15/09/2024 - Six Bites = Six Chub

I should have been on the river yesterday, but having waited for over an hour for my taxi ride, I got the bus back home, quite angry at missing out on fishing a bank high river. Today I made the same bus trip, in the hope my taxi would be there, I was in luck, he apologised , explaining “I had a long trip, then I was held up in the traffic on the way back,” he offered me a free ride, I told him “I don’t want a free ride, you have a family to look after” After he dropped me off, I started my long walk to the river, within ten minutes the rain was sheeting down, the wind increased to what I thought was around 40 plus mph, I had to hold on the my hat, soon I was in the wood, the wind in the tree tops made it sounded like I was in a tunnel, with a train was rushing through.  It was treacherous walking with so much rubbish underfoot occasionally I heard the limb off a tree crash down, thankfully I am not a nervous disposition, once out of the wood, I had a large field to cross that resemble a marsh, with the wind and rain in my face I thought, “Why did I choose today to fish”, eventually I was sheltered by a hedgerow from from the wind. Suddenly the rain stopped, within ten minutes the sun was shining the wind had ceased. It was an entirely different day. Eventually I arrived at my chosen spot with a hedge behind me, a large Maple tree overhead I settled in surrounded by high reeds and balsam with just a foot gap to put my rod through.

Simple Tackle Set Up

Having collected my tackle from the big house, where I leave it tackled up, all I had to do was put the rod together, then add some plasticine to the float stop, I was ready to go. Today I was going to use Garlic sausage, over the past couple of week or so, when I have been passing the area, I’ve catapulted in a couple of handfuls of bait size pieces, today was going to be my first try with this bait in my swim. Today I chose to fish a long tail between hook and weight , the idea is the bait could move about more freely. I baited the size 4 barbless hook with two large bits of sausage then made a cast well downstream into a slack area of water under a large Oak tree. Within five minutes of casting out, the sky turned from day to night, the wind increased, as the rain sheeted down, it all happened so quickly, but I was prepared, having already put my tackle bag inside a bin liner.

The large Maple tree which I had my back to, acted as a good umbrella, all I had to do was hold on to my hat. Fifteen minutes later the squall had passed over, the sun was out making it feel quite warm. As the wind dropped away, a few Blue Winged Olives started coming off, an occasional trout could be seen. Looking at my watch I could see I had been fishing about thirty minutes, I though “Should I recast again, but decided not to” Ten minutes later I had a good pull setting the hook into my first fish of the session, a few minutes later I had my first chub coming towards the net, a nice chub between about 2.5 lbs, after taking out the hook I lowered the net in the water allowing the fish to swim free.

Rebaiting I cast slightly further out, then allowed the bait to roll into another area where there was a bit more flow. Ten minutes no more I had another hook up from a powerful take as the rod top was pulled round firmly, no need to strike all I had to do was lift the rod, I reckon the fish hooked itself. Soon another chub the size of the previous one was netted. On the next cast I had a fish immediately as the bait rolled across the stream, this one was quite a fighter taking some minutes to get it in the net, I thought that might be 3lbs, as I eased out the hook from the fish. I could see a lot of mashed Garlic sausage in its throat and mouth. Again Another Squall With the wind increasing as the light faded, the rain once again sheeted down, I chose not to cast out until the weather improved. I sat huddled under the tree, thinking “How much more rain are we going to get” suddenly there were hailstones. This time it lasted thirty minutes or more, before calming down rivulets of water were coming under my seat, the ground was like a marsh. Time to cast again, this time alongside an over hanging bush where several branches were trailing in the water, I only used a small bit of plasticine this time as the water was virtually still. An hour later I had a good pull catching another chub around 2.5 lbs which was quickly released. It was time for a mug of oxo, as I poured it then placed it on the ground it fell over, in trying to grab the flask as it rolled towards the river I knocked over my mug, as I picked it up, the flask disappeared into the river with a “Plop”. An hour later with more rain, hail and wind I chose to end my session. I was more than happy ending with six chub. All caught on Garlic sausage, it’s a bait the fish haven’t become wary of it, all bites were good pulls. I just like to stay ahead of the crowd, when I can with my bait choice, I then scattered fifteen or so chunks all over the swim, the only life around was a robin, a kingfisher, as I walked back a hare run off, I was no more than ten feet from it. I hope to be back on Saturday.

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