18/08/2024 - A Top Chub Fishing Session
Heavy rain on Thursday coincided with more sewage into the Ribble
Thursday 15th August the weather was heavy rain, with a cold wind, also visibility was very poor, it was more like November than August, I certainly had a smile on my face, I was hoping the rain would continue. My local river Ribble badly needed a good lift, to remove the horrid clodorpha weed, also help the sea trout move up river, hopefully a salmon or two. Late in the afternoon I got a call from Ian asking “Do you want to go fishing tomorrow” my immediate answer was “Yes Please” he then suggested going in the afternoon, I suggested a morning session, then explained the reason for an early start, it would offer better prospects with the extra water, also the river height drops away quite quickly. We agreed on starting early morning.
As I switched off the alarm at 0530hrs, I was soon out of bed then into the shower, fifteen minutes later, I’m ready for my first brew, from the freezer I grabbed a bag of prawns, then opened a tin of meat, I also grabbed a loaf of bread from the bin. Checking the river height, I noticed there was just over two feet of extra water, during the night the river peaked around 1.35m. After making a sandwich, I filled my flask with milk. The weather forecast was Sunny intervals with a gentle breeze, I would describe it as a very strong breeze but I was more than happy with that. My tackle included a soft action Avon rod, matched with a small fixed spool reel with 10lb bs braid, I then threaded the line through the guides, after adding a float stop, then using a Palomar knot attached a size 4 barbless hook. I then broke down the rod so I could get it inside the rod case, all I had to do when I got to the waterside was assemble the outfit in a minute.
Chub From The Off
After a very long walk including having to push my way through an overgrown copse, I then had the pleasant walk across the meadow to the waterside. In some shelter at the edge of the meadow were five roe deer, two pheasants were flushed, as I crossed a ditch, on the river were three egrets, also several ducks, within a minute a kingfisher zipped upstream in a flash of vibrant blue, it was great being back on my local river, Ian meanwhile went well upstream. I moved off downstream to my target area a large tree with overhanging branches which created a cave like area, where chub can often be found. It’s a long cast where you have to drop the bait a couple of feet above the tree as close to the far bank as possible then hope the water flow will push the bait into or close to the area under the branches.
Crust Was The Top Bait.
Having spent some time casting a lump of plasticine across the river, until I felt I’d got the weight correct, I then catapulted some bits of flake to the far bank, these I hoped would be something that would have the chub looking for more tasty bits of food. In the first hour I made three casts, on the second I had a quick pull but missed it, after a good hour, I catapulted a few more bites of flake to my fishing area. Baiting with another big bit of crust I cast out so the bait landed slightly more upstream, then holding the rod high, I allowed a couple of feet to come off the reel, soon the slack was taken up. I reckon forty or more minutes had gone by, when I had a savage take, so savage it nearly wrenched the rod from my grip, there was no need to strike as line was taken in a long run downstream, then across to my side using the strong flow in midstream.
I thought “Sea Trout” It’s always hard to guess how long a fish has been hooked, but it seemed like ten or more minutes, still no let up in the power of the fish, every time I had a strong head shake, from my quarry I feared the hook falling out. Slowly I started to gain some line, if I got ten feet the fish would take back five, but slowly and carefully I was pumping the fish towards me. Also it was in the slower water on my bank, but there were several snags in the form of fallen branches, if the fish got in one of those all would be lost.
For some unknown reason the fish made its way back towards the far bank, I cramped on the pressure then literally bullied the fish back towards me and the net, a few more minutes then it swirled on the surface, ”That’s a big chub” I was now a bit more careful, but soon I had the chubs head on the surface and dragging it towards the net, I just about got it in. Dragging the net towards the bank, then sliding it up the bank worried all the time in case the fish escaped, eventually it was mine, it was hooked lightly in the corner of its mouth, how lucky can I get. I then called Ian to ask him to come down, after some time he arrived with a smile on his face.
Every season I always purchase a new set of scales, it was time to use them on my river for the first time, as always I use a strong carrier bag, have zeroed the scales I slowly moved the fish into the bag then hooked the bag on the scales, lifting the scales I noticed the needle go round to 4lb then 5lb to just shy of 6lb it then dropped back to 5 lb 10 ounces, I said “Yes my first 5lb chub of the season” Ian who is a highly rated photographer, had me sit in the right place for the correct light, then shot a few frames. After resting the fish in the net, we watched the fish swim off strongly.
During the rest of the day, I caught five more chub two at 4 lb 2 ounces, 4 lb 4 ounces 4 lb 7 ounces and 4 lb 8 ounce also a couple of 3lb fish, It was one of my best sessions in a long time. I’d chosen the perfect conditions of a falling river with plenty of flow with colour. I also tried meat and prawns without success. My friend Ian had two big chub at 4 lb 8 ounces and 4 lb 12 ounces float fishing with bread flake, so we both went home happy.
5 lb 10 ounce chub
The tree on the opposite bank was my target area
Ian Chapman with his 4lb 12 ounce fish.
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