CHOOSING A SWIM

Remember what I wrote last week about using relatively fine hooklinks for chub – around 0.13mm (4lb 12oz)? Well, this makes swim selection really important. With lines such as this it is both silly and irresponsible to cast to a large snag. This will inevitably only lead to lost fish.

Instead, I look for snag-free swims where I think chub are likely to be present, or better still, a short way upstream of where they are likely to be.

Overhanging trees, bends, weed beds and creases are all good holding areas for chub, but rather than cast really close to a potential snaggy area I use a constant stream of maggots from the feeder to draw them to a ‘safer’ area where I stand the best chance of landing them.

At the start of the session I like to cast an empty feeder around the water in front of me to get an idea of the depth and check that there are no hidden snags. Boils on the surface where the current has been disturbed by something underwater are a good clue that there may be a hidden snag.

Once I have chosen where I am going to cast I select a marker on the far bank to cast to. A far-bank marker ensures I cast on the same line and I use the reflections on the water to ensure I cast the same distance each time.

If I overcast I can quickly pull the feeder back to the right spot. This ensures I can cast repeatedly into a very small area. This concentrates maggots in one place, which in turn will help get fish feeding competitively.