We’ve put together a few clips of us restocking our clubs waters……
Enjoy the fishing….. take your children/grandchildren with you – its your duty as an angler and as a good parent
Take you litter home with you when you’re finished
More Irwell Heartbreak As Pollution Strikes Again
June 9, 2019 by 2 Comments
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
Drinkwater Park Restocking March 2019
March 8, 2019 by 1 Comment
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).
When young Alfie gets to double figures – we hope that this carp will have too !
Many Thanks To Monton Tackle
December 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment
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.
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.
A Great Response
August 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
As always – we have received a tremendous response from our members after a recent call for help regarding needing people to help out manage our waters..
A great example is this bit of work clearing the vegetation on the path around Waterdale in Philips Park by Ste and Dave.
Waterdale also known as Dams Head Lodge in Philips Park Prestwich – it contains some real surprises for anglers who put in the effort
I’ve had a walk around most of our waters during the last week – and theres lots of work that needs doing – clearing pegs, tidying up rubbish and raking weed to create swims.
Our next club meeting is being held at the Boathouse Pub in Irlam on the 19th September at 7.30pm – if you want to become more involved in the fisheries management of our club please come along and say hello
Club Update August 2018
August 23, 2018 by 2 Comments
We’ve had a great summer 2018 with all our waters fishing well.
There have been the usual issues to deal with – litter, low water levels on Drinkwater Park Lake, and on the River Irwell caused by the long hot summer – but this hot weather has resulted in fantastic amounts of fish fry in all venues.
Remember the long hot summer of 76 and then how great the fishing was in the following years ? lets hope we get a repeat of this and our fish stocks go from strength to strength.
We have some good news – an agreement with Bury Council confirming our fishing rights on the River Irwell and Roch at Springwater Park in Whitefield (that includes the weeded up Springwater Lodge) and the opposite bank at Close Park. Really great water that offers a variety of fishing and species.
We have also taken on the fishing at Broughton Park Lake (also known as Clowes Park) postcode M7 4EN – in a joint venture with Broughton Angling Club – we restocked the lake earlier this year with 500 x 6 inch tench and 80 x 1-2lb carp. The tench arent showing yet but the carp are packing on weight coming out at nearly 4lb already. The venue is in desperate need of a good tidy up (years and years of rubbish) and a work party is going to be announced very soon.
The Old River in Irlam is also fishing tremendously well – the carp which were stocked at 2-3lb last spring are now being caught at 8lb. The tench and bream which we have been stocking over the last 4 years are now showing in anglers catches and there is evidence that these fish are also breeding.
The Quays continues to throw up specimen fish of all species but the Rochdale Canal has fished poorly this summer with frequent lowering of water levels and repeated pollution incidents.
The club is continually being offered new waters to take on – but we are reluctant to do so – as managing our current portfolio of waters is proving hard work. (However it looks increasingly likely after a tremendous response from local anglers that we will take on Gregsons Pond in Irlam)
To this end – we have asked members to form management groups for each water we have – to take the pressure of the club committee. Once we have a better managment group for our venues we will start accepting more waters into our portfolio
So far we’ve had a tremendous response with a number of anglers offering to take an active role in managing their favourite venues.
If you would like to help keeping your local water clean tidy, well maintained and well stocked please get in touch and tell us which venue you are interested in – preferably attend our next club meeting which will be held on Weds 19th September at the Boathouse Pub Irlam M44 6DN
Rochdale Canal
Old River + Gregsons Pond
Salford Quays
River Irwell – Springwater/Close Park
River Irwell – Agecroft/Philips Park
River Irwell – Salford Uni/Peel Park
River Irwell – City Centre to Salford Quays
Broughton Park Lake
Drinkwater Park/Waterdale/Kingfisher
Agecroft Pond
All we ask is for a fortnightly visit to litter pick, and keep a general eye on the venue – plus a report back to club meetings to allow us to develop a better management plan for each venue.
River Care
We Need Your Help
July 31, 2018 by 1 Comment
We don’t ask for much from our members – other than for you to respect our waters, our fish, and other users of the waterside.
