At last 7lbs 3oz chub from the Avon

Well having returned from the Maldives and a great experience it was time to get fishing again. The season was drifting towards a close and all I had to show was a couple of chub to 5lbs 10oz plus a smaller one. I had been fishing some short 2hr sessions and half day ones and blanking. It was 4 outings on the H. Avon and one bite that I missed when fishing the weir pool area. After the holiday I arranged to fish for 2 days. Well the first day I fished at the lower end of the fishery and had 6 bites in one swim and not hooking up with any of them. One being where the spool was singing but nothing was on the end as I lifted the rod expecting a fish to be on the other end. It was difficult fishing as the river was at 1.2m which reduces the availability of swims to fish. The next day I fished the same spot for no bites, nothing.

I did find Mark Woodage and bought him some luck as I photographed a 4lber for him. I walked up to the top end where believe or not a 33000 volt cable had come down in the river. It had happened a few days previous and must have caused a loud bang for sure. I fished a beautiful slack right under my bank for not a twitch. My god it’s frustrating.

There were 2 weeks left of the season remaining and I suggested Andy (you should have been here yesterday) Cowley that we have a 3 day session. Tuesday to Thursday. So plans were made.

My first thoughts were to fish an area where I had caught a 14lbs 13oz barbel the previous March plus another double.

However I sighted a lovely looking slack next to the track we drive along. I had never seen anything in there before, however I thought with the high water then perhaps they may be present. I was using boilies Big Squid by the Hook Bait Company. Others had been using the bait and catching a good few chub and barbel on both the Stour and Avon.

Nothing was forthcoming from the spot even after the 2 hrs of fishing. Right time to get to the barbel swim. The car park was under water but only about 9 inches deep. I drove up on the highest bit of land and unloaded the car and started off towards the river. It had been deeper than when I last fished it in January but only by 2 inches or so. As I neared the meadow there was a considerable amount of water flowing across. Feeling uneasy I turned around and returned to the car. I put the tackle in the back of the car and then that’s when the fun started. Even in 4 wheel drive I was skidding around and not making much progress. I was trying to spin the car around to get purchase on the gravel part of the car park now covered with water. I stalled the car numerous times. To top the lot there were 2 guys sat in their huge 4×4 watching me making a complete fool of myself. Eventually I found the gravel and the 4 wheels gained purchase and out I came from the car park. I wound down the window and had a comical chat with them. Slightly red faced I drove off to find Andy. He was fishing down by the Pink Cottage area and was in the disabled swim using cheese paste for chub.  He had caught a couple of jacks but the chub were not playing ball. I wanted to fish in the weir pool but first considered where the trout stream returned to the main river. I arrived to find the area and water was similar to a washing machine. No steady flow just consistent turbulence.

I returned and discussed with Andy the situation saying that I would fish the weir pool with maggots and a feeder method to see if the chub might be present. So we said our goodbyes and I headed up to the pool. Unfortunately there was someone fishing there. So I left the tackle by the car and headed off to see who it was. When I was close enough I spotted Paul Greenacre a salmon angler making his way towards me. We had a good chat as I hadn’t seen him since the previous August. He was fascinated by my theory of blanking and that you are storing this up ready for the good luck to return. The more bad luck you store up, good luck will come back in bucket loads.  The area was completely submerged in water about 9 inches deep. All the tackle needed to be hung in the trees to as there was no dry land available.

I set up 2 rods with the short hooklink. I sprayed a few maggots out to get the chub moving around chasing the maggots. I would then bait up a couple of area’s where the river is deeper. It’s an area that does hold big chub early in the season. I had been fishing the area with cheese paste and boilies since the New Year and had one bite but no fish.

I cast out the first rod aiming at a bunch of trees on the far bank, then the second rod on the same line but downstream. Again using a single tree as a marker. Almost straight away I got a pluck and pull from the downstream rod as a chub was lipping the bait. The swim feeders were only 50g blackcaps too and held in the deeper slow moving part of the river.

Then the rod lurched over as the chub hooked itself and here I was playing a fish. Something I had not experienced for 6 blanks. It felt like a good fish. There was plenty of bankside debris also I knew of a metal post in the water right at my feet that might be a nuisance. I needn’t have worried as the fish went into the landing net first dip. Andy was in the smaller weir pool behind me watching the whole episode. I laid the fish down in the water allowing it to recover and also gave me an opportunity to get my scales and stuff out. On the scales it went 6lbs 2oz and I think my ninth 6lb plus chub of the year. I called over to Andy to ask if he could do the photo work which he did. The chub was so fat.

Well that was very satisfying and no blanking. I was really pleased.  Andy wandered off back downstream once more and said that if I catch a 7lber then he would return to photograph it. All in jest.

I recast again and sure enough there were a few plucks and pulls from chub so there were others in the swim. After about 30 mins the rod pulled around once more and a smaller chub of about 4lbs was landed. That gave me plenty of confidence in that the maggots were being sought by the chub.

Things went a little quiet for a while however occasionally there was a line bite for chub knocking the feeder. I then got one more bite on the upstream rod. The chub found some bankside debris a couple of times which required me to lean out over the bank and pull the chub away from the nearside snag. I was landing them by guiding them through a gap in the bankside reeds which was about 12 inches deep. This one looked to be a fair chub so I weighed it in at 4lbs 14oz.

 3 chub in the first few hrs was great fishing. What was about to happen though was to achieve an ambition for 10 years. I had caught 7lb chub from the D.Stour on both the float and boilies up to a weight of 7lbs 12oz. I had never though managed one from the H. Avon.

The upstream rod nodded a couple of times then pulled around and I pulled into a big fish. The rod took on a terrific curve as the chub plodded around the swim. Like the last chub it found its way into some nearby bankside debris and I think around the metal pole. Luckily though by moving towards the flooded bank I had sufficient leverage to coaxed it out. As it came to the surface I could see that was indeed a good chub. Again it powered back down deep towards the snags again and it’s here where I will admit I slackened the clutch a little as I didn’t want the hook to ping out. Up it came again and this time I managed to guide it through the gap in the reeds and onto the flooded bank. There were clumps of fools watercress around but the chub didn’t head for those. What seemed like an age the landing net engulfed the enormous chub. It was a very long chub and not a fatty like the 6lbs 2oz one. I put it on the scales and with the wind blowing strongly the scales fluctuated for ages between 7lbs 3oz and 7lbs 4oz. When the Korum scales bleep then that’s the final weight. When it did they read 7lbs 3oz. I contacted Andy and said that the dream has just been realised and could he come and photograph my first 7lber from  the H.Avon. So after phoning Andy I secured it in the landing net in slack water while I got the camera and other equipment sorted out.

Andy was on the scene after 15 minutes and duly completed the task. What a mate!

I have been lucky enough to take photo’s of both his 7lbers.

I continued fishing until dusk without another touch. Andy finished with a few jack pike but no chub. Will say though we had a few beers and a lovely bottle of red wine with our pie and chips during the evening.