• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Fishing Fiend

Mad About Fishing

Fishing Fiend Ltd Logo
  • About Me
  • The Anglers Challenge

Master Class On The River Dee

19th February 2008 by Mike Duddy

Rays net of Roach – about 20lb by lunchtime.

Salmon Parr?

Brrrrr minus 6.5c

I am at my best fishing still waters on the pole, tip or waggler and i am still relatively inexperienced at river fishing This being only my second year of attempting to catch on the Irwell.
Whilst its easy on the river to sit behind a quiver tip and feeder i dont find it particularly stimulating and often miss bites as my attention wanders. This business of trotting a swim is all consuming and i am sure its going to take me years to get to a level where i am happy with my degree of competence.
Its so easy in summer to drift your float between the streamer weeds and keep a good flow of loose feed going into the water, sometimes it feels as though the fish are queueing up to be caught.

However, this year i am making a concerted effort to explore more of the River Irwell and fish during all four seasons rather than just the height of summer.

I have now discovered – ITS NOT EASY IN WINTER.

So the best thing to do when you are struggling is go with an expert and sit and watch him build a swim and catch some fish and see how his approach differs from your own.

Thats the reason why i awoke at 5.30am on the coldest morning of the winter so far (minus 6.5c) and drove south past Chester to the River Dee at Farndon to meet with Ray.

Ray has a fantastic fishing brain and a wicked sense of humour.
By the time i turned up at just past 7am, Ray and his friend Dave had already set up and were fishing.It was so cold that the maggots froze solid and the ice had to be cleared from the rod rings after every cast.

The river was about 10 feet deep with a steady pace (no boils or swirlies). Both Ray and Dave were fishing Avon type floats about 10 inches over depth with bulk shot bunched together about 15 inches above the hook. Rays rig was slightly different in that he was using a heavier float and an olivette instead of buched AAA shot, and he also had a number 9 shot dragging the bottom to help him slow the rig down whereas Dave didn’t. They both fished about 20 feet out from the bank.Ray was using a 17ft trotting rod whereas Daves rod was only 12/13ft.
Whilst Ray was catching a roach a chuck Dave who was 20 yds upstream wasnt getting a touch.
Dave was feeding loose feed (hemp and red maggots), whereas Ray introduced his feed-hemp, maggot and aniseed and sweetcorn bread crumb based- via a swim feeder (he told me about 5 feeders full at the start of the session and then 2 whenever the bites tail off).

These guys were both so funny, their constant banter and chatter was making me laugh so much i forgot the cold.

Every time Dave loose fed Ray thanked him for feeding his swim.

As the morning progressed only Ray was catching out of the 6 or seven people who were fishing the stretch of river. It was obvious that Ray had either landed on the right peg by luck or had drawn them in by skill. When i asked him, he told me it was his skill – but also that he was a lucky so and so.

Ray was also a kind so and so and invited Dave to come and catch some fish in his swim when it became obvious that Dave was otherwise going to blank.

Dave was getting fish in the same swim, both guys fishing in the same 20yds of river on virtually the same line, Ray still caught at a faster rate the Dave and better quality fish to boot.

With them both in the same swim, it was easy to compare the different styles of bait presentation and why Ray was consistently outfishing Dave – PRESENTATION.

With his longer rod and heavier float he could control his bait in the flow. He could hold back at will and inch the bait down the swim, he could even get his bait stationary if he wished. He could do this as his rod was longer so that the angle of the float to the flow was lighter and therefore didnt swing in towards to near bank as quickly when he was holding back. The heavier float and use of an olivette rather than bunched bulkshot resulted in Rays hookbait not lifting too high off the bottom when he was holding the float back. Dave using a shorter rod and lighter float didn’t have the option of holding back as hard as Ken could and this lack of control of the hookbait meant he subsequently caught less fish.
Dont get the wrong idea that Dave is not a good fisherman – he had never fished this water before whereas Ray had, and Ray was also lucky enough to be in the right peg from the start.

As the sun came out and the day slowly warmed up, Ray went on to build a bag of 20lb of beautifully conditioned winter roach, averaging 3 fish to the pound. He also had a couple of chublets, dace and a salmon parr (i think).

I am glad i didnt take any tackle with me as it gave me the opportunity to watch a master at work (Ray runs a Chinese Chippy maybe i could call this post “Master at Wok”).
I was back in the office by 1.30pm.

Lesson 1. Fish shoal up in winter and can sometimes be concentrated in very small areas in the river. Mikes winter Irwell reminder – if you dont get a bite within 45 minutes, move to another swim.
Lesson 2. If bites are slow, make changes to depth, shotting and speed of the bait through swim before moving.

Lesson 3. Make sure that loose feed and groundbait is feeding the fish in your swim and not your mates 25yds downstream!

Lesson 4. Use a float that is up to the job. Let your tackle dictate presentation not the strength of the current.

