Mersey Salmon
A recent feature on FISHINGmagic reported sightings of salmon inthe Dove and it coincided with an article in the Manchester EveningNews that reported on the netting of a fifteen pound salmon atWoolston Weir on the River Mersey at Warrington. Does this mean thatthe Mersey is on its way back after a couple of centuries of highlevels of contamination to rivalling the Ribble, Lune and Dee as oneof the North West’s premier fishing rivers?
Salmon have been sighted during the past two or three years in theMersey and in one of its tributaries, the Bollin and, to someonebrought up in the Mersey basin, this is exciting news. It’s not longago since the Mersey was regarded as little more than a main sewerconduit between Manchester and the Irish Sea.
I first fished for small brown trout in the River Sett which runsoff the Peak District hills above Hayfield in Derbyshire. I playedalong the banks of the Goyt and Etherow when they were so badlypolluted by industrial effluent in the ’50s and ’60s that, uponfalling in either river, the chances were that one would die ofpoisoning rather than by drowning.
I now live north of Manchester, within easy walking distance ofthe Lancashire Irwell. A few years ago, the progress of the Irwellthrough Salford used to be characterised by a toxic froth thatunderwent daily changes in colour dependant upon the most recentdischarge into its murky water. And the smell!!
The Irwell has, to my knowledge, sustained a good head of browntrout for at least a dozen years and both the Bury AC and RamsbottomAS stretches have reported brownies to three and half pound taken bybait fishers.
The Irwell used to be a prolific salmon river and it is on recordthat apprentices in the early years of the Industrial Revolution hadit written into their ‘articles’ that they should not be fed salmonmore than four meals each week.
I’m not fully convinced of the purity of the water; there is stilla slightly unpleasant odour to the water of the Irwell that is alegacy of the years of abuse. Perhaps, now the abuse has ended, thesmell will gradually disappear. I have not fished the Irwell fortrout nor would I be tempted to eat one caught in its waters for thetime being.
However, it looks as if the work of the Environment Agency and itspartners is paying off and that salmon are finding their way backinto what were severely polluted rivers. I will be keenly watchingthe Irwell for any sign of salmon each time I walk through NuttalPark and Summerseat and down by Burrs. If salmon are in the Merseynetwork it won’t be long before they are swimming up to the moredistant streams that supply Irwell and Roche, Medlock and Tame,Etherow and Goyt and right up to the small streams of the Peak andPennines. Salmon fishing should follow……and at a rate affordableto the local population.
FISHING REPORTS
I should have kept my thoughts to myself about the unseasonablewarmth and fishing in shirt sleeves. The weather re-asserted itselfwith a vengeance and we have been subjected to some very cold Northwinds. Fishing has been a little erratic especially on the days thatthe northerly winds were blowing on exposed waters.
I was in mid-Derbyshire last week and had access to some graylingfishing on a private stretch of the Derwent. It was cold andfrosty and with blue skies and bright sunshine. The river was ratherfull and fast flowing and nothing came to a dry fly. I was probablyfishing in a poor location. I moved a few yards and put a weightedGRHE size 16 on the 3lb tippet and had several takes almost rightaway without hooking a fish.
Grayling have smaller mouths and different shaped lips to troutand are perhaps a little more difficult to hook. I delayed tighteningand then began to get the hook in and the fish to the net. They aresuperb creatures with the pronounced scales and an iridescent sheen.They fight equally well in terms of strength per pound as theirneighbours, the wild brown trout. My fishing friend tells me thatgrayling are more of a shoal fish than brown trout and tend tocongregate ot the bottom, on the river bed. This does not mean thatthe angler has to get his fly down on the bottom because they willspy their prey from below and surge up to the surface for thekill.
STILLWATERS
Fish up to 12 pound-plus are being landed at Raygill fishery inLothersdale, West Yorkshire. On most days, deeply fished weightednymphs get best results. My first (and only) double was caught atthis fishery last year on a weighted GRHE size 14, dangled on a 4 lbtippet, on or near the bottom of the lower lake in the right handcorner from the fishery hut (as was). It was like being attached to alarge slab of concrete; there was very little movement, rather thefish did not really believe it was hooked and tried to maintain itsposition against the inconvenient pressure from my rod. It came upeventually without a positive fight, accommodated itself into anundersized landing net that almost fitted the fish like a glove, andthen slurped away back to the depths upon release. (Jim, thebailiff/instructor who witnessed this epic, will be away to NewZealand to enjoy some sun and some magical trout fishing bynow).
Contact
01535 632500
This is the time of year to get at the big fish not only atRaygill but over the hill at Stocks which closes at the end of thismonth. Anglers have had a good season, once it got under way, at thisbig water and many, many ‘doubles’ have been caught in the last fewweeks. Bank fishing seems to do equally well though there is atendency for some dangerous wading; either the guys know the waterextremely well or they are particularly foolhardy. Each time I visitI observe two or three anglers out to within a sudden sneeze ofoverflowing into their waders and waterlogged chest waders can belethal.
Contact
01200 446602
I motored back from Derbyshire intending to have half a day atLadybower but it did not go to plan and all I had time for wasa walk along one bank before the day light gave out. I have onlyfished this immense water from the bank on a couple of occasions andwas lucky enough to net fish on each visit. This is unusual for mebecause it takes time for me to find the fish and then catch on mostnew waters. Many anglers make the drive to Ladybower at least once aseason because of the beauty of the place and the very good fishingthat is usually available. Ask for advice either before setting outor as soon as you arrive; it’s too big to fish blind and once youknow a hot-spot or two the rewards are great with well-conditioned,hard fighting trout. It’s fishing very well on milder and less windydays at the moment. Ladybower closes at the end of the month untilnext season.
Contact
01433 651254.
Location
On the main Manchester to Sheffield road via Glossop.
