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

As I have said before I am giving my stick floats and up grade. The next styles to be up-graded are the  " Domed Alloy Stick " & the  " Inserted Alloy Stick Float" These patterns used to get used the most before I made the  " Irwell Sticks ". The  "Domed Alloy Stick"  much longer than the  " Irwell Stick "  and is for more general fishing. The "  Inserted Alloy Stick "  is primarily for roach fishing on slower stretches of river. This particular pair are made from balsa with an alloy stem, red , black , gold and violet were my choice of thread. I'm not sure of the weight capacity of these floats yet but I do not expect them to be much over 8 no4s. I will be giving these an outing on the Rivers Ribble or Calder in the next few weeks. TTFN Peanut. If you would like to look at my handcrafted floats just hit the link. ...

I have tried something new with one of the prial of floats below. The first two are in standard day glow fluorescent orange. The third is in a new orange pearlescent paint. These are notoriously difficult to take pictures of but I have done my utmost to show you the affect the pearlescent paint has. All three are identical in size and build.  Threads are black Violet and gold and all take approximately 6 AAA.  A friend of mine  " Neil Johnson " Had a good fish on an orange one last year. . . .  I blanked  Lol  !!!!!!!!!! 🤔 It's getting near that time again pal and I fancy another go. 😁 I also have a few more paints I would like to have a play with but it will be a while until I can get to them. 😞 TTFN Peanut. If you would like to look at my handcrafted floats just hit the link. http://purplepeanut007.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-2017....

The first  " Irwell Stick MK2's " Were tiny taking 2 & 3 no4's This pair are more of a standard size taking 8 and 6 no4's respectively.  I use this size for most of my shallow water trotting on the Irwell and other northern  spate rivers. With fluorescent orange and red/pink tips, black, Jade, violet and gold whippings this pair of trotters will be perfect for maggot, casters and bread fishing in the shallows this winter. I have another one in red/pink for a good friend of mine Derek Kenyon AKA " Casterman " taking 5 no 4's as requested mate. 😉 All my stick floats are getting a make over this winter do stay tuned for new colours and patterns. TTFN Peanut. If you would like to look at my handcrafted floats just hit the link. http://purplepeanut007.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-2017.html?m=1 Join our club......Its FREE !!!!!!! ...

 A lot of my friends like fishing for roach and dace on maggots and casters in the winter months on the River Ribble. With that in mind I have made a shouldered stick float just for this purpose.

After my recent grayling session with  Adam Mack we sat down at the car and had a chat. http://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2018/09/chasing-ladies-with-adam-mack_2.html?m=1 The subject revolved around the shop bought, shouldered, 2 no4's stick floats we were both using. Adam liked them. I didn't. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought the fine tip needed removing for the fast runs we were fishing as they where of little use. I decided to make some miniature " Irwell Stick Floats " ( Larger versions to follow )  to try out the next time we go together. The two below are hand turned from balsa with an aluminium stem taking two and three no4's respectively. These also have quite a steep tapper to reduce weight capacity and give a wide visible tip. I have some larger ones under construction for larger rivers I'm looking forward to trying these the next time we go Adam. 😉 A twenty pence piece was added to give the picture some scale.7 H...

I have been meaning to go roach and bream fishing with John Derbyshire for  AGES  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We finally got to go a couple of weeks ago. Conditions where far from ideal. Flat calm weather did not help either if us. John was on the tip and I opted for the waggler. The waggler was one of my own, a foot long, glow in the dark, straight, loaded waggler to be more accurate. I have wanted to try it out for ages and today was the day. John mixed a few kilos of ground bait while I set up my two float approaches. Waggler as mentioned previously and a short perch swim using chopped worm and a perch bobber about a rod length out. It was a slow start. !!!!!!! John was picking up quite a few fish on the tip but I was struggling. At five rodlengths out I was fishing double red maggot on the bottom at nine feet deep. I had NOTHING for an hour. !!!!!!!!!!! John had around 5 lb by now and was giving me some stick. " Looks like your flashy floats aren't wo...

I cannot believe it has take me this long to get out with my mate " The Casterman" AKA  Derek Kenyon. On this outing we had decided to meet at the venue as I had to be home early so two cars were necessary. Derek arrived first and I rocked up about ten minutes later. " How do " We said to each other. " Its been too long since the last time we wet a line together. We got our kit out quickly and started off towards the river. As we arrived we started looking for some likely holding areas. One run hit me straight away but it was three quarters of the way across the river. Castetman only had thigh waders on, mine were chest waders so, luckily I had the option for that run and I took it gratefully. 😊 Casterman opted for the slower water in the shade of a row of Horse chestnut trees in the hope this would be the home of a shoal of wary chub or even his favourite species . . . . the roach. We both opted for stick floats. I chose a 8 number 4...