23/02/2026 - A Good Days Chub Fishing

Alistair with his 4 lb 10 ounce chub caught trotting

Alistair Foster and myself had been watching the river levels for a few days, at the same time I was checking the water temperatures, they were rising in our favour, though the river levels were high, I thought we had a good chance of catching. I texted Alistair who agreed we should have a day on the river. Alistair picked me up from home around 0800 hrs, on the way to the river, we discussed how we were going to fish, Alistair chose to float fish, while I was going to roll a bait downstream, at the same time hold the rod high then allowing the balanced weight and bait to ended up in a quite bay.

Before I moved off well, downstream, I suggested to Alistair an area where I thought it was worth float fishing, with steady flow of water over a gravel and silt bottom. His tackle choice for trotting; was 14' GB style 'match' rod developed on a low resin triaxial lay-up with cut in spigots, as opposed to the more common rolled-in overfit joints. As Alistair told me "The sole purpose of this construction is to give the finalised and fully built rod an action without comprise the weight, by a few grams, but it is inherently well balanced and thus feel lighter use. This was matched with a centre pin reel holding some 4.5 lb breaking strain line, with a 3.5 lb cast to which he attached a size 14 barbless hook, his float choice was a clear plastic Avon with a bright yellow tip, He needed the bright tip as he often trotted the float downstream some fifty yards. I left him feeding the swim with gentles and casters.

I then headed to my swim, over the past few trips, I'd noticed the plasticine had become softer, and did not weigh as much, meaning I had to use bigger lumps to get the bait on the bottom where I wanted it. As I sat thinking about the problem, I come up with the idea of using some LG shots on the line, then moulding plasticine around the shots. I spent about half an hour or more, getting the number of shot on the line as I wanted. Later in the day I mentioned what I had done to Alistair, who said "Years ago I used plasticine moulding it around my leger weights". So, nothing is new well-done Alistair on your idea. One I will copy.

My tackle choice was an Avon action rod, matched with a small fixed spool bait runner, with 8lb breaking strain line to which I had two float stops, which were used for moulding the plasticine around, I use a size 4 Pallatrax Gripz wide gape barbless hook attaching it to the line with a Palomar knot, that has never let me down. Tackle sorted out I checked the water temperature, getting a reading of 47-48 degrees F. After catapulting a few lumps of meat across the river to where I thought the chub would be. I was ready to start fishing, I then got a phone call, it was from Alistair saying, "I have a good chub, could you come and weight it for me"?. My answerer "Was Yes" grabbing my camera, scales and weight bag I made my way upstream, where I was greeted by Alistair's happy face, hearing his words "The fish had taken his 4lb scales right down with a bump" On my scales we got a reading of 4 lb 10 ounces, after a quick photograph the fish was safely released well upstream. After a few words saying "Well done", I headed back downstream.

Bites From The Off

Baiting with two cubes of meat I made a long cast across and downstream, then holding the rod high, I allowed the bait to roll along until I thought it was in the area I wanted the bait. I then put the rod in the rest, while I sat holding the rod, I watched a group of Long tailed tits working up and down a group of willow trees, just downstream of where I was sitting. Some fifteen minutes after casting out the rod was ripped off the rod rest, if I had not been holding it, the rod would have gone javelin like into the river. Sadly, I did not get a hook up.

Casting out again I sat in hope of a good pull, twenty or more minutes later, I got a sharp knock, I was then alert, a couple of minutes later another sharp knock, a minute later I got a nice slow pull round, striking I felt a powerful surge on the rod as what felt like a good fish powered away downstream and out into the powerful flow, I felt this was to my advantage, as it didn't go for the many snags in the margins from tree branches and root. For some minutes the fish was winning, taking more line than I could retrieve. I increased the pressure slowly pumping the fish upstream keeping the rod well over to my right so the fish didn't go towards the various snags.

