17/12/2025 - Chub Fishing On A Misty Day With High Water
Today a thick mist with visibility of probably thirty yards was covered most of Lancashire , nothing new to me, we often had this weather in October, November, December and January in the 1950's and 60's, it was known as a killer fog, which wasn't good for people health. Thankfully we don't get the killer fogs of the past. Today it was a thick mist, similar to what we experienced in the 70's 80's and onwards. Today, there wasn't the slightest breeze, though it was a warm day for the time of the year, I got a water temperature reading of 47 degrees F. In the past we would call these conditions a "Roach Fishers Day" in fact it was the late Richard Walker that described these conditions as ideal for roach fishing, he even recommended using a photographer's light meter. As most of my angling friends in those early days were into photography, we all carried a light meter on a cord around our necks.
Sadly, these days our rivers do not have the quality of roach we had in the past, cormorants have been the cause of the roach demise, along with poor water quality, through the water companies not investing more money into improving the situation. They choose the cheap, and quick way out, by the use storm over flow pipes to pump more sewage into our rivers. Instead of huge bonuses to directors and share holders, they should plough that money into improving the water quality in our river and streams.
It was around 0900 hrs when I arrived at my venue today, visibility was probably twenty yards as I look across the meadow, somewhere in the distance was the river. I'd come equipped with a small shoulder bag, my bait today would be chunks of Garlic sausage as bait, I had a small box containing hook's float stops, plasticine also other bits and pieces, we anglers have. In had my rod made, up in a rod carrier, so all I had to do was take the three joints out of the bag then assemble them, I was then ready to go.
I suppose it was a thirty-minute walk to the spot I chose to fish first, the river had about four feet on, but clarity was around six inches, hence the Garlic sausage bait. Having got comfortable on the bank, I baited the size 4 hook with a chunk of sausage about the size of an old match box, I have found the bigger baits in the fast water have proved a winner this winter. Within no more than two minutes of casting out, I felt a slight pluck on the line, suddenly the rod was pulled savagely downstream, striking I didn't feel anything. Retrieving my tackle, I noticed the bait had gone. "That was one to the fish".
Rebaiting I cast out to roughly the same place, then sat back holding the rod with the line over my index finger, all was peaceful, no bird sounds, even the sheep were invisible in the thick mist, I could just make out the far bank, but couldn't see the cattle in the field opposite. It was probably about thirty minutes when I got firm pluck on the line, then a steady pull on the rod tip as it was pulled downstream, all I had to do was lift the rod, then I felt a good fish as line was taken off the reel, in these fast water conditions, any hooked fish gives a good performance of its fighting qualities, there was a couple of moments when I thought I might lose the fish, as its pushed its way into the riverside reeds, but thankfully I was able to get it out from these two danger spots, soon my first fish was in the net. A good chub, I estimated as a good 4lb fish, usually I don't weight fish of this size but, just to make sure I did weight this one it was 4 lb 7 ounces, after a quick picture it was return some twenty five yards upstream, where it went off strongly upstream to where a tree was in the water, no doubt to rest up.
Over the next three hours I had four more chub, I estimated at 4lbs plus, though not bigger than the first fish. With heavy rain forecast for the next two days, the river will be a lot higher and faster, but thankfully I doubt if I will have any problems with rubbish on the line. So I will fish with confidence.
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