Chubbing On The Irwell - Irwell Stick Strikes Again.

With a LOT of encouragement from Casterman aka Derek Kenyon I sorted out my kit for a chubbing session on the Irwell.

I have lost my mojo a bit lately what with losing My Acolyte...........then having it returned by Andy Hart.....
 ( Incredible I know )

eventually sorting out a session on the Ribble with Andrew Boyne, watching him pull out a double figure barbel while I toiled for four hours on the stick for one  dace !!!!!!!

I had a slightly different Irwell stick to try out.
It is wider, therefore, more visible than the previous ones and taking little more shot.

( 12 no 4's)

I spent a fruitless two hours on a couple of secret runs Casterman always does very well on.
I nearly went home there and then as I wasn't feeling it today and was just going through the motions really.

" Come on Cootesie, make an effort "
I mumbled to myself.

I still had a few hours left so I swiftly.....

BUT CAREFULLY packed my kit away.....

ALL OFF IT .....before you start again Greenie....lol.

This is why . . . . Lol
http://purplepeanut007.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/some-of-you-may-know-that-i-recently.html?m=1

I decided to go to a particular gravel bank I favour. None of the other lads like it much. It is difficult to fish on the float as there are three or four lines that tend to mix with each other. 

It is difficult to get your presentation correct, but, when you do and the river is in good nick .....like today.......there are good chub to be found.

The run.

I introduced some freebies to get them going as I set up, hemp, maggot, nothing special.

The river was dropping and had a little colour.....just how I like it so no excuses today.

The float was an Extra Wide Irwell Stick.

This was coupled with a Drennan Red Maggot hook and a Preston's Power Flow hook link.

Nothing for the first ten minutes . . . .
😔

I was introducing hemp and maggots and fishing treble maggot on the hook and was slowly getting into my groove when about fifty yards down stream the fluorescent, pink headed, Irwell stick disappeared from view and I was finally into the first fish of the day.

I new it was not a chub straight away. Trout give themselves away in the fight by their violent had shakes and powerful short runs.
 " This was a trout alright " I thought as I frantically wound the Abu 704 to keep in touch with the up stream running fish. It didn't, take long before she as safely in the net.
A nice Irwell brownie of around 2 lb

 I had about three small brownies after the first 2 lber.
The bites were slowly moving closer toward me as the fish moved up the bait trail and were about twenty five yards down stream now and had arrived at my killing zone. I decided to hold back hard to see if I could tempt a take and as the float reached its apex it bobbed sharply and I felt tge tod itself jab downwards. I let the float travel on so the bait dropped naturally and BANG . . .  I was into a good fish . . .
This was no trout . . .  it felt like a dead weight
 . . .  then I saw a flash of large golden scales . . . .
OMG . .  its a chub . . . .
and a big one.
She kited to my right out into the main flow . . . . . .
and then it all tightened up !!!!!!!!!!

Noooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!

I had not given her enough pressure and she had snagged me up.

I would be very lucky to get her out now . . .
I moved down stream to apply pressure from a different angle and it all went slack . . . .
She had done me and thrown the hook . . . . .
That was a good fish !!!!!!!!!

Cursing myself I got back to my kit and tied on another hook length . . . . .
You usually only get one or two chances in the same pool for these Irwell chub and after that they are spooked !!!!!

Let's hope  I still had another chance at one.........

I re- baited and got back into my rhythm and had a few more small brownies around a pound, pound and a half.

I was getting a little board of trout now so on the next cast I decided to try one of the more difficult runs on the far  side. Difficult in regards to the skill needed to get you presentation right as the run is moving multiple ways all at the same time. You can not allow ANY line to touch the water or your float and bait will be dragged out of position an look unnatural to the fish. I have picked up chub on this run before when I have been trouted out on the main glide.
Using a number 4's back shot and rod held high in the air I carefully guided the stick around the slow back eddy on the far bank. I got approximately half way round when it disappeared from view and I was in once more. . . another dead weight feeling.
😁
I could tell immediately this was a chub.....and a nice one. No violent head shakes could be felt just the powerful run of a fit healthy fish. I did not make the same mistake twice ! ! !
I kept a tight line to the fish and did not give her an inch. To be honest I think she saved most if the fight until the end ! ! !

Twice I tried to net her thinking she was spent.

Twice she powered away back into the main flow to give me the run around again !!!!!!!!

On the third attempt had her safely in the landing net and had a good look at her.

 

She was the best looking chub I have had from the River Irwell for ages which is great news after the pollution which decimated the invertebrate population and she weighed in a

 3 lb 9 oz. 

A few more trout graced the net and gave a good account of themselves as they always do but time was ticking on and I had to get going. I don't like leaving when I am still catching but at least I had a few hours on the river.

Casterman is on it this afternoon. Let's see what he can winkle out.

Until the next time. 

😊

TTFN

Peanut

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http://purplepeanut007.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/handcrafted-floats-2017.html?m=1

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