Find ’em and feed ’em!

First, you’ll have to locate some chub, which will always be easier with the use of polarised glasses. Once found, it’s a simple case of taking your time to get them feeding. This is the most vital aspect of this method – feeding must be correct and consistent for the best results. Start by introducing a catapult full of maggots every couple of minutes and, if they respond, increase it to an almost constant stream. If you can see the fish, simply deposit another pouchful once they’ve cleared the offerings. You’ll soon realise you can get through the bait, so be prepared to take at least four pints of maggots. Even when the fish are lethargic, you can spur them into a frenzy with persistent feeding. I recently stood on a bridge with my mate, Chris. A handful of maggots were deposited in front of two or three chub, to which the response was futile. However, my words to Chris were: “All you need is one fish to start feeding and the others will respond.” As if by magic, one set of white lips mooched its way through the fluttering baits, quickly followed by another, and another… I always think of them as brothers and sisters, which is partly why I think they become so competitive for food. Many of you reading this will know what it’s like – if you didn’t eat the food in the cupboards at home, your brother or sister would! I think chub have a similar mindset not to miss out. This has a major benefit for the angler – if you take your time slowly building the swim with bait, you’ll end up with loads of fish in your peg which gives you a much greater chance of a bite. By feeding in this manner and getting a shoal of chub competing, you can often have the opportunity to catch the entire shoal.