Bradshaw Flyfishers Beat 30 April 14

Before fishing I went to see if United Utilities were at the sewage leak that I reported, nobody there.

Went to Bradshaw by the cricket club and started to get set up, mobile rang, the Environment Agency wanted me to show Utilities where the sewage leak was. Back to Union Road and found Utilities at the wrong end of the road. Took Adrian down to the river and we waded to the leak. Close up we could see that it was coming from a pipe which I had not realised before, any way it should be sorted out soon.

Back to Bradshaw Brook, decided to start by the tennis club bridge, dry fly again. Plenty of rising fish but difficult to get to under the trees.

First fish small but very welcome.

In the faster water at the top of the pool I hooked much better one nearly had it in the net until it jump and was gone.

Put the fly back into the faster water and was into another one.

Look at the difference in the colour so different.

Couple more small ones then moved up river to the stretch by the house, nothing rising changed fly from a Greenwell's to a Grey Dun and caught this one first cast.

Another one to the same fly in much the same place.

Caught two more fish farther up the brook then called it a day.

Irwell Nuttall Park 29 April 14

First time to Nuttall Park this season couldn't get there until the afternoon.

As always the river looked fine, I usually wade across the river at the top of this picture and wade down by the far bank. this bank is steep and dangerous to fish from.

The river has changed some what over the winter the water by the far bank is deeper than it was before. I did wade across and start to fish nymph. Missed a couple and also had a few nudges.

The sky became very dark and threatening, heavy rain and thunder seemed to be on its way so I got out of the river, did not want to be caught on the wrong side if the river was to rise.

Tried fishing from the near bank, but it was too difficult for me, another early finish.

It did not rain after all.  

River Tonge 28 April 14

Did an evening fish for a change, had been a warmish day expected that there would be a good evening rise. There wasn't.

Started down by the rail viaduct and caught my first and best fish just below the viaduct.

Dry fly of course, whether they are rising or not I want dry fly.

The fish was fine but the sight across from where I caught it was not.

Sewage leaking from the far bank will report it to the Environment Agency and they will call out United Utilities to get it stopped.

Started to move up stream and missed a few before I caught this one.

This part of the river has been recently modified by the rail company to protect the viaduct.

To be honest I was not having a happy time, as I was getting caught in the undergrowth more than I was fishing.

I was tired after a stressful day sorting out insurance for my wife's and my own car, I did it mostly on line and found it not as easy as advertised. Still we did save money by changing to two new company's, glad that it is over for another year. Anyway that's my excuse for fishing like a prat.

A little bit up stream more pollution.

I did catch a couple more fish but nothing worth a photo, and I was still getting caught up in the trees so a packed in. 

Irwell and Roch with new 7 foot rod. 27 April 14

Today's the day the new 3 weight rod gets it's first airing. Bury Ground to start, again not very promising cold wind and not much sun and rain forecast for the afternoon.
Put on a Copper John goldhead as there was no sign of fish rising. Had a few knocks before I caught a very small trout. First for the new rod, it fished fine all thought the wind did not make it easy. Hooked and lost several more fish before I caught this one not a bad fish, the handle of the new rod is 11 inches long, so I put this one at that length.

A couple of fish on the rise, changed to a Adams dry had fish come for a look, only had one that took, about 8 inches.

I noticed a van towing a horse box arrive near to where I was parked, then a van with a caravan, followed by several more which drove on to the spare ground next to the car park. Traveller's arriving. They have been around Bury and Radcliffe for the last two or three weeks. Surprised to see them here as it is only 100 yards away from the town police HQ. by the time a got back to my car the police were in attendance.
Decided to pack up and go to fish the Roch stayed with the same tackle had a few rises but caught nothing. switched to a Olive, still nothing. Time for home.

Irwell Summerseat 25 April 14

Did not expect to fish today but I did. Made the short trip to Summerseat, ignoring the forecast of rain. It did not look promising, cold and no sun to mention, I still started dry fly.

8 foot rod, Grey's reel with floating line and a Greenwell's, nothing rising as I started up river.

   

I was a good way up before I saw any movement, one fish rose and then nothing, decided to wait it out as casting blind was not producing any takes.

The wait produced another rise and a good fish, 10 or 11 inches a good start.

He had a good splash and jump so I moved a bit up river. Another good fish about the same size.

The rain that had been promised became persistent, so now I was wet and cold, but I carried on.

 

I think this one was the best fish of the day but not the last.

This one if smaller it wasn't by much.

I had one other fish, a small one, then decided I had had enough of the rain and cold and packed in for the day.

Saving the new 7 foot 3 weight for Sunday.

No Fishing this Week 19th to 26 April 14

Why no fishing?

This the reason, or more precisely they are the reason. My daughter has left these two with us for a week, whilst she is in France with the grandsons, who are skiing with my son.
To sum it up "it seemed like a nice idea at the time". They are more trouble than we expected, but also a lot of fun. I wish I could soak up some of their energy. Long walks do not seem to tire them at all, but they do me.

I have ordered the 7 foot 3 weight rod that I have been promising myself, see earlier blogs, not as easy to get one as I had thought. Found one on the web at Carters in Preston, good job I rang

before making the journey as they do not have 7 foot rods in stock. Ebay was not much better, either cheap and nasty or silly money. Just hope what I ordered turns out OK.

Rod arrived Thursday, Hope to be using it on Sunday.

I know it has nothing to do with fishing but I must say how glad I am that MOYES has gone.  

River Tonge 18 April 14

The sun is back not a cloud in the sky and it is quite warm again. I expected there to be a good hatch, but there wasn't, still fished dry fly and caught a few.