Lesson 5. Dont blame the cold for not catching fish. It was minus 6.5c when i arrived and Ray was catching a roach a chuck.

Lesson 6. Good company keeps you warm.
manchester fishing Irwell Ribble Trout

Filed Under: Uncategorised

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. phil-k says

    20th February 2008 at 11:45 am

    Great report and fantastic fishing masterclass by Ken.

    Sometimes its a good idea to leave the rods at home and to just observe nature.I had a walk down to the Irwell last week and spotted 3 Gooseanders in my favourite peg.The silt washed down in the floods had deposited itself on the far bank and the river looked like a canal.It was a beautiful day and the river looked mint.Had I taken a rod and blanked it would have spoiled a great experience.

  2. dave says

    21st February 2008 at 5:38 pm

    alright mike,

    i was dragging a number 4 never mind a number 9, and holding back, running through what ever never made any difference, the difference today was the fish were shoaled up towards the bridge,hence why first cast i was catching in the other peg

    a lad jumped in to my origional swim and like me blanked, as did the lad opposite( the other lad next to him only caught by letting his float run right down the swim

    kens name is ray by the way..hope this clears up a few things

    dave

Primary Sidebar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOM-emZ1Wkw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEJLElb6HUc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEQlDACC1WI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cne7QOilerQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm0KDPjP1J8&t=9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ZAuuDTsQs

Archives

Tags

5 Bar Gate Agecroft Pond Anglers Challenge Anular Bream ashton canal Bass Beach Fishing Birkenhead Dock fishing Bitterling blank Bradshaw Hall Bread Punch Bream Bridgewater Canal Bridlington Carp cheshire ring Chub Cleveleys Cod Common Blennie Common Comber Cornwall Crucian Carp Dab Dace Drinkwater Park Drop Shot Dropshot Drop Shotting Dusky Grouper European Eel FC United Fenix Flounder fly fishing Football Fuerteventura Fuerteventura Fishing Githead Bream Gynn Wall Heaton Park History Holiday Fishing Ide Irwell Isome Issos Beach Corfu Kelzo Labranda Beach Fishing Lesser Spotted Dog Fish Lesser Weever Live Bait Liverpool Docks LRF Lure Mackerel Madeira Goby Madeira Rockfish maggot Mariners Wharf New Brighton Old River Irlam Ornate Wrasse Painted Comber Pandora Perch Perch Rock Pike Pilsworth Pollack pollution Pollys Flash Prison Pond Rainbow Wrasse Roach Rochdale Canal Rockpool Blenny Rudd Salford Quays Sand Smelt Sarga Sea Fishing sewage litter Smoothhound Starry Smoothound Steenbras Striped Sea Bream Tench Three Bearded Rockling Tope trout walking Wallasey Dock fishing wallasey docks Whiting Worm YoZuri Minnow

