Wednesday: Went to Ewood Bridge and did my monthly kick sample, insect numbers down on last month, probably due to recent thunder storms. The Irwell had been up as much as three feet during the last couple of days, but was down to more normal levels today. It could be back up with the rain that we have had this afternoon.
Fished until the rain came in pretty heavy, eight browns all 9 to 11 inches caught on Copper Johns and Pheasant tail nymphs. Had far more takes than fish, could be the water was coloured and I was fishing the fast water, or it could be that I had a clumsy day.
The brown alga, that I have been complaining about, has now been swept away by the high water and the river is looking and fishing more like I am used to, more rain is forecast for tonight and the weekend which will not do any harm.
I am having a small operation to my left hand this Friday, I am left handed, so no fishing or driving for a few days or maybe a week.
Bradshaw Brook
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
Week Ending 28 July 13
Monday: Evening fished the Douglas, got there at half past six, expected there to be lots of fish rising. I wanted to fish dry fly so I walked down as far as the golf course, intending to spot fish rising for my wade back, didn't spot one rise.
I was nearly back up to the path when I got a rise, pricked and lost a small one, before I caught a 10" brown with a crafty cast over some bank side plants. It's a good job a fish took or I would have been snagged up pretty bad.
I was very hot and sweaty so had a rest and cleared the rubbish out of my waders, before trying above the path. Still not many rising, caught two small browns and missed a few others.
Tuesday: Rain and thunder storms over night and this morning. Lots of noise but not much rain here.
Went to check out the Irwell at Summerseat, surprised to find it up and dirty, must have rained more up in Ramsbottom and Rossendale.
Came back to Bolton and went to fish Bradshaw Brook at Seven Acres, it was up a little bit with just a hint of colour. Fish rising so dry fly, caught a few, not many small ones mostly eight and nine inch, yes I know that is not big but it's OK for Seven Acres.
Wednesday: Irwell still up and dirty so went to the Roch at Gigg. It didn't look to good but I gave it a try, nothing rising at first and nothing taking my nymph. Late afternoon before I landed good trout on a Iron Blue and that was it.
Friday: Fished the Bradshaw Fly Fishers beat, well mostly the the brook up towards Jumbles. Had a thirteen inch brown at the top of the beat before moving on to the Jumbles stretch. plenty of fish though most were very small. Must have missed twice as many as I hooked and I didn't land all of those that I did hook. Used my 6' 6" carbon with a Young's 3" Beaudex floating line with a Iron Blue Dun
Saturday: River Irwell around Nuttall Park Ramsbottom. Caught just two browns on dry fly, very few rising and not much sign of flies. River still needs some proper rain and a good flush through, rain forecast for tonight and tomorrow lets hope it is enough.
I was nearly back up to the path when I got a rise, pricked and lost a small one, before I caught a 10" brown with a crafty cast over some bank side plants. It's a good job a fish took or I would have been snagged up pretty bad.
I was very hot and sweaty so had a rest and cleared the rubbish out of my waders, before trying above the path. Still not many rising, caught two small browns and missed a few others.
Tuesday: Rain and thunder storms over night and this morning. Lots of noise but not much rain here.
Went to check out the Irwell at Summerseat, surprised to find it up and dirty, must have rained more up in Ramsbottom and Rossendale.
Came back to Bolton and went to fish Bradshaw Brook at Seven Acres, it was up a little bit with just a hint of colour. Fish rising so dry fly, caught a few, not many small ones mostly eight and nine inch, yes I know that is not big but it's OK for Seven Acres.
Wednesday: Irwell still up and dirty so went to the Roch at Gigg. It didn't look to good but I gave it a try, nothing rising at first and nothing taking my nymph. Late afternoon before I landed good trout on a Iron Blue and that was it.
Friday: Fished the Bradshaw Fly Fishers beat, well mostly the the brook up towards Jumbles. Had a thirteen inch brown at the top of the beat before moving on to the Jumbles stretch. plenty of fish though most were very small. Must have missed twice as many as I hooked and I didn't land all of those that I did hook. Used my 6' 6" carbon with a Young's 3" Beaudex floating line with a Iron Blue Dun
Saturday: River Irwell around Nuttall Park Ramsbottom. Caught just two browns on dry fly, very few rising and not much sign of flies. River still needs some proper rain and a good flush through, rain forecast for tonight and tomorrow lets hope it is enough.
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
Week Ending 21 July 13
Tuesday: !6 July. After last weeks poor fishing and low water with no sign of rain, I decided to fish at Seven Acres Country Park. Its close to home so I thought if its crap I don't have far to go.
The brook looked great, water crowfoot in full flower and plenty of fish rising.
Decided to us my 7' three piece split cane with a four weight floating line on my Young's 3 " Beaudex, the rod has a very soft action and is good for putting a fly down softly on shallow water.
The brook looked great, water crowfoot in full flower and plenty of fish rising.
