Another 6lb chub and no. 11 for the season
I was down for a few days staying in Fordingbridge. Family were staying for a while and fishing time was limited.
I had one short session after a few frosts hoping the minnows were now not too active. Sure enough the minnows were not feeding together with the chub too. I blanked after a few hours.
I was using a feeder with a short hook link too.
The next opportunity for me to fish came and I had from 9am to 5pm which was time enough to catch a chub or two.
I started on a swim that looked great for trotting, something I hadn’t done since the bread flake session a good few weeks ago. I still hadn’t christened my new Free Spirit float rod with a chub. I normally fire out some reds for about 15mins or so before fishing. This normally works the chub into a frenzy.
The river was crystal clear and so I used my normal size 20 hook and light line approach. Each time you fire out 20 or so reds and then you trot through the swim.
After 15 mins or so the float was pulled under by a small chub of about 4 lbs. The rod handled the chub easily.
I keep going with the maggots being fired out into the river, and trotting the same line. Sure enough I catch another couple more chub with the largest being 4lbs 14oz. The rod did the trick really well and I’m so pleased with it.
4lbs 14oz chub
The wind started to increase and control of the float became more difficult. I wandered upstream to look at another swim. Charlie was fishing it and had caught a couple of chub. Each time he cast in the chub would gather around the feeder within 30 secs. The rain had started to fall and he decided to pack up. So I wandered back to get my tackle and move up to this swim. The chub would congregate around the feeder as soon as it was cast in. Bites though were tough in coming, they were well aware of the dangers of a short hook link.
Eventually a big chub made a mistake and I was playing a lovely fish. It darted into the weed and slowly I extracted it pulling downstream. It looked a big chub and the normal things go through your head. I needn’t have worried it went into the net first time.
6lbs 6oz chub
Well that’s it another 6lber that’s the 11th of the season.
I moved downstream to another swim hoping for another chub or two however nothing came along. But another 6lber makes it all worthwhile.
Happy days.
