Small River Chubbing

By small rivers, I mean those of up to about six or eight metres (22ft - 25ft) across. For anglers used to fishing much bigger venues like the Trent, Severn or Wharfe, this will seem tiny in comparison, but the results can be just as gratifying and can require a lot less effort.

The River Mease, a typical small river with a good head of chub

The target

Anyone who's caught a chub before will know what great value they are when caught on balanced tackle. They're often the only species that will feed during those cold dark months at the end of winter, and even a layer of ice on the river won't put the mockers on your session. If you can find a hole, you're in with a chance of a chevin.

The fight that a 5lb chub puts up is something to be relished. The species doesn't grow as big as barbel, but even the smaller fish can be great fun and provide welcome sport when other species aren't obliging.

When fishing a small river, you're likely to encounter plenty of fish in the 3lb - 4lb bracket, which will provide an exciting and fulfilling session. Part of the thrill of chub fishing is that you can never truly know what size fish will take your bait. They have big rubbery lips round their enormous mouths, and a fish of 2lbs will easily gobble a bait that you've put on with a five pounder in mind.

With autumn not far away now is a good time to target small river chub

Kit for the job

But before you load the car and head to the river, take a look at the kit that you've assembled. You can almost certainly halve it then get rid of some more before you leave. The types of swim that you'll be fishing on a small river are unlikely to produce more than one fish before they need resting. This makes it essential to take only the kit you really need, as mobility is the key to this type of approach.

There are a few things to bear in mind when selecting what kit to take. You need to be comfortable or your concentration will lapse and you'll end up missing bites. Having said that, you won't need the type of chair that an all-day static session would require. A light tripod-type stool will do the job and many swims provide the type of bank that lends itself to being sat on directly, requiring only a decent pair of waterproof trousers. This also gives you the advantage of keeping low in a swim and avoiding being silhouetted against the skyline, which could spook any fish that are present.

Don't get too comfortable as it can lead to spending too much time in a swim that either hasn't produced a fish, or is unlikely to produce another if you've already landed one. The temptation for one last cast can be far too strong if you have so much gear with you that the thought of gathering it up prevents you from moving on. This will lead to precious fishing time not being used to its full potential or worse, being wasted.

For a session of this type I take a rucksack containing a small tackle box that has all the terminal tackle I'll need, such as spare leger bombs, hooks, a disgorger etc. Everything else I might need will be in the bag too. Scales and weigh sling, forceps, camera, waterproof and maybe a flask and a sandwich if there's space!

I keep bait in the pockets of a bait apron that I wear. This makes it easily accessible and provides an extra layer of clothing, always useful when fishing at this time of year. I carry my rod, bank sticks, landing net and stool in my hands and that really is all you need. You can gather up this small amount of gear and be on your way to the next swim in a matter of seconds, ready for the next knee-trembling knock on the quiver.

The upper river Weaver is another good small chub river

Rods and rigs

Fishing for chub in small rivers offers the chance for some great sport on relatively light gear. An Avon type rod with a 1 ¼ lb test curve and progressive action is ideal, which I pair with a fixed-spool reel loaded with 4lb Gold Label Pro Gold line. I use 3lb Drennan rig line for a hook length with a size 10 or 12 Drennan Super Specialist hook whipped on. I've used hair rigs for this style of fishing and found them to make little difference, so it's down to personal choice on that front.

I use the softest quiver tip that wind and flow will allow, which is usually a 2oz or 2 ½ oz glass option, and employ a simple running leger rig. This comprises an Enterprise Tackle Adjusta Stop against which a light bomb on a snap-link swivel rests. This kit can be stepped up if you're fishing a stretch that's particularly snaggy, or if the river holds a head of barbel that you might encounter.

That's it; kit sorted, rod tackled up, then broken down to fit into the boot; time to head to the river. If you keep tackle simple you can be fishing within minutes of arriving, and make the most of your time.

Tactics

As many anglers know, rivers are very fickle things and seem to have a life of their own, changing from week to week and season to season. It's helpful if you can get to know a river before you fish it, or put the hours in on the bank until you feel confident about how the fish will react in different conditions.

