More Irwell Heartbreak As Pollution Strikes Again

Yet again…. we are sad to report that there has been another significant pollution incident on the River Irwell just days before the new coarse fishing season starts again on the 16th June.

Hundreds of dead fish were seen in the River upstream of Bury – with big wild brown trout to approximately 4lb in weight being observed floating belly up dead in the water.

Local angler Andrew Buttery reported the incident to the Environment Agency on Friday evening  – but it was too late in the evening for an EA officer to turn out. The Environment Agency did attended on Saturday morning – but by then the river was swollen by heavy rains and most of the evidence had washed away. Thankfully we have a comitted EA fisheries team in our area – they were out again on Sunday afternoon looking for evidence, and have been in touch with us to discuss the information that local anglers have. They will be out on the river again 1st thing Monday morning looking for a potential pollution source. Lets hope they find the culprit and prosecute.

See pictures below

In recent months there have been numerous foaming incidents on the River Irwell – many of them being reported late on a Friday afternoon – there appears to be a theme.

Over the past 3 years – the River has taken a real hammering – pollution from the Tesco fuel spill at Haslingden, never identified pollution that killed all the Invertebrates over a 30 mile section, pollution from an oil company, the regular Friday foaming incidents, and now this latest devastating fish kill.

How the poor old Irwell suffers

Anglers, and other river lovers need to be vigilant, ALL angling clubs need to communicate with each other better and we would love to see a much better network of “River Guardians” working with the Mersey Rivers Trust to keep a better watch on the river, monitoring invertebrate and fish populations… creating a network of people to locate sources of pollution and be eyes and ears on the ground for the EA. In particular we need people from the Helmshore, Irwell Vale, Rossendale area. If you are interested in joining our network of “River Guardians” please contact admin@salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk

Its our river – we need to work better together to protect it from those who don’t care.

Irwell Pollution June 2019

Irwell Pollution June 2019

Junior Competition Winners 4 & 5

Congratulations to Rachel and Archie – latest winners of rod and reel combos.

Its great to see the wonderful pictures of excited youngsters catching great fish which members are sending in.

Rachel Holgate and Archie Phythian both win a matching  9ft pellet waggler rod and reel combo for these great fish and fab photos

winners

Rachel caught a nice little mirror carp – and Archie a lovely big Crucian – lovely fish – great fishing – we hope you enjoy your prizes.

Don’t forget — it’s your duty to take your kids/grandkids fishing – spread the love !!

We have lots more prizes to hand out to youngsters this summer – the size of smile is far more important than the size of the fish..

Get out – get fishing – take photos – win prizes !

Junior Competition Winners 2 & 3

Gaia went fishing with her Dad and younger brother Judah to a local park lake in Middleton… she caught this amazing roach on float fish maggot….. just take a the look of awe on her younger brothers face….. delightful.

Two rods and reels have made their way to Salford Friendly member Tosh Cross – hopefully his young family are hooked for life

what a fish !

And a couple of days later – here’s a few pics of our winners out fishing with their new kit

We have lots more rod and reel combo’s to give away to club members who take their kids out fishing

Its the future of our sport — its your duty to take your kids/grandkids fishing.

Salford Friendly Anglers Junior Photo Comp

The club has bought ten x 9ft pellet waggler rod and reel combos to give away to junior anglers this summer — all you have to do is send in a photo via our facebook page…. and the club committee will be giving prizes away on a regular basis all summer long.

The size of smile being more important than the size of fish……

Our first winner Isabel Fletcher visited the Old River in Irlam with her dad…. and caught two cracking tench…. whilst her dad caught none….. great fishing Isabel – a worthy winner first winner of this summers prize giveaway

Isabel with a 4lb+ Tench

Take you kids / grand kids fishing this summer – create happy memories — send in your photos and win prizes

Drinkwater Park Restocking March 2019

Many many thanks to everyone who has contributed to our winter 2018/19 restocking fund appeal….. we raised just over £3,000 and have spent most of it on fish for Drinkwater Park. See video below – we have stocked 130 2-3lb carp.

 

We hope that these new carp will root about in the silt at the bottom of the lake and reduce the amount of blanket weed in the lake…… a two for one really….. more fish to catch….. better conditions to catch them in.

Our intention is to spend the remainder on fish habitat improvements at Broughton Park Lake (preparing the lake for a stocking of Rudd next year).

Restocking Carp Drinkwater Park

Drinkies Carp

When young Alfie gets to double figures – we hope that this carp will have too !

 

Restocking The River Irwell December 2018

Great news for anglers today – The our local Environment Agency Fisheries Team have restocked the River Irwell with 7,000 Barbel Chub and Dace.

4,000 fish were stocked at Littleton Road playing fields in Salford, and another 3,000 further upstream in Radcliffe and Bury.

