Given all my effort on the Barbel front as I pursue my "Forty Rivers Challenge" I have also come across quite a few Chub on my travels up and down the country with a handful being what I consider to be of specimen proportions. Taken on a number of techniques I'd say the catch rate is pretty similar to my Barbel returns and quite often when I have had Chub or where I have had Chub I have also caught Barbel.
Given the amount of time I have spent out on the banks, the last couple of months have been very difficult and apart from the odd Grayling and Pike trips I have caught nothing, blanks are certainly order of the day! The warmer months were certainly a lot kinder to me, now the trips to the rivers just seem to have become a blankfest.
Here are few photos from this season so far of Barbel bait robbing culprits, and also the odd targeted specimen. I suspect as the winter gives way to early spring before the season finishes that I will come across more, I just need to get out more!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUSTnqaqK9u5AlouIwYbwgZCOBUMIf9uOCYwUAC889Ape2JGdT1wjsxLzn6JzRlJTcmRA6v1aimnBOEHNCL6LyNuu7x41k1UM--KBqHey3leIbodx9UaDB1hOABbhquhtxLml9jB-_iiY_m8qdUTmtm16sfwtDYVllHeKAsp8sXP1dUpaJ_SPmz8Rv=s320) |
6.02 R.Lea |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPzFGBtui0qCYh4NBKVS5VT7XIsMpMEc5dp8DxO0PMXeByHDtFoJ5X-SS1vWQ1g-QHxlEGHXgWrca5gABKAwsEVw0i9JN1UygU5qh1ARsHPagm96Kvn1AUe2Y5ujk-sjIXLMULb3p8y4erpJfEUsvXHxBlPOGjKZbivMo2iuLDNyseWK6UapGp9yQ3=s320) |
6.07 R.Derwent |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtca1DdFMEtSCPdAJ5o84l2Suy7jtCcunVGP8lhkFqniSOARcf0naZxkBx7KMetW9WriCLPJ4B-YArorn3bvzCrnKCSCrVj_SEDkeYQdhGJSS6hP2Bwt7qOkUNRUDgT--6cKQCxQGNU8sNueO10Vqac1SB-1TbUy20kEW_oZc2fO5k7mr1mi8Qjw1y=s320) |
7.04 (PB) R.Derwent |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxrtNte5o8YuGcABSwekkdqJUxi9KfIyRo_Z-4bE6Y0j8ZBQYHnBFeD2B5oMKxX1qUAz0vz2GmEEnuEPjM2e-iqOUGq9I5KMe5YrYo4G_o9zlhrZYgBBIUuD60-BJ9RggqN9p3o30jLc4nP1weLUxM6HZhpym1og2O_0jwWrF8MiAQmeJw-kEucpyT=s320) |
6.01 Great Stour |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5171qkjETefFCgy9vAOB_Yfu_s_BQ-tQhiaKrr2qc7p3JtC-d9fE7Nbla3d1sdwrj4IoPZi6OFg769olxEFnYl84_gugkhFhfkbEh_yg3tYzenCrn3KCqilE2He0Zz6VhWS3HR2oLAnfUTbfHLFdoQxxm7A7OEb98z8mnxZKDRqkN-Cv75Uesg_YT=s320) |
5lb+ R.Ivel |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVUhKUpk4OIEbw5BIhiyjB_1HdJtJXgd498_JPW0wVH00tMm6glkY3Xcu-Ls3C65EjwstXYTtFqmsgfyBHHLxlgphLSSdBQgSHTLzIPZBp0u4KNrMB7ejQoFP5G_9_VOZ7qr-0ZG7s9DxH9m8ctRx42zAXWWR2g8rJ705lALU6fCFmtDxLM9duKEg2=s320) |
6.06 R.Colnbrook |
Not a bad as a byproduct of another challenge :-)
ReplyDeleteI know, on 8 rivers now that have produced 6lb+ specimens:
DeleteD.Stour, H.Avon, Thames, Derwent, Wandle, Colnbrook, Lea and Kentish Stour.