31/01/2025 - A Good Days Fishing

I had several chub of this size

The weather forecast for today was misty with a light wind and some spells of sunshine, checking the river level as I passed over the river on the bus I could see it had about three feet of extra water. “That will do me” I thought. Arriving in town I walked up to the taxi rank where my taxi was waiting, ten minutes or more I was dropped off at the estate entrance, I had a mile long walk to the river, arriving in the car park another member was coming out, he stopped wound down his window and said “It’s a waste of time Martin” I said “Yes I can see it’s got a lot of water on, but I will give it a go” with that he drove away.

My day had started on a high note when I spotted a barn owl perched on a fence post, just as I was getting out my camera the barn owl flew off, but my day was made. After checking out the cabin, I decided I would fish another beat where I’d fished on Saturday enjoying a good session catching grayling. It was a long walk up river, then through a small wood, where I come out onto the meadow, soon I was at a my cabin. I could now get rid of the big ruck bag which holds all my gear apart from a rod. After a brew, I filled the bird feeders, then got myself sorted out for a session trotting.

Float Fishing With Gentles As Bait

Today I chose to use the same tackle I used on Saturday which was a 12 foot rod matched with a Richard Carter centre pin holding some fifty yards of 3lb bs line, I chose a cork on quill Avon 2SSG’s which were placed halfway between hook and float, a foot below these two shot I added another SSG, I then attached a size 14 barbless hook to 3lb nylon, to the hook length I attached an 2AA shot about six inches from the hook. I would be fishing some very fast water hence the amount of weight on the line, one reason for all the weight was to get the bait down quickly, the other so I could boss the stream, and not let the stream take charge of the float. After putting some bits of tackle I might need, plus a box of gentles and some bread in my small shoulder bag, I was ready to go. I wouldn’t need a seat or rod rest, so it was easy walking.

At the waterside I checked the water temperature getting a reading of 44 degrees F, the water certainly had plenty of colour, I would start at the head of the swim, then slowly keep moving downstream until I found the fish, my quarry were grayling, but I might hopefully find a chub. and chub, I might even find some dace. My plan was to put in three droppers of gentles then using a small catapult I would fire a few gentles well upstream on every cast. After running the float through a few times, I was more than happy with my set up, Looking at the river I could see the very fast water flowing down the centre, with some slower water on my side of the river, also along the far bank. My plan was to start fishing in the slower water on the other side of the fast flow. After some thirty minutes I got my first bite a trout about a pound, I then had two more trout in five casts. It was time I fished the seam on my side of the fast water. After half an hour or more with no action I decided to fish the fast water, it was a very good move.

Chub and Grayling

On my first cast I dropped the float into the fast water, after it had gone about ten yards, the float dipped, I hooked a fish which soon turned out to be a grayling around the pound mark. This was quickly followed by a similar size fish, in the next forty odd minutes I had five more grayling, thankfully no trout. I then put in three droppers of gentles into the fast water where it seem the fish were, I also decided not to loose feed but use a dropper every ten to fifteen minutes making sure the bait was on or near the bottom. I suppose I had six casts when I hooked my first decent fish which turned out to be a nice chub, I grabbed a quick photograph then released the fish well upstream. Another dropper of gentles then in eight casts I had four more chub similar in size to the first fish. I was now feeling more than happy, I’d at last it seems to have found a shoal of chub, thankfully no trout either. I then lost the next fish which found a snag. Checking the time it was just before 1pm, time for lunch.

A Great Second Half

As I sat having lunch I looked back at the mornings events, and how the fish were it seems gathered in the fast water and not the quiet areas. As I was getting low on gentles, I chose to fish bead flake feeding loose bits of bread flake by catapulting the bits of bread well upstream so hopefully they would eventually get down near the river bed. About 2 pm I made my way back to the river, I then changed from a size 14 hook to a size 10 direct to the 4lb bs line.

Half an hour had gone by before I got my first fish another nice chub around 3lbs, which as usual I released well upstream, in the next half an hour I two more chub of similar size, this was followed by a fish I estimated at about 4lbs, I will be honest I was getting quite excited by todays fishing, it could not have been better, I thought to myself “If I don’t catch anymore I’ve had a very good day”. I then had a fishless thirty odd minutes, all the time I was putting in bits of read.

I then chose to bring the bait off the bottom a few inches by moving the float down the line. I made a cast a few feet further out into the flow, allowing the float to travel well down the swim, I suppose it had gone twenty yards, I could barely see the float, it was now getting quite foggy, I normally hold back the float at the end of the swim for just a few seconds. I chose to hold the float back for a few minutes, as it was hard to see the float, I was going by touch, then slowly the rod tip was pulled down. “Thats a fish” I said as I lifted the rod then felt a heavy weight, slowly the fished moved downstream taking some line off the reel, all I could do was hang on, at the same time I decided I’d have to go downstream towards the fish, as the chances of getting the fish all the way upstream in the fast water were I reckon impossible. I grabbed the landing net then slowly made my way downstream. It was a strange sort of fight from this fish, I thought it must be a kelt.

For ten minutes or more all I could do was hang on. Eventually I got to feel the fish, with its head shaking, often taking a few feet of line. It was then I realised I might have a good chub, I ruled out, “It could be a barbel”. After another ten minutes I regained some control over the fish, slowly I was getting it into the quieter water, I then had the odd glimpse of the float knowing this fish was some four feet below. A few minutes later I got a glimpse of part of its the body “Thats a chub” I said, the fish was slowly coming towards the net, then its head was out of the water, with one last heave I was able to draw the fish over the sunken net which I lifted, at the same time I dropped the rod so I could get the fish clear of the water. Then over onto the bank. “That a big five pounder” I said to a walker who had stopped to see me net the fish.

He then asked “What sort of fish it was” I said a “Chub” After we carried the weighing gear well back from the water, I zeroed the scales with a light weight plastic bag. After putting the fish in the bag I hooked it on the scales, We got a reading of 6 lb 4 ounces then the needle settled back to give a reading of 6 lb 2 ounces, I punched the air with delight. The walker then went on his way. I got my camera out from inside my coat then while the fish was laying quiet I got my picture, then made my way back to the river after lowering the net in the water I watched the fish swim off strongly What a way to end the day. In the fading light as the mist rolled in it was time to pack away my gear and head off for my taxi.

I find Roberts thick sliced bread the best

My best chub

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