5th to the 8th of May

In my last blog I said we needed rain and that it was coming, well we got it a plenty, luckily with some sun as well. 

On Tuesday it started dry with rain to come later. Fancied trying the Irwell at in Bury, last time I parked at the top of the stretch and walked down river. Could not park close by so went down the road and found loads of space at the bottom of the path.
The river was up with some colour but fishable.

 No sign of fish or flies, started with a copper john nymph.

looked good even with the extra water. 

fished in hope 

  but with no results

 started to rain but not enough to bother me

 must have been raining up stream as the river started to rise

 and colour up and bring rubbish down 

Called it a day.

Wednesday more rain and other things to do.

Thursday.

Bottom of Leverhulme Park Bradshaw Brook joins the River Tonge no problem getting hits with a nymph, just could not hook and land most of them.

 River ok Giant Hogweed starting to takeover.

 Only very same ones.

 Tonge straight up Bradshaw Brook coming in on the right.

 Bradshaw Brook

  

 More small ones up Bradshaw.

Put a couple down here.

 Then up the Tonge

 with more Hogweed but no fish 

Bradshaw Brook joining the Tonge.

Tired of catching or should I say missing lots of small ones, moved to Bradshaw fly fishers beat on the way home. 

Changed to a dry fly, hooked and lost a very good fish below the first weir. Moved up to a bit that always has fish rising but where I don't usually catch anything. Hooked another very good one and lost it like the rest, had enough, home.

Today Friday.

Dry in the morning with heavy rain forecast for the afternoon, that's how it worked out.

Dug out my 7 foot split cane, not used it for some time. Took me awhile to slow down to make it work like it should.

Thought this would turn out to be my best fish until I hooked the one below.


Thought I was into fish of the year on Bradshaw when it took and sat on the bottom.

But, as you can see the fly is at the wrong end, no wonder it did not come in easy.

More heavy rain tomorrow morning, will check the Irwell and see if it is fishable lunchtime tomorrow.

Saturday.

The rain came in the night, check all local water, nothing fishable.