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

I kicked of my river season yesterday on the Ribble trying out a new waggler plus a few sticks floats. Traffic was good for a change as I made way up the M61. I couldn't wait to see the river again. . . that wait seamed like years.... !!!!!! When I arrived the river was one her bones !!!!! I had never seen the Ribble this low before !!!!!! Most of the pegs were unfishable for me with the floats I wanted to use.  There was either no flow or too much pace. I opted for a gravel run at the end of a deep,  virtually still pool.  There was more pace on my peg as it shallowed up to about three feet . . . at least it would move the sticks along. As I was running a new stick float through the swim there was a massive CRASH !!!!!!!  I nearly jumped out of my waders !!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯 A fish had leaped clean out of the water and crashed back into the deeper part of the pool to my left. I got a clean visual of it as crashed down the second time. It was a salmon of aro

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

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.

I haven't made my straight wagglers for quite some time now. Below are a prial in pink with black, purple and gold whipping, plus a jay feather inlay. All floats are 5AAA weight capacjty These are great on a rivers for slowing the bait down at distance by fishing over depth. Ideal for maggots, casters, bread, pellet etc. 😊 On still waters / commercials they are great for distance fishing up in the water on pellet, bread corn as well as the above baits These replace the pellet waggler when little more finesse is required. Also great for people with bad eyes like me . . .  Lol. 😁 I will be using one of these on the River Irwell come June 16th looking for the beam and carp. These have eluded me over the last few years although I did manage one a few years ago at a Salford Friendly Anglers meet organised by the Caster Man. It is still my PB bream at 6lb 11oz Caught on a Retro Stick float Black as coal. An absolutely STUNNIN

I have met lots of friendly blokes and good fishermen at Salford Friendly Anglers meetings in the past. One of these fine anglers being John or JAYS as he is known on facebook. On Tuesday I received a message from John asking if I had finished a batch of floats.  I have been making for him. " The Tinca Sticks and Irwell Sticks are done pal but the pike and perch floats still need sorting “  I replied. “ GREAT . I am desperate for the Tinca Sticks as my tench season is well underway. Can we meet up soon “ ? John lives in Stockport, I live in Whitefield so we arranged to meet about half way in Chadderton at a pub called The Boat & Horses right on the Rochdale Canal , an SFA stretch.  I landed at the allotted time,16.15, and text John of my arrival. I was rummaging around in my boot looking for some floats when I heard a voice I have not heard for well over two months  “ Hellow Mike “........ It was John. I hadn’t seen him in ages. We said our hellows a