At this time of year, a river carrying a good level of water with some colour in it, a day or two after some heavy rain, is spot on. Small rivers have the ability to run off very quickly, even dropping to summer levels if they undergo a sustained dry period, so aim for just after a wet spell.

I cover as much water as possible in the time that I have when chubbing on a small river. This can mean fishing a swim more than once during a session if there aren't enough swims on the stretch to move to a new one each time. This isn't a problem as long as you rest the swim for long enough - about half an hour is the minimum - after which time, fish that you may have spooked earlier should return to the swim.

A small river with lots of colour

Approach swims with caution and figure out where you're going to sit, put your gear and cast to before you actually venture in. Remember that minimum disturbance equals maximum chance of catching. Be aware of your shadow and avoid it being cast over the water if the sun is behind you. Keep low when entering the swim and

try to get behind some cover like a bush or tree if possible. The prospect of that first cast in a new swim is exciting, but a little time spent thinking about how you're going to approach it will pay dividends and put fish on the bank.

Chub are notorious for sticking to cover, so the angler targeting them should read the swim for potential holding places. Overhanging trees and bushes, rafts of debris, slack water, creases, eddies, bends and undercut banks are all features to be fished to. You should try to cast a little upstream of your target and allow your bait to be carried into position by the current to achieve a natural presentation.

If there's a chub in the swim that's going to feed, chances are that it will home in on your bait and you'll get a bite shortly after it settles. I tend not to leave a bait any longer than seven or eight minutes before re-casting or putting the bait near a different feature. When I've given all the likely looking places a go, I'll move to the next swim.

Bites at this time of year can vary from fish to fish, with some causing the tip to wrap round with no prior warning, while others while be the slightest tremor at the end of the tip as a chub tentatively picks up the bait. Keep the rod in, or very close to your hand, so that you can hit a bite as soon as it occurs to increase your chances of hooking the fish.

Drop-backs cannot be ignored and you have to get used to spotting them. If a fish picks up the bait and moves upstream, your tip will straighten and you should strike as you would at a standard indication. It takes some getting used to but with

practise, you should be able to detect what's happening at the end of the line from the signals on your tip. If there's any doubt, strike!

Try an afternoon session and stay on into dusk and beyond if you can. Like most species, chub will feed more confidently at night than they will during daylight hours. Sport can be slow if the sun is bright and low as it often can be at this time of year, but don't get disheartened by this. Action will soon hot up as the sun starts to sink so it's worth putting a head torch in your bag and staying on for as long as you can.

You can loose feed a little liquidised or mashed bread

Bait and feeding

It can feel like a pointless exercise if you're fishing with a bait that you're not 100 per cent happy with, so it's important to have confidence in what's on your hook. Cheese paste will account for plenty of chub and it's all the more satisfying if you've made it yourself. It's a visual bait, as it's light in colour, and the smell will always help to draw fish into the swim. It's very versatile in terms of size and can be frozen between sessions as it only improves with age! My back-up baits to try in the unlikely event of the paste failing are bread flake or lob worm, with the latter coming into play if the river is carrying some extra water.

Tom with a nice small river chub

I don't introduce any loose offerings when fishing small rivers, as I'm confident that if there's a fish in the swim, it will be attracted by the aroma and sight of my hook bait. Rivers all behave differently, however, and it can be a good tactic to introduce a handful or two of liquidised or mashed bread to a few likely-looking swims, then returning to them later to fish. Don't use more than a couple of handfuls though, as you want the feed to act as an attractant to draw fish into the swim where they'll find your hook bait, rather than a groundbait for them to feed on. Try one session with loose feed and one without and see which works best on the river that you're fishing.

Get out there…

Adopting these simple tactics can yield some brilliant results with maximum rewards attainable from minimum effort. It's an exciting way of fishing that offers the chance to catch plenty, and it can often beat sitting out a biteless day in a single swim. So put this information into practice and head to your nearest small river before the season ends, for some winter chubbing that'll get your pulse racing, and put a bend in your rod and a smile on your face.