 The Tonge was low and very clear, it looks like an OK river in places.

 But you do not have to look far to see rubbish.

 And even worse, note the sewer overflow. I did catch a fish just above here. 

And her it is.

This is the start of the Tonge were Eagley Brook and Astley Brook meet.

Astley Brook comes from under the road bridge Eagley on the right.

Caught this one where the waters meet.

From there I walked back down the river to where the Bolton Blackburn Railway crosses the river and started back up.

Lots of Giant Hog Weed down here, in fact not just down here it is every where on the Tonge.

Caught this one  by the stones on the right in the above photo.

A bit further up came across these 2 Mallards with 4 ducklings, didn't think they would have started yet, must be a few days old as there are normally more ducklings to start with.

The mink or the rats always get a few.

 I usually catch fish on this stretch but not today.

I went home via Eagley Mills, to check on the Giant Hog Weed that I sprayed with poison last week, sad to say it is looking fine. It Did say on the packet that it can take a couple of weeks to work, will check again next week.  

Bradshaw Brook 17 April 14

Two days of sunshine and back to the cold wind and cloud today. April in the Lancashire don't know why I expect anything different, oh and it started to rain at 4.30.

Bid for a 7 foot Grey's Missionary on ebay, didn't get it.

I put the new ring on my 7 foot split cane last night and tried it out on Bradshaw today. It's a 6 weight seems strange to me for a 7 footer anyway it worked well enough, once I slowed down and gave it time.

Bradshaw was low today, the lowest I have seen it this year. Started on the cricket club stretch with a nymph, caught 5 small trout, moving up towards Jumbles,cleared two lots of line from the trees, one had a spinner on it. Pick up three spinner cases marked "Trev's Tackle £3.99" Poachers are also litter bugs.
Once I got to the Jumbles stretch fish were rising , changed to a Caddis fly and started catching small ones, missing and loosing as many as I caught.

 Looking up.

 Looking down, nice wall goes back to the Bradshaw Mills days.

As I moved up I started to catch some better fish, and plenty of small one as well. The caddis was get a bit battered, switched to a Blue Wing Olive. Caught my best 2 fish up passed Bradshaw Fishery car park.

Not specimen fish but a lot better than most that I caught today.

River Roch 16 April 14

Wednesday sunny and warm, for April, second day on the trot,  expecting a good hatch and plenty of fish on the rise. the Roch it will be.
First I need a new stripping ring for my 7 foot split cane. They did not have one at Dave'Aquarium, which is also a tackle shop, also had a look at their fly rods to see if they had a 7 foot 3 weight, they did not. Next was Elton Tackle in Radcliffe, never been there before, got a ring, not perfect but will do. They do not have fly tackle so no rods to see.

The Roch looked perfect, 8 foot rod with 2 dry flies, Blue Winged Olive on the tip and a Adam's on a short dropper. No sign of flies or fish rising, went up river casting into likely spots and getting nothing.

Had a rest on the bank and took this picture of mating beetles, well they look to me like they are mating. 

Carried on up river still nothing as far as fish go,

but I was pleased to see that the Sand Martins are back from Africa and nesting in the river bank.

This is as far as I go up the river the banks are to high to fish from here.

Started back down river seeing nothing and catching nothing until I found this dead Pike.

I moved it onto the bank for better look, not sure why it died, or whether I am sorry, I do not like to see dead fish. On the other hand how many trout did it eat before it died.

Not far from the dead Pike, I at last, saw a rising fish, and then another. Several casts to both with no reaction

I change the fly at the tip to one that I was given last week and at last a fish.

This 15 inch beauty was the only fish of the day. 

Irwell Summerseat Area

Yesterday and this morning I have been spring cleaning my drive, patios and garden path, with my brother-in-laws power washer, plenty of water but no fish. Glad that it's done for another year.

Sunny and warmish for a change, promise of a hatch with luck. My usual parking spot has still got a skip in it, been there for some time. Managed to get passed it and reversed in not far from where I usually stop.
Adjusted my chest waders to waist waders, and did not bother with a jacket. Eight foot rod is plenty for here, put on a Olive even before I saw the river.
Walking to the river I passed this, I have sent emails to Bury Council about it, at least two last year. It is getting worse, sent another email with photos and Grid Reference, will not hold my breath.

The river was running very clear and there was plenty of water but nothing rising, so I just cast into likely spots in the faster water. Nothing took, then I saw a rise at the top of the pool. Plenty of casts and finally I had a take but it broke me on the strike. New fly same as before but bigger, soon had this nice fish.

Hooked another one that came straight at me and then jumped and was gone, so I moved up stream and found one rising in very fast water, better fish than the first one but not massive.

Resting after release, I need more practise with my water proof camera.

The next one came from the same bit of fast water just a bit further up, sorry about the fish being on ruff ground it would not sit still for the photo, so I took it were it landed.

Moved a lot further up river to where I have not fished before, a chap I see now and again assured me that he catches some good fish there. I don't like the look of it that much, too much sheet rock in and around the river for my liking. I am afraid of slipping, anyway I gave it a try. Missed a very small one, saw it coming to the fly and struck before it got there.

It does look good I must agree, a lot of it is pocket fishing which I need practise at. 

 Those walls were built in the 19th century, how they  did it is beyond me.

 There was a weir somewhere around here which took water too the millponds that are and were up on top of the left bank. One of the mills is still there, its flats now of course and very nice ones too.    

I did manage to catch one but not before I changed to a goldhead copper john nymph.

I had a couple of near misses on the slippy rocks so I got up the bank and walked back to the car.