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Shouldered Irwell Sticks.

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Another upgrade to my shallow fast water trotters. The Shouldered Irwell Sticks are wider for more turbulent water than the MKIIs, have a bigger body and have a large step in them to stop any movement of the rubbers. This pair have been finished in a favourite metallic blue paint that I like with a feather plus red, gold, blue and black threads. This float really is my cup if tea and I am gagging to use a few !!!!!! Just have to wait until the 16th..... DAM IT !!!!! LOL.. 🤣 I can see me making a few of these for the coming season not to mention the Bridgenorth trip with my dad. 😁 TTFN         Peanut.      If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.      https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-and-fishing.html?m=1        Join our club......Its FREE  !!!!!!!     http://salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk/join/              

Slimline Roach Avons For Casterman & Ribble Pete

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" Casterman " AKA " Derek Kenyon " requested a favour just after Christmas for a pair of floats. He required a cross between a standard avon style and a bolognese float. I had a play around with some bits of left over balsa and came up with the pair below. A little late for the end if the season as promised but at least you both have something to look forward to come June 16th. The pair above were constructed from balsa, cane and aluminium, threads used were black & grey. The paint is a new red metallic, pearlescent I have recently taken a fancy to and will be used on a few other floats I have in the pipe line at the moment. There will be a bit of a wait for my pals to get these wet so I will remind them both nearer the time to get me some nice fish an float pictures for the blog. TTFN   Peanut.        If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.      https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/handcra

New Barbel Sticks For a Trip Down Memory Lane

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I used to love float fishing on the River Severn in Bridgenorth for barbel with my dad in the early 1980's and was lucky enough to be the first name on our school match trophy all those years ago. This year we and a few friends are planning a trip down memory lane revisiting the stretches of the mighty River Severn where I learnt to fish a float on a river over 30 years ago. 😲😲😲😲😲  To commemorate the trip I am making a few new stick floats, hopefully, to catch a few barbel, amongst other species and get some nice pictures for the blog (Not to mention a bit of banta and a few pints ) 😉 This is the first one. A barbel stick Taking approximately 4AAA ( Hopefully a little more ) Constructed in balsa and aluminium the body was turned from a single piece to increase strength for the rigours of heavy barbel fishing. A fluorescent orange tip, red pearlescent body, Plus a feather inlay & Black gold, violet and scarlet silks completed the build. I

Winter Sunshine Ladies and A Bar Of Gold

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Today saw me on another river session fishing a  little shallow river trying out my new " Irwell Stick Floats " once again. Donning my old leaky waders ( I must get some new ones soon ) I carefully.......lol....... waded down the river, without falling in this time. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Knowing the river a little better I was fishing within a minute and hooked into my first grayling within 5. She was a belting fish to nudging the 2lb mark at a guess.   After nursing back to full fitness, which did take a while. I had another trot down the same run and guess what !!!!!! the float buried again half way down and " Whollop " I was into another. 😁😁😁😁😁😁 I played her a littler harder than the last so she was fitter when returned. Not one of my better picture but she was a lovely lady a little bigger than the first. She looked cool on the release though. 😁 After the second fish the swim died but the run was FULL of fish taking n

Tailor Made Canal Pike Float For A Young Maestro !!!!!! PART TWO

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The second float made for Kayden McCarthy is a very small sliding pike float. Made from carbon and cork this float only takes 3.5 g and is designed to cause as little disturbance as possible when cast into the swim. ( I know because he told me. I am no piker ....lol ). It has is name on it and is finished in black, red, gold and violet whipping plus a small jay feather. ( couldn't resist it ) He now has the floats he needs to tackle the Irwell for big river carp and big pike from the central Manchester canal systems. Both floats. Kaydan will be getting the pike float wet this weekend.  Lets hope he can bag a croc for the blog.  😁 Photos to follow. I have every confidence in the young man.  😉 Kayden has just sent me a picture. He is all set up ready to rock and roll......lol 😁 TTFN Peanut.    If you would like to look at my handcrafted  click on the link below.   https://purplepeanut007.blogspot.com/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-and-fish

Tailor Made Floats For A Young Maestro !!!!!! PART ONE

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I was minding my own business over Christmas playing with my floats when my phone buzzed. I flicked on messenger....... It was from young Kaydan McCarthy. " I need a pair floats Mike...... The first one is an Irwell Stick....... but with a difference...... I need it Jumbo size. 3AAA if possible " ? I know where he will be using this on the  River Irwell but I won't steal his thunder and tell you exactly where. 😉 This is a little different due to its size than standard Irwell Stick. It's made from balsa for starters  ......... I have also used a stainer on this float for the fist time and I am quite please with the results. Black, violet, metallic grey and gold where the threads used. Here is Kayden McCarthys Jumbo Irwell Stick. I hope this catches you a few " Irwell Beasts " young man. 😉  The next float ...... The Pike float should be ready shortly. TTFN  Peanut.   If you would like to look at my handcrafted  clic

A New River With New Irwell Sticks & The Ginger Assassin

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John Derbyshire has been inviting me to go grayling fishing with him for months. I had not taken him up on his offer for a number of reasons, work, family, weather etc You all know the score !!!!!! Yesterday I finally got organised and went with him to a new ( for me ) north west river. The good thing about having fishing mates is when you have not seen for a while you both have stacks of things to talk about. We never stopped talking and laughing all the way to the venue. When we arrived we set up at the car, donned our waders and walked across the field to the river. As we approached the river John pointed out a foxes den, ( I am always interested in learning about nature on our rivers ) and  thought he could smell the foxes musk or scat or something or other !!!!!!!! Taking the mickie I replied... " Jeeeeesus Christ !!!!!!!! I'm fishing with  A Ginger Crocodile Dundee" Hahahahahahhah !!!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 We both rolle