Fished a iron blue dun size 16 to great effect. best fish was about 12 "
Had a few nearly as good as this one plus loads of smaller ones, most of which where caught in less than six inches of water. I only lost two flies which must be a record for me, the pictures show one of the few places with out to many trees on Seven Acres, but the banks are bad enough at catching flies.
I am pleased with the fish that I caught today, but, after seeing the one on the Salford Friendly site that was caught on the Irwell.(http://salfordfriendlyanglers.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/an-awesome-trout.html) Perhaps I should get back to the big river, mind you I am not to sure I could land something that big on the tackle that I fish with.
Wednesday: After yesterday decided to stay local and fished Eagley Brook at Dunscar. Same rig as yesterday and same result. Nothing as big as yesterday, best a 10", but lots of fish again. It was very hot so a took a dip, luckily no damage to me or my kit, and it did cool me down. Not too much in my waders so I just carried on fishing.
Friday: Had a good days fishing today plenty of fish and one that took me very much by surprise.
This 19 Inch monster came out of a very small stream, no I am not saying where. Caught with the same tackle and fly as earlier this week.
Saturday: Back to the Irwell at Bury Ground, should have watched the golf, one small fish from a river that needs rain. I least the weather was a lot cooler.
Sunday: Eagley Brook in the lower valley, can't understand why it looks in poor condition, further up where I fished on Wednesday it looked fine. Two small trout then home to watch the golf.
Monday, 8 July 2013
Week Ending 14 July 13
Monday: 8 July 2200hrs. Just got back from the Douglas.
Started with an Iron Blue Dun Dry. First fish was a Chub, about 3/4 of a pound then had 12 inch brown
I had walked to the top end of the stretch as fishing dry fly is not really an option unless you wade, the grass on the banks is about five feet high.
Changed to a gold head pheasant tail nymph and started down stream. Just thigh waders, to hot for chest.
Caught six more browns all 11 or 12 inches, except one small one the had me tangled in the weed for about five minutes, I got it out of one lot only for it to get straight into some more, of course they only do it in the deep bits.
The last fish I hooked got off when I got caught on some ones line that had been left in the river, I pulled out about twenty foot, including weights and the hook before it broke, it must have been at least twenty pound line. Why do they use line that strong in a river that can't have fish over about three or four pounds.
Tuesday: Went to Ladyshore, as always it looked fine. not a sniff. I think I will give it up as a bad job.
I only fished nymph as nothing was rising.The only good thing was that I stayed cool, well cooler, I waded with just a pair of trainers on, at least my legs and feet felt good.
Wednesday: Irwell at Summerseat, one fish couple of takes nothing else. River very low, brown algae building up in river again, we need rain.
Thursday: Springwater Park, one fish on Czech nymph, moved to Gigg. Looked better but nothing moving.
I think I will wait until we get some rain, may have to wait some time as the forecast ids for sun sun sun.
Friday: . Sorted my fly boxes and debarbed some new flies that arrived from http://www.troutflies.co.uk/ in Lancaster. I've used them for a while now, quick delivery and good reasonably priced flies and anything else you could need.
Had intended to go out this evening but it did not cool down much so no fishing at all.
Started with an Iron Blue Dun Dry. First fish was a Chub, about 3/4 of a pound then had 12 inch brown
I had walked to the top end of the stretch as fishing dry fly is not really an option unless you wade, the grass on the banks is about five feet high.
Changed to a gold head pheasant tail nymph and started down stream. Just thigh waders, to hot for chest.
Caught six more browns all 11 or 12 inches, except one small one the had me tangled in the weed for about five minutes, I got it out of one lot only for it to get straight into some more, of course they only do it in the deep bits.
The last fish I hooked got off when I got caught on some ones line that had been left in the river, I pulled out about twenty foot, including weights and the hook before it broke, it must have been at least twenty pound line. Why do they use line that strong in a river that can't have fish over about three or four pounds.
Tuesday: Went to Ladyshore, as always it looked fine. not a sniff. I think I will give it up as a bad job.
I only fished nymph as nothing was rising.The only good thing was that I stayed cool, well cooler, I waded with just a pair of trainers on, at least my legs and feet felt good.
Wednesday: Irwell at Summerseat, one fish couple of takes nothing else. River very low, brown algae building up in river again, we need rain.
Thursday: Springwater Park, one fish on Czech nymph, moved to Gigg. Looked better but nothing moving.
I think I will wait until we get some rain, may have to wait some time as the forecast ids for sun sun sun.
Friday: . Sorted my fly boxes and debarbed some new flies that arrived from http://www.troutflies.co.uk/ in Lancaster. I've used them for a while now, quick delivery and good reasonably priced flies and anything else you could need.
Had intended to go out this evening but it did not cool down much so no fishing at all.
Friday, 5 July 2013
Out and About Week Ending 7 July 13
I have been recording flora and fauna for the Greater Manchester Local Record Centre for some time now. This week I decided to give it a blitz and and record more of what I saw, with the help of a couple of books that that I bought on Flowers and on Trees. I have been recording just what I caught and some of the things that I saw, without trying to identify things that I did not know the name of.