This restocking is a continuation of the Environment Agencies support for The Irwell which sadly seems to suffer from more pollution incidents than most – and whose fish stocks need a regular boost.

I could waffle on for ever – but these pictures and videos tell a far more eloquent story than I can.

Enjoy the fishing!

Barbel Restocking Irwell

A fab Xmas present for Irwell Anglers from the Environment Agency

Restocking Chub Irwell

Restocking Chub

Irwell Barbel Restocking

Irwell Barbel – no longer as rare as hens teeth!

Environment Agency Fisheries

Many Thanks To The Environment Agency Fisheries Team

Paid For Via Your Rod Licence

Paid For Via Your Rod Licence – make sure you buy one !!

 

Christmas Fish In 2018

We are holding our annual Christmas Fish In / social event on Saturday 29th December 2018 and would be delighted if you decide to come down and fish, or just come say hello for a drink and a chat.

Venue – Old River Irwell – Ferry Road, Irlam M44 6DN – free parking in the Boathouse Pub car park.

Most anglers will be trying to catch some of the superb pike which live in the Old River – but a couple of others including club chairman Mike Duddy will be trying to build a net of silver fish on bread punch.

The day will start at first light – and finish when it goes dark (or we get fed up and go to warm up in the pub)

We will have a lovely bottle of Cognac to share, and help make the conversations flow.

Please come and join us – and be a part of our Friendly Society.

Old River Irlam Pike Fish In

Salford Friendly Chat Juice

Old river Pike fishing is great – we always manage to catch a few

Salford Friendly Christmas Social

Salford Friendly Christmas Fish In Social

Old River Irwell Pike

Old River Irwell Pike

 

 

Restocking Drinkwater Park Lake And Agecroft Pond

We are delighted to share with you the videos and photos from today’s’ restocking of Drinkwater Park Lake and Agecroft Pond by the Environment Agencies Fisheries Team.

These two lakes are extremely popular with young anglers from the local housing estates, and todays restocking will ensure their popularity for years to come.

We had no idea that these fish were on the way to our lakes until Monday — with the fish arriving today Friday… a great Christmas present from the EA. We were initially informed that the EA had a few hundred fish to help our existing restocking efforts on these lakes, and were gobsmacked when they turned up this morning with 7,500 fish of the highest quality.

A mixture of Tench, Rudd, Bream and Roach – the fish which are only a year old have already reached a good size… helped by this years long hot summer.

We are continuing our fundraising efforts – to enable us to add a few new carp to these lakes to help stir up the bottom, which we hope will hinder blanket weed growth which has plagued the lakes in recent years, and also to colour the gin clear water as a deterrent to predation from above.

Take a look at these videos and pictures below

Salford Friendly work very hard to improve fishing in Greater Manchester – if you would like to know what makes us buzz – take a look at these two pages “Awesome Fishing In Greater Manchester” and “Family Fishing With David and Emily

young bream from the EA National Fish Farm

Wonderful young bream from the EA National Fish Farm

young tench from the EA National Fish Farm

Young Tench

Restocking Agecroft Pond

Restocking Drinkwater Park Lake

EA Restocking

EA Restocking

Please enjoy the fishing, respect other park users, and take your litter home with you

Again – Many thanks to the Environment Agency Fisheries Team and the National Fish Farm at Calverton – you have made a lot of young anglers (and old uns) very happy indeed.

Many Thanks To Monton Tackle

Many thanks to Mike Donigan the owner of Monton Tackle shop who has generously donated some fab bits of tackle to be used as raffle prizes at future club meetings. The money raised from these raffles will be put towards our clubs restocking fund. We have ambitious plans for 2019 and need all the ££ we can get.

Monton Tackle

Many Thanks To Monton Tackle for supporting our restocking fund

It’s sad to see so many angling shops closing their doors – so it’s important that we support the ones that are still left. If the tackle shops go – where will we buy our fresh bait from? where will be able to drink free tea, lurk, and avoid our loved ones ?

Monton Tackle also have an Ebay Shop, and a great website – check it out here 

Salford Friendly are keen to support all our local shops,,, and we have compiled a list here on our website here – please think when spending on tackle – and try to shop local whenever you can.

Friday Fishing

Attention angling people – Salford Friendly Anglers are going to be holding a fishing session every Friday in September and October between 10am and 12am at Broughton Park Lake in Salford..

Everyone welcome to attend – a great time to bring non-fishers and people who want to learn how to fish.

Hot drinks, bait and tackle provided – just come down to the lake at 10am and say hello.

Park at the end of Okeover Rd, Salford, M7 4JX – walk throught the park gates at the end of Okeover Rd, and you will find everyone at the side of the lake near the childrens playground.

At 12 – when we pack up – we will all head off for a bowl of hot soup and a roll at Salford Sports Village (5 mins in car – lifts available)