Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Chris Ponsford
Chubbing on the float
RISING in the hills of Central Wales and running through England into the Severn estuary, the majestic River Wye is an unspoiled fishing paradise. It’s always a special place to fish because as well as the unrivalled scenery, the fish stocks of most species are high and everything seems to thrive and grow to specimen sizes.
It has become a major destination for visiting anglers who want to experience mile after mile of great fishing in lush valleys. I moved to Worcester in 1987 and was familiar with the river back then, competing in matches for its prolific shoals of chub and dace. The barbel were relatively new in those days, but the chub fishing was amazing on the right pegs.
Match- wise it has always been a case of feast or famine. You can be pegged next to someone bagging up while you struggle for bites. The fish seem to like where they are and it can be hard to draw them away from another angler.
Cheap and effective
Not long retired I find my greatest love is catching on the float. I have spent too many hours staring at quiver- tipped barbel rods living as I do in the Severn Valley – another prolific barbel river.
So you can imagine how pleased I was when the team at Korum produced a new power float rod. Called the Glide, it is ideal for fishing big floats and larger baits on heavier line on powerful rivers so a day on the Wye beckoned.
My target species would be the chub which thrive in the river’s clear waters. They grow to an impressive size, with fish to 8lb having been caught and five- pounders not uncommon.
The normal stamp are usually 2lb- 4lb, though for some reason Ross and Hereford get masses of smaller fish in winter and chublets up to a pound often proliferate in catches. There is also a good chance of catching barbel, so tackle needs to be strong.
My favourite bait is good old- fashioned supermarket bread, usually sliced. The brand isn’t important but you need to make sure it’s fresh for the hook.
At the start of a session my first job is to open a packet of two or three- day- old sliced bread, retaining the crusts, and tip it into a bucket. I then cover it with river water and leave it to soak for a couple of minutes, before breaking it up until it’s a mushy mess. I then drain off the water through a sieve before adding brown crumb and 4mm halibut pellets.
This creates a soft mix that sinks slowly
through the swim when introduced by hand or with a groundbait catapult. If you want to make a heavier mix that sinks faster, add white crumb to the mash.
Bread mash is very easy and cheap and certainly effective. I feed a small ball every cast until I start getting bites and then play it by ear depending on the number of bites I’m getting or what I am catching.
The Wye is unusual in that on some pegs you might get through three loaves of feed, but you might catch 200lb or more of fish! The more normal day might be a lot less, but I am usually confident of catching a good bag of fish.
That said, the river can be fickle and switch off despite your best efforts. I don’t like it carrying too much dirty water, but extra water running clear is great.
Float choice – make it big
Given the buoyancy of bread, at least a couple of BB shot is required down the line to sink the bread. A top or bottom float can work well, with a bulk of SSG, AAA or even a large olivette. Don’t be afraid of using large floats – 8g is nothing on these powerful flows and bites are definite and bold. Dave Harrell of DH Tackle has a great range of floats for the job, as does Woodies Tackle in Hereford and Clive Branson of Gold Medal Floats. For this feature I have used a four- swan DH Truncheon Waggler with three swan shot either side of the float. These are followed by Korum float stops and a BB plus two No. 4 shot down the 6lb line which terminates to a 0.17mm hooklength and a size 10 hook.
I would stress that a power float rod is needed for fishing these big floats because fish fight hard in the strong flows. Chub in particular often try to find sanctuary in the near bank or weedbeds so a firm hand is needed. My gear is more than adequate for catching barbel on the float but if I was specifically targeting them I would use a banded pellet or straight hooked piece of luncheon meat rather than bread. I would also step up to an 8lb mono mainline and an 0.21mm hooklength.
On this session I fished on a bend in a swim that is up to 10ft deep in places, but shallows to 4ft with slack water under my feet. I cast to the middle of the river and let the float run away from me slightly.
The float has a highly visible hollow tip and is easily seen – even by old eyes like mine – and the bites drag it under boldly.
With Lloyd snapping away I managed to catch several lovely Wye chub from the low and clear river in sunny conditions. Moving the bait was the key to success as it gave the fish less time to inspect it as it moved through the swim.
When fishing like this you’ll find that the fish often take it on the drop so watch the float carefully! Float fishing is a brilliant way of catching chub and barbel and I find it far more enjoyable than sitting behind a quivertip. The River Wye is perfect for it but if you have a chat with your local tackle dealer I’m sure they’ll be able to point you in the right direction of suitable venues close to you.
If you give one method a go this month, make it this one!
Fish the River Wye
The major controlling clubs are Newport AA, Monmouth AA, Hereford & District, and Ross AC selling day tickets and season books. The Wye & Usk Foundation, and Angling Dreams run by Adam Fisher also sell day tickets. Day tickets start from £ 8 for club tickets and from £ 15 upwards from Wye & Usk and Angling Dreams.