recent posts

  • Back On The Bank 12th December 2022
  • The Fenix Trophy Final 2022 14th November 2022
  • FC Utd And The Fenix Part 2 17th October 2022
  • FC Utd And The Fenix Part 1 16th September 2022
  • Fishing Issos Beach Corfu – Summer 2022 3rd September 2022
  • A New Logo – time for a refresh 14th August 2022
  • Fishing For Big Perch At Bradshaw Hall 24th December 2020
  • El Blanko And Sancho Phil Ride Again 14th December 2020
  • Chasing Perch On The Worm Dropshot 23rd November 2020
  • Pilsworth Fishery Dropshot 9th November 2020
  • Fishing Cures The Blues 26th October 2020
  • Fishing Salford Quays – Smash And Grab 10th October 2020
  • Fishing Liverpool Docks 6th October 2020
  • Artists On The Irwell 1st October 2020
  • Drop Shotting Wallasey Docks and Salford Quays 29th September 2020
  • Its Like February Again 26th September 2020
  • Drinkwater Park Again 20th September 2020
  • A Summers Evening Fishing Drinkwater Park Lake 1st September 2020
  • Holiday Fishing Cornwall 24th August 2020
  • Ashton Canal Fishing Free Parking 20th August 2020
  • A Good Read ? 31st July 2020
  • Driving Me Up The (Gynn) Wall 30th July 2020
  • I Smelt A Record But Let It Go 27th July 2020
  • Out Fishing Again 19th July 2020
  • Attack Of The Killer Crabs 3rd July 2020
  • An Evening On The Prison Pond 27th June 2020
  • Bitterling and Bream 6th June 2020
  • Out On The Ocean Wave 1st June 2020
  • Only Mad Dogs And Englishmen 29th May 2020
  • Back In The Saddle 27th May 2020
  • Excitement Turns To Disappointment (again) 15th March 2020
  • New Season Excitement 14th March 2020
  • Waiting For The Tide To Turn 8th March 2020
  • An Anglers Challenge 29th February 2020
  • Piss Off February 24th February 2020
  • Fishing Fiend Species Hunter 2020 1st February 2020
  • In Search Of Pike 21st January 2020
  • Fishing Fuerteventura (again) 12th January 2020
  • Bringing Things Up To Date 11th January 2020
  • Tackle Shed 26th December 2019
  • The Friendly Anglers Fund 2nd July 2019
  • Dace Fishing On The Irwell 27th June 2019
  • Happy Times 25th June 2019
  • Parklife Fishing 9th June 2019
  • New Kit 6th January 2019
  • A Little Perspective – Pike 30th December 2018
  • Irwell Barbel Quest – Part 12 – Utter Frustration 23rd December 2018
  • An Artists Palette 15th December 2018
  • Hungry Pike 10th December 2018
  • The 2 Hour Rule 3rd December 2018
  • Black Death On The Irwell 30th November 2018
  • Using A Pole Float For Trotting The River 27th November 2018
  • My Most Successful Lure This Year 25th November 2018
  • Washed Up On The Beach 19th November 2018
  • Fishing At Monton Lighthouse 27th August 2018
  • Out With The Kids 17th June 2018
  • Winter Bream 5th February 2017
  • Manchester Grayling 31st January 2017
  • Pleasure Fishing Bradshaw Hall Fisheries Lake 7 25th January 2017
  • A Fish At Last 19th January 2017
  • A Bit Rubbish – Part 2 3rd January 2017
  • A New Year – An Old Challenge 1st January 2017
  • A Bit Rusty 10th November 2016
  • A Bit Rubbish 1st November 2016
  • Holiday Fishing Tenerife 5th July 2016
  • The Irwell Imp 22nd May 2016
  • Daddy Daddy Lets Play Fishin Lod 21st April 2016
  • Scratching The Itch 29th March 2016
  • A Great Day 25th March 2016
  • Holiday Fishing Fuerteventura 11th March 2016
  • Mersey Salmon Video 31st January 2016
  • Fishing On Christmas Day 25th December 2015
  • Going Fishing With My Dad 10th December 2015
  • I’m Still Here 6th December 2015
  • Walking The Cheshire Ring Pt2 1st April 2014
  • Walking The Cheshire Ring Part 1 31st March 2014
  • Is Back On The Bank 19th January 2014
  • A Stolen Hour 28th October 2012
  • A Day Out At Gingham Fishery Nr Horwich 30th September 2012
  • Irwell Barbel Quest part 11 13th August 2012
  • Full House 1st August 2012
  • Back On Th’Irwell 30th July 2012
  • Warning – Fishing Pox 19th July 2012
  • Your help needed 23rd June 2012
  • Duchy Lagoons 5th June 2012
  • All Quiet 31st May 2012
  • Right On My Doorstep 1st May 2012
  • Longer Evenings 17th April 2012
  • Shore Fishing Tenerife 15th April 2012
  • Trout In Dirty Places 2nd April 2012
  • Caddis On Steroids 29th March 2012
  • Irwell Pollution 19th March 2012
  • Fishing and Blogging With The BBC 15th March 2012
  • Always A Wag 2nd March 2012
  • Long Overdue 29th February 2012
  • Roach 23rd February 2012
  • Hooked 22nd February 2012
  • Trout Fishing At Pendle View 19th February 2012
  • The Quarry 18th February 2012
  • An Impressionist On The Irwell 5th February 2012
  • Angling Research – The Social And Community Benefits Of Angling 31st January 2012
  • Casting About 22nd January 2012
  • Church Gardens 21st January 2012
  • Golden 15th January 2012
  • A Different Kettle Of Fish 13th January 2012
  • Not A Just Reward 7th January 2012
  • Blanking On The Quays 4th January 2012
  • On The Rocks In Lanzarote 14th December 2011
  • Bloggers On The Box 23rd November 2011
  • Irwell Barbel Quest Part 10 15th November 2011
  • On The Canal In Manchester 5th November 2011
  • Roaching On The Ribble 31st October 2011
  • Fishing On The Ship Canal With The BBC 28th October 2011
  • October Kick Sampling With The Riverfly Partnership 15th October 2011
  • Angling Trust North West 11th October 2011
  • Donegal 6th October 2011
  • Rochdale Canal Tench 19th September 2011
  • 8th October Match – River Irwell Old Course Irlam – Top Hat Optional 17th September 2011
  • Canal Tench 10th September 2011
  • Pommie Bashing 2nd September 2011
  • River Irwell Old Course Match Aug 2011 29th August 2011
  • Road Trip 25th August 2011
  • On The Canal 19th August 2011
  • Starlight Express 15th August 2011
  • Bitter – ling 11th August 2011
  • Ouch 28th July 2011
  • A Warm Glow 18th June 2011
  • Inspiration 22nd May 2011
  • Not Another Bloody Blog 17th May 2011
  • River Irk Polluted Again 14th May 2011

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in