Anyone who lives in Greater Manchester, or comes into it, can take part. Just type RODIS in google and sign up, you don't have to be an expert in anything, just record what you see. It's a bit fiddly but there's plenty of help available. Give it a go. I took along my fishing tackle of course.
Monday: Was Kick Sample day at Ewood Bridge, better results than last month, which is to be expected, lots more insects and a few baby bullheads. Had a hours fishing two browns and missed one or two. River still very low but looking a bit cleaner than it was.
Tuesday: What did I do?????? not much.
Wednesday: Irwell at Summerseat, it must have rained on Tuesday as the river was up, though still fairly clear. Nothing rising caught one on dry and two with nymph, not much fun. Recorded lots of flora and fauna.
Thursday: Started on the bottom stretch of Bradshaw Fly beat, lot of colour, never found out why. Had three, one a nice ten inch fish, then moved to the upper stretch. Caught another two small ones, all on dry.
Friday: Started at Sion Road Radcliffe, as soon as I got down to the river one rose above the foot bridge. Second cast he took my fly, nice fish about 13 inches, good jumper.
Had one other on nymph further down stream and that was it. The river was down again, I waded across the river where I caught the second one, never even thought about doing that before. Very strange weather this summer, though it was hot and sunny today.
Next I went to Springwater Park one nice brown on dry again. Its so low that I could wade across the confluence of the Roch and Irwell without it going much over my knees. Still a few fish rising but with the shallow water any disturbance and they are gone.
Saturday: Started at Bury Ground, very hot, still put chest waders on, bad decision. The river was low and nasty, had one small brown on nymph, nothing rising so went to Gigg.
The Roch looked good, plenty of water and nice and clear, much better than the Irwell.
Couple of fish rising in the riffles didn't want what I put to them.
Moved up further to a spot I've had good fish from. Nothing rising but still put a dry to the top of the pool.
Very good fish took my fly then most of my line, he went off down stream until I had just a couple of yards of line left, no backing on my small reel. I started wading down to him when he snagged on something in the shallows and was gone, with my fly and a couple of yards of my tippet. The snag was a the rusty remains of a forty five gallon drum, that's fishing in dirty places for you.
Got out of the water and walked down to where the weir used to be and started up stream looking for rising fish. There weren't many, got a take at last, another good fish by the feel of it, yes I didn't get him to net.
It went off like a train, two jumps and then gone, at least I still had my fly
Some days its best to except it and go home.Fished back up to the car and then did just that.
Anyone who lives in Greater Manchester, or comes into it, can take part. Just type RODIS in google and sign up, you don't have to be an expert in anything, just record what you see. It's a bit fiddly but there's plenty of help available. Give it a go. I took along my fishing tackle of course.
Monday: Was Kick Sample day at Ewood Bridge, better results than last month, which is to be expected, lots more insects and a few baby bullheads. Had a hours fishing two browns and missed one or two. River still very low but looking a bit cleaner than it was.
Tuesday: What did I do?????? not much.
Wednesday: Irwell at Summerseat, it must have rained on Tuesday as the river was up, though still fairly clear. Nothing rising caught one on dry and two with nymph, not much fun. Recorded lots of flora and fauna.
Thursday: Started on the bottom stretch of Bradshaw Fly beat, lot of colour, never found out why. Had three, one a nice ten inch fish, then moved to the upper stretch. Caught another two small ones, all on dry.
Friday: Started at Sion Road Radcliffe, as soon as I got down to the river one rose above the foot bridge. Second cast he took my fly, nice fish about 13 inches, good jumper.
Next I went to Springwater Park one nice brown on dry again. Its so low that I could wade across the confluence of the Roch and Irwell without it going much over my knees. Still a few fish rising but with the shallow water any disturbance and they are gone.
Saturday: Started at Bury Ground, very hot, still put chest waders on, bad decision. The river was low and nasty, had one small brown on nymph, nothing rising so went to Gigg.
The Roch looked good, plenty of water and nice and clear, much better than the Irwell.
Couple of fish rising in the riffles didn't want what I put to them.
Moved up further to a spot I've had good fish from. Nothing rising but still put a dry to the top of the pool.
Very good fish took my fly then most of my line, he went off down stream until I had just a couple of yards of line left, no backing on my small reel. I started wading down to him when he snagged on something in the shallows and was gone, with my fly and a couple of yards of my tippet. The snag was a the rusty remains of a forty five gallon drum, that's fishing in dirty places for you.
Got out of the water and walked down to where the weir used to be and started up stream looking for rising fish. There weren't many, got a take at last, another good fish by the feel of it, yes I didn't get him to net.
It went off like a train, two jumps and then gone, at least I still had my fly
Some days its best to except it and go home.Fished back up to the car and then did just that.
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