SACK UP ON CHUB!
Follow my tactics and fill your net
WE’RE at the time when chub will become the focus on many rivers.
Find the right swims and you could be in for a real red-letter day – and what’s more, you don’t have to spend a fortune on bait to achieve it!
I love fishing for chub. On some days they can take a lot of tempting, but once you’ve got them switched on, the action can be fantastic.
I prefer to floatfish for them, as that is the way to catch bigger weights. But on some days you’ll need to use static baits in order to tempt a few fish on to the hookbait.
However you do it, though, one thing is for certain. When you hook one, you’ll definitely know about it, and if there is any kind of snag nearby, the chub will find it and try its hardest to leave your hook in it while it escapes!
My best-ever chub weighed exactly 8lb. I caught it just over a year ago, and I often wonder if I’ll ever better that weight. I’ll certainly be trying this winter!
LOCATION
Unlike other species, chub are likely to turn up in all sorts of swims at this time of year. The very best ones, though, are those with plenty of cover or character.
Chub love hiding around bridges, under overhanging trees or around submerged snags such as fallen branches or trees that might have wedged in the swim after a flood. They’re in these places because they feel safe, and when you hook a chub in this sort of terrain, you can be sure of a battle!
FLOATFISHING
A float will search the entire length of your swim and allow you to present your hookbaits at any depth. For close-in work, use a stick float or Avon. For distances beyond this, use a Bolo float for deep water or a waggler for depths between 3ft and 10ft. Keep some feed going in regularly and experiment with depths. A lot of anglers don’t do this enough, and miss out on chub that are feeding at mid-depth. Give yourself five or 10-minute blocks of time at a certain depth before changing and you will eventually find the fish if they are there and feeding.
I use mainlines from 3lb to 6lb and hooklengths from 0.10mm (2.8lb) to 0.16mm (6.4lb).
FEEDER FISHING
Static baits can work well when there is colour in the river or the water temperature is low. I prefer to use maggots in the
feeder at this time of year, and would recommend you to use hook-lengths to suit the swim.
It’s no use having a very light, low-diameter hook-length in snaggy swims – the fish will win every time – so make sure your lines are up to the job. For me, this means 0.12mm up to 0.20mm tied to strong hooks from size 18 to 12.