And again
Pike 0
Lures Lost 2
And Again
Time To Give Up
So I had a couple of hours this afternoon on my local park lake.
Pike O
Lures lost 2
But at least the weather was pleasant.
An Expensive Blank
Sunday afternoon – again on the Bridgewater Canal near Old Trafford.
Pike – none
Lures – lost 4
Fingers – numb (i dropped my neoprene gloves somewhere)
Mood – bad
3 Jolly Anglers
Our day on the canal started off in bright sunshine – great for two of us but not so good for the hungover member of our trio. We parked the car amongst the old warehouses of Ancoats and made our way to the Rochdale Canal, where we tackled up with lures and traces. Leapfrogging our way down the towpath, the canal seemed to be devoid of fish until this monster committed hari-kari on this “natural”looking mini lure.
Once we got as far down as Piccadilly basin, i was wondering if the bright sunshine had put the fish down, so i put on an old favourite of mine, the bright green bottom grubbing Big S. Five minutes later I was into my first Jack of the day.
After this early success, i unclipped my lure and passed it over to Tom, to see it would help him break his duck – it didnt take long for this lure to attract more interest – and Tom was unlucky to loose a fairly decent fish pretty much immediately after tying it on
After taking appropriate Saturday afternoon refreshments, we made our way down the canal towards Castlefield. I had another little perch with eyes too big for its belly, but we couldn’t get any more action with the Pike. It was a good afternoon though, as we got to see Manchester from a different perspective. Our afternoon was finished off in the Knott Bar – fantastic real ale.
Final Fling
An Irwell Walk
I’ve been so busy at work recently that fishing has had to take a back seat. Even during the odd occasisions when things have slowed down, I’ve felt a little guilty when thinking about sneaking off to go down the river. A riverside walk with the family last Sunday the afternoon had to be the next best thing.
A few sessions
Theres been a lack of blogging recently but definitely not a lack of fishing.
I spent an afternoon plugging for pike in the city centre at Castlefield but didnt get a sniff of a fish. A lovely place to spend a few hours though
I was at my desk on the last day of the trout season, when my dad rang to see if i fancied a couple of hours on the river. So half an hour later, i had my dad positioned at the head of what i consider to be the best trout run on the Irwell. Two fish from his first three casts set the tone for the next two hours as we shared 18 fish and some lovely autumn sunshine.
The weekend saw me chasing ruffe again – another couple of biteless hours – seriously driving me nuts. Am close to giving up – Tony has 24 species now to my 22.
A late night email and phone call from the local bbc radio breakfast programme had me up at Salford Quays at the crack of dawn, as the breakfast show wanted to do a piece about funding being withdrawn for the oxygenation machinery which is the only thing which keeps the place alive. I felt slightly cheated when talking to the EA representatives the next morning who told me that the only thing that was happening was that the machinery was going to be changed from the pumping of liquid oxygen into the water, to pumping air via a venturi system instead – a much cheaper and equally effective alternative. Seems like the BEEB had their knickers in a twist over nothing – or were trying to invent some news!
Thursday morning i met up with Phil, Tony and Lloyd for Big Daves annual stockie bashing session, on his secret venue in Shropshire. Great fun fishing for rainbow trout in a water FULL of big, mental, rainbow trout. As always i stopped counting the number of fish i caught – its too easy (but still fun). I’m glad i only go once a year, otherwise this sort of fishing would lose any sort of appeal.
Last Saturday I spent on the Ribble. I couldnt wade for long as the water was soooo cold. The fish seem to have switched off and the only luck I had all afternoon was this nice chub which succumbed to my maggot swim feeder tactics.
Tomorrow evening I’m off to Bolton Fly Tying Clubs AGM – a great gang, lovely company. I only go to their evenings during winter months.
Sorry for such a rotten post, I really should write up these trips properly but have been so busy with work and other projects…..
Like catching sticklebacks … which brings me to 23 species for the year so far 🙂 Sad but true.
Bad Luck Or A Lack Of Guile
Sunday Afternoon saw me back on the banks of one of the Wigan Flashes in what I have been assured is a good Ruffe peg. After 3 hours of fishing at different depths, styles, going down to a 22’s hook with a 0.08mm hooklength my float finaly dipped. In my stupor/inertia/trance i didnt react just gormlessly stared as my float re-emerged. Shortly afterwards I packed up.
I’d had plently of options but yet again choose the wrong one. Tony had a great afternoon catching some big dace on a small Lancashire river. My friend Derek went onto my local river and connected with one of the lunkers for which the river is slowly developing something of a reputation.
The photo isnt great, but what a fish! 6lb 13oz of superb wild brownie. A fish of a lifetime – well done Derek.
A Big Wet Disapointment
Back To Secret Lake
While eating my lunch i thought that I’d not come all this way to blank, so reeled in the pellet rod, and set up a method feeder rig and launched in out into the centre of the lake.
There is a huge head of bream in this water, and it didn’t take long for my rod tip to hoop round, and a small bream of about a lb graced the landing net, soon followed by another, then another and a few more. I was to be honest getting a little bored of bream on the method, so i started to fire in 4mm pellets over the top in the hope of stirring up some interest with the resident carp, now that the weather was warming up. So a quick change to a pellet waggler rig saw me catch first cast…. you guessed it – another bream, then another, then another.
Once it got to 3.15pm i had to start thinking about the half hour drive back to Leeds, and a punctual appearance for the only member of my household to do any work today. Just as i was in the process of packing up, my forgotten about boilie rod suddenly hooped, baitrunner screamed and i struck into a decent fish which streaked into the snags on the far bank. I was just thinking about giving it some welly – when the handle fell of my reel (note to self, stop buying cheap gear), so the fish inadvertently had a load of slack – and out it popped like a good un. I managed to cobble the reel back together for long enough to land a lovely common of about 5lbs.
Yet again no Grass Carp – but a lovely day out, and a good excuse to return.