………… “ A float maker without any of his talisman floats…………your kidding right Mike “  “No” I replied. “ I thought I had a feather inlayed one but I couldn’t find it “ john chuckled and said “ well………….you’re not using mine “ with a big grin on his face. I nipped to the car, opened my float box and found , just one , lonely carved chubber. It was quite heavily loaded and took about 4 BB. JUST THE