However – this is a call to arms from the committee to you our members. We are having a real struggle to maintain our waters this summer – as new jobs – family commitments – illness – overtime and loads of other excuses mean that those members who organise events like matches and work parties have been unable to commit as much time towards club activities as they have in the past. We are aware that this can’t carry on.
New waters are being offered to the Society on a regular basis – for example Gregsons, Blackleach, Lankies, The Rat and The Cow ponds – we’d love to take them on – but we need to be able to manage our waters properly before we take on any new commitments – as at present – all these commitments fall on the shoulders of a few.
Therefore we are asking you as a member of a fishing Society to stand up and be counted for you local lake – be it Drinkies – Waterdale – The Old River – Broughton Park, Springwater Park Lodge, The Quays or the Rochdale Canal – we need your help managing them.
We think that it would be a good idea for anglers to come forwards and say “I’ll be happy to give a few hours a month to help clean up and maintain my local fishing venue” – it really doesn’t take much.
Our intention is to create a list of members – who can be called on to get involved in the fishery management of each of our venues – its great fun and in a way its a bit like looking after the biggest garden pond you’ll ever have.
The club regularly cobbles together funds/money/grants for restocking and the members who stand up for their local venues will be supported in developing a management and restocking plan for each venue.
So – our next club meeting is going to be Wednesday the 22nd August at the Star Inn, Back Hope St, Salford, M7 2FR when we will be discussing this further. If you would like to put your name down to be involved more actively in the management of your local venue – please email the club via admin@salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk or make us aware on our facebook page. AND PLEASE COME TO THE AUGUST CLUB MEETING!
If we can get more people involved in the day to day running of our venues – then we will be happy to take on new waters.
Irwell Grayling
July 2, 2018 by 1 Comment
Great to see that local angler Jamie Needham has caught a Grayling from the River Irwell in the Bury area.
A Grayling From The River Goyt
We have always known that they are in there …. and in the River Roch too …. its just that they are as rare as hens teeth
Catching an Irwell Barbel is a special achievement , but catching an Irwell Grayling is akin to catching the impossible – well done Jamie.
However, there is good news for Irwell anglers after a recent phone call from our local EA fisheries team … it looks as though The Irwell might be in line for a stocking of fingerling Grayling from the national fish farm at Calverton.
There is lots of historical evidence of Grayling being caught in the Irwell dating back to the early 1820s and it’s going to be a great thing to see them making a comeback in the river.
Watch this space for updates on when this restocking takes place.
De-Silting Kingfisher Lake
January 23, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Please be aware that Kingfisher Lake will be closed to all access (fishing, walking, mooching, having a look) from 25th January until 2nd February – to allow contractors to de-silt the top end of the lake (see area marked in red on map below)
Kingfisher Lake probably has the highest fish density of any of our waters, and care is being taken by the contractors to ensure that the work they do doesn’t result in a de-oxygenation/fish kill scenario
Our local Environment Agency fisheries team have been assisting/advising the contractors. Stop nets and silt screens will be placed in two locations from bank to island to ensure that there is as little disturbance as possible for the fish in the main deeper part of the lake.
Kingfisher Lake De-silting Jan 2018
The area shown in red is going to be excavated to a max depth of 6ft but and average of 3ft..
For anyone wondering about the volume of fish in the lake – please take a look at this video showing a sample netting in 2015.
We can now look forwards to creating some new pegs,, and maybe holding a match or two on this lake during the coming summer
River Irwell To Receive Major Fish Restocking
December 4, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Great news today from the EA – that a winter restocking is on the way for the River Irwell
10,000 roach, chub and dace are on order from the EAs fish farm at Calverton and will be stocked in the Irwell at a variety of locations downstream of Burrs Country Park
This is great news for the river which has suffered terribly in recent years from a variety of pollution incidents and from massive amounts of avian predation
All of this has been paid for out of our rod licence money……. there really is no excuse not to buy one.
Theres also 500 of these beardey gudgeonish looking things. There is only a small population in the Irwell – and a few more to grown on and reach breeding maturity can do no harm – can’t wait.
Once the date for restocking has been set – I will let people know so that they can come and witness the event and take a few photos.
6 inch barbel being stocked into the River Irwell at Salford Racecourse December 2011