I was now gaining more line than the fish could take, it was a long slow struggle to gain ultimate control, but eventually I felt I was going to be the winner, if the fish didn't get rid of the hook. Foot by foot I was gaining line, until I felt I could start drawing the fish towards my bank into some slower water, then I spotted the weight down in the water, Pushing the landing net out into the river, I then continued drawing, the fish towards the sunken net, I then got my first glimpse of my prize, "That's a good chub "I thought. Then its head was out of the water, I lifted the net nearer the surface then as I was slowly drawing the chub towards the net, its head was out of the water, I could clearly see the hook in the bottom lip. Then it was mine as I lifted the net, it certainly felt a good 4 lb plus, perhaps a five pounder.

Once I got the net on the bank, I now couldn't see the hook, I found it had fallen out as the pressure was switched off the line. Clearing the hook and line from the net, I lowered the net and fish in the shallows while I moved the rod to a safe place and get out my scales weigh bag etc. I then called Alistair asking him if he would come down and take a photograph, he immediately said "Certainly" The fish weighed 5 lb 2 ounces, it had a hollow gut, in a few weeks' time it could be a much heavier fish. After a photograph it was returned to the river. We then decided it was brewing time. The Jetboiler was ignited, soon Alistair had a mug of tea, while I enjoyed a mug of OXO with a dash of pepper.

Back in my swim I enjoyed the next three hours, the chub was in a feeding mood, I soon had two fish about 4lbs, then I hooked and lost two fish, missed three bites, I then got two good chubs in quick succession both estimated around 4lbs. Fifteen or so minutes later I got lucky, I had three sharp knocks on the rod tip, then a powerful pull round of the rod, I found myself attached to a heavy fish, that decided it was going down and across the river where there was danger in a fallen tree. I tightened the clutch slightly, then bent the rod as much as I could, then tried slowly to pump the fish upstream, but no chance the fish was still gaining a bit of line. Then all of a sudden, the fish slackened off, I started to gain some line back on the reel without losing any line to the fish, I now felt I was winning. Foot by foot I was getting line on the reel at the same time dragging the fish in towards my bank and some slower water at the same time I moved up the bank a few feet, to keep the fish from the row of willows, that were danger spots. After another couple of minutes, I pushed the landing net out into the water, I was now occasionally seeing my ledger weight, knowing the fish was about two feet below it. Next minute it swirled on the surface, it was another very good chub, I was able to draw the fish over the net, once engulfed in the mesh it was mine. As with the first fish it was hooked in the bottom lip, though this time I did have us my forceps to take out the hook. On the scales it weighed 5 lb 3 ounces, unlike the first fish which was hollow, this one had a firm gut.

After a photograph I released it well upstream then called Alistair to come and fish my swim, as he wasn't getting any action on the float. At first, he was reluctant to come and fish my spot, but I insisted, I'd had a good session. As I sat waiting a Kingfisher arrived and perched on a low branch, In some ten or more minutes I watched this beautiful bird dive sixteen times, coming up with a tiny fish each time, no knocking it on a branch he just swallowed the tiny creature, then with in no time was diving again, it was incredible to watch the King of fishers catching on every dive. He then flew off downstream to another small bay. Half an hour later Alistair was in my spot while I sat and watched explaining where to fish and to use two cubes of meat. As we sat chatting, in the fading light, suddenly his rod was ripped off the rest, I thought it was going into the river, not realising that Alistair was just holding on. After a good struggle he started to get line back, then suddenly the fish found a snag. After some pulling, he released some line, waited a minute or so, then increased the pressure he was lucky, as the fish was free of the snag. Five minutes later it was in the net, A lovely plump chub weighing 4lb 4 ounces. With the strengthening east wind and heavy rain, we called it a day. We both voted it had been a good one

My LG shot on the plasticine, ready to be rolled over the shot.

My 5 lb 3 ounce chub with scales and bait.

With my  5lb 2 ounce chub caught on two bits of meat

Two pieces of meat on the hook

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