After some very cold weather the fish seem to have taken a break from playing my game, with a couple of mild days and with the river warming up a couple of degree's i thought the fish should be feeding a little bit better and my target today was some Chub preferably a 5 lb + one would be nice.
So after travelling an hour to a nice spot on the river set up my trotting rod with my centre-pin and hoped to get some action as this swim looks so good.
Mmm very fishy looking
So the tactic as always with the Chub is a nice avon spigot 6BB with a size 16 hook and a variety of baits trotted through there hide-out and first chuck and into a nice big Chub already, definately over 4lbs with that safely in the keepnet, took a few casts to get another bite and then had an almighty fight on the light gear, so much fun and yet another 4lb + Chub, seemed like the shoal were of a decent size so after putting that in the keepnet as well, the bites started to dry up but did manage one more big Chub but again above 4lb but no 5lbs + fish but maybe down river.
So after travelling an hour to a nice spot on the river set up my trotting rod with my centre-pin and hoped to get some action as this swim looks so good.
Mmm very fishy looking
So the tactic as always with the Chub is a nice avon spigot 6BB with a size 16 hook and a variety of baits trotted through there hide-out and first chuck and into a nice big Chub already, definately over 4lbs with that safely in the keepnet, took a few casts to get another bite and then had an almighty fight on the light gear, so much fun and yet another 4lb + Chub, seemed like the shoal were of a decent size so after putting that in the keepnet as well, the bites started to dry up but did manage one more big Chub but again above 4lb but no 5lbs + fish but maybe down river.
Top- 4lbs 12oz, Middle- 4lbs 2oz, Bottom- 4lbs 9oz
Pick of the bunch at 4lbs 12oz
So i moved down and had a dabble in a few spots but no joy, so i sat up in a new swim and back to trotting and had a Chub first cast 3lb +, after putting that fish back, had to wait about 20 minutes for the next take but when it came, the take immediately made it clear what i had hooked and was extremely surprised to hook one of these as i didnt know Barbel were in these waters, so very good to know and a cracking fish obviously a personal best for this river, the fight was brilliant on the match gear and on the centre-pin the control was great, so after a 5 minute battle i landed the Barbel and got some piccy's and weighed it and went 7lbs 5oz very chuffed indeed.
Surprise or what!!
So onward and downward to get some more Chub and did manage a bag of fish in a deep run down stream, which comprised of 9 Chub and a solitary Dace with two more Chub over the 4lb + mark, but unfortunately no massive Chub, i know there here.
Top - 3lbs 1oz to Bottom 4lbs 10oz
Top - 4lbs 10oz and 4lbs 7oz
Although i did'nt find the big Chub i wanted, i caught that Barbel which was a very nice bonus and not to mention five 4lb + Chub, 13 in total and a Dace of about 1/2 lb.
Wow! Wish we had river fishing like that down this way. What a cracking catch of chub. How on earth did you get them to stay still for the photo, I find them the most difficult of coarse fish for behaving for photos like that one!
ReplyDeletei guess they fought hard enough in the water they were too knackered to fight on the mat, oh believe me i know im lucky to have the hogsmill and wandle only a little way away from me, but i would love to catch a lady of the stream.
ReplyDeleteHi. I tried lure fishing here a coue of times. Did have a take last week but missed the bite. Which stretch do you fish? I have tried by the post office depot and alsoround the back of rhe UNI. I could see a fair few fish the other side of the bridge from the post office but did t want to clanber over someones driveway to get down to them.
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