An Eight Pound Chub

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Danny Boy
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Danny Boy »

not bad for a tiddler :Hahaha: ,im glad I didn't catch it :liar: ,who am I kidding what a cracker of a chub ,well done and a big pat on the back ,I bet that got the adrenaline going when you saw its head and shoulders break the surface :Scared:
congratulations to you :Hat:
I go fishing not to find myself...but to lose myself

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Dave Burr
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Dave Burr »

I reckon Mike's got a very big garden pond and has been heavy on the pellets :Wink:

Hope you get that 9 Mike, that would be fantastic.

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Crucian
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Crucian »

What a wonderful chub, well done indeed :Hat:

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Mike Wilson
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Mike Wilson »

My thoughts on Chub

I love chub fishing especially at the back end of the season. Over the past 50 years or so I’ve caught thousands. The fishing in the 60’s and 70’s on the Upper Thames was superb for quantity with the bulk around 3lbs. Bait was mainly 2”squares of crust. My results improved and I started catching a lot of bigger fish on both the Kennet and the Thame when I changed to using (white claw) crayfish. At the time I was mainly fishing for carp at a lake called Savay. Having caught a hell of a lot of 20lb and 30lb fish I packed up serious carp fishing in 1981; which you can read about elsewhere. From then to date I concentrate on other species, but mainly chub and it’s interesting to see how the fish and methods of catching them have changed. I have no idea how many 6’s I’ve caught, but it’s a lot; mainly from the Thames and its’ tributaries, including the Kennet as well as the Avon and Stour.

Some of the older anglers amongst us may remember an article I wrote in the late 70’s entitled The Baiting Pyramid. [Google it on Barbel Fishing World or find it in Rod Hutchinson Book – The Carp Strikes Back and other books and magazines]. Now this is where I get controversial again ……. Whilst I still use a similar principle, now, instead of maize as bait, I use the humble maggot!!

With a few exceptions, all my ‘big’ chub were caught on a single red maggot and 2lb or 3lb line. Sometimes a 3” hook length on the Avon and Stour and up to 18” hook length on the Thames etc., where they can sometimes appear a bit ultra spooky.

I look for a slack swim close to the bank at least 2’ deep - no matter how small it is. However, I do prefer a much bigger area as it likely to hold a larger quantity of fish. Where I can, I put just a quarter pint or so of red maggots with a dropper into the swim. If not, then I use an un-baited block end feeder to put out maggots, whilst I sort myself out. Bites are generally very short pulls of ½” to 1”. I recast if, after ten minutes of having had a pull, nothing happens. It’s very important to check your maggot each time you reel in to see if they have been ‘sucked’. Sucked maggots are generally caused by dace, small roach or minnows. If the maggot looks as though the tip has been ‘nipped’ or more importantly ‘stretched’ then in my experience this suggests (big) chub. I use 20,18 or sometimes 16 size hooks and never strike. I just pick up the rod and the chub moving off sets the hook. If possible, when playing them, don’t be in a rush to bring them close to the bank. I’ve lost a few big 7’s and a very big 8 when a fish found that single reed or twig close in … they seem to be experts at finding a snag! Care and thought is required with such fine tackle/hooks. Watching match anglers catching 3lb chub on 11/2” line taught me a lot. Staying calm is the key.

Just a point, don’t ground bait with anything except maggots; above all don’t lay down a bed of hemp. A big barbel takes a time landing and can screw up the swim for further chub.

Constant trouble from dace, minnows etc. requires the use of a rubber maggot. Oh, and don’t bother to fish ‘boiling’ water. Yes… you may catch the odd chub but I’ve never had a big one.

Due to activity of ‘small’ fish these tactics are only used doing the winter months when water temperatures fall below 45F.

These are, of course, just my views, which may not correspond with your own, but I hope they may provide food for thought.

Mike

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Dave Burr
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Dave Burr »

Thanks for sharing your secret with us Mike. I really do hope you get that nine :Hat:

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Shaun Harrison
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Shaun Harrison »

Very useful food for thought Mike, thanks for sharing.

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Mark
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Mark »

Thank you Mike.
Mark (Administrator)

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where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).

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Olly
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Olly »

'The baiting pyramid' - hmm! I remember that and Savay captures well. Never got to fish it though.

Big chub captures seem to require the 'lightest of lines' and delicate playing! I was always told by match-men - "lead them to the net like a dog".
This is true with the very fine lines being used.

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Shaun Harrison
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Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Shaun Harrison »

One of Jan Porter's big secrets in his heyday as a match angler was the ridiculously light lines he used, which also coincided with the chub boom years of the Trent. Needing some pretty delicate gear though to be getting away with what Jan used and an ultra smooth clutch that doesn't need the initial extra inertia to start it slipping.

Stuart Whiting

Re: An Eight Pound Chub

Post by Stuart Whiting »

Nice one Mike,
Very wise and informative words, have to totally agree that the humble maggot has probably caught me more big chub over the years than any other bait but quite often has to be in conjunction with light line and small hook tactics :Hat:

Hope you get that 9lber :dance2:

Stuart

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