Chub-only rig is impossible

MARTIN Bowler’s piece this week (pages 32-34) is as evocative as ever, especially regarding what gits chub can be to catch on hair-rigged baits. For those for whom only barbel ‘count’, that’s a real benefit because, with their prehensile lips, barbel are suckers for hair rigs, and increasing the length of the hair reduces the likelihood of chub!

My experience of chub is that they prefer to feed off bottom, but if all they have in front of them is on the river bed they will tail-up and pick the bait up in their lips... and reject it if it seems in the least iffy.

Martin describes his dualpurpose chub-and-barbel rig expertly. If only there was a means of ignoring barbel bites when waiting for a chub! As it is, you need to keep a constant eye on your rods or you’ll lose them!