End of 2018 and the beginning 2019 and 2 6lb chub

Well that was Christmas over for another year. I’m not complaining as there is so much effort going into the preparation and executing all the fun and food. We had a great one with family.

We decided to head to Fordingbridge for about one week. My aim was to complete lots of work on the house and find a few hrs late afternoon into evening each day to fish. Only about 3hrs and that would be sufficient.

I wasn’t too sure what or where to fish as the weather had been very mild at about 13c. For sure barbel and chub would be feeding. So I thought I would hedge my bets and fish boilie in the weir pool. It’s somewhere I’ve been planning to fish for a while. Well the last time was about 3 years ago float fishing. The flow in the weir is most peculiar there are back eddies and the flow goes backwards in several places you would think it was opposite.

The weir pool

I went down on the 29^th Dec to put a few boilies out to get them use to the flavour. My plan was to fish a couple of swims spending about 40 mins in each swim.

My first session on the 30^th Dec was full of anticipation as the temps had remained high and I was sweating as I carried my tackle over to the pool. I decided to fish bolt rigs on both rods and hold bottom close to some snags where I thought the chub and barbel would be found. I couldn’t believe it as at about 3.30pm the rod top nodded and the line went slack and it was a drop back bite. I wound the rod tip into a slight curve and hit the take. The rod bent well over as an angry chub wanted it’s freedom. The current was coming back towards me so the fish didn’t fight particularly strongly. Having said that the depth and flow did help the chub pull back. As soon as I guided the chub over the net I knew it was a good fish. On the scales it

was 6lbs 5oz. Well what a start for the session.

6lbs 5oz chub

I fished into dark and had a couple of pulls then nothing else. I was hoping for a barbel but nothing came along. I rather fancied fishing further downstream with maggot feeder the next day but still put some bait in the pool.

So again at 3pm I headed off to the river on the 31^st Dec. I arrived at a great swim with willow trees fringing the far bank. I know its difficult holding bottom with the winter flow so before I bait droppered some maggots I tried to hold bottom with a 90g feeder. It was apparent very quickly I was wasting my time as the feeder was swept downstream almost straight away. So holding out across the river was impossible so I moved back upstream to a well known swim that normally produces a few chub.

I baited up with maggots and cast out 70g feeders. I just couldn’t believe it minnow after minnow kept hooking themselves. This was a disaster to say the least. The warm weather had continued and the minnows had started to feed again. I found by fishing more into the faster water the minnows were less of a problem. I had a few taps on the rod top indicating that chub were present so it was only a matter of time before the rod would bang around and sure enough it did. The fight was from a small chub of 4lbs 7oz which saved a blank.

Last chub of the year at 4lbs 7oz

A few chub swirled on the surface but refused to take the maggots on the size 20 hook. Time drifted by very quickly as I had a shortened session due to failure to hold bottom on my first choice swim. However no blanking and my final chub of the year.

Happy New Year Jan 1st

I headed back to the pool again. This time I was using cheese paste as I wanted some action after dark. I had nothing from the swim where the 6lbs 5oz chub came from so I moved to a couple of other spots. I had one small chub from one swim of about 1.5lbs. I then moved to the bottom of the pool and caught a lovely chub of 5lbs 7oz again on cheese.

5lbs 7oz chub

So a great start to the year.

Jan 2^nd.

Andy (you should have here yesterday) Cowley was fishing with guest Harry. I knew Harry from some work I do with disadvantaged children so it was good to meet up again. I had taken along some mince pies and shared them with the guys. Time drifted by and we chatted. Harry had a couple of chub trotting and conditions look perfect. At 3pm I said my good byes and headed off to the pool again. I was going to roll some cheese paste around a slacker looking swim. I was using just enough weight to hold bottom. 1^st cast saw the rod top settle into a slight curve. Then after a few moments the top trembled a little and then the weight started to bounce along the bottom. I lifted the rod and felt a fish on the other end of the line. I struck and was soon playing a big chub that went into deep water. It felt like a good fish and sure enough when it went into the net it looked very long indeed. The hook was well back in the mouth so I was lucky not to be cut off.  On the scales it went 6lbs 4oz and I just couldn’t believe the length at 23 inches. It was lean for sure.

23 inch long 6lbs 4oz chub

I did ask Andy if Harry and him wanted to see it but with darkness approaching and driving against the traffic had me doing a self take.

Now this is number 16 for 6lb plus chub. What a fantastic achievement.

I didn’t get another bite that evening, however what a fish.

Jan 3^rd

This was to be my last chance. I fished the swim where I had the two 6lb chub and never had a bite. I moved swim for a cast into a tight area just below the snags. I had a bite here in the past but missed it. Not this time the rod pulled over and I gave the fish a little line and bang a small 3lb chub was landed. I moved to the final swim were I had the 5lbs 7oz chub. First cast I missed a belter of a bite on cheese paste. However I soon had another bite as it was getting dark. I stuck into a chub that didn’t feel big and sure enough it wasn’t at just over 4lbs.

So that was it some great sessions and considering the short session I fished. I kept with the cheese paste as the temps began to drop and at -4c was a bit too cold for me.