Old River Irwell – Update

 

The Boathouse Inn 1897

Members of Salford Friendly Anglers and the Lancashire County Palatine Assoc setting off from the Boathouse in to hold a fishing match on the River Irwell Old Course in 1897

 

Old River Update.

The Old River is fishing really well for Pike so far this winter, to the fly and dead baits. Biggest reported to me over the last couple of weeks was a good upper double.

If you’re going to fish across, don’t forget that there are fish refuge cages under or near each floating island – snag city!

I’ve also had a report from one of the match lads telling me he was on the old river last weekend catching a fish a chuck all day long on punch bread (about 4th peg up from the pub). Roach now averaging 3 to 4oz rather than the 1oz they were last year. He also had a good few pushing the 8oz mark. He got busted by a decent fish (while on a size 22) – thinks it might have been one of the bigger tench which went in earlier this summer.

For those of you who don’t know – earlier this summer we were gifted the contents of a members garden pond as he was moving abroad. We got half a dozen BIG golden orfe and about 40 decent tench.

We are hoping that these tench will do well and go on to spawn in summer 2014. The EA stocked 500 small tench last winter but these have yet to show (same as the elusive skimmers).

We have 1000 rudd on order for spring 2014 – thanks to everyone who has fished matches or donated to the re-stocking fund.

Some of the wooden stagings are rotten again. We will be organising a work party this winter to replace rotten timbers.

Don’t forget we’re holding a meeting this Wednesday evening at the Kings Arms, Bloom St. 7.30pm