Chub in small rivers ( help )

[Jason Heenan]

This is an appeal for help from somebody who has fished for chub in small rivers. While walking the dog I have noticed several nice looking chub in a small river, 10ft wide, slow-medium flow and approx 6ft deep. This river is obviously pretty clear at the moment. Having little or no experience on rivers can anybody give me any suggestions. Thanks in advance

Jason

 

[Jason Heenan]

I forgot to mention, my real name is Wendy and I've got blond hair !! ( No offence meant Wendy )

 

[David Will]

Try keeping well upstream and trickling in bread crusts or chum mixers till the Chub are taking them well. Then let your hookbait travel down. This should be one solution.

 

[Peter Morton]

Freelined slug,the bigger the better,don,t let go of the rod though!!!!!!!

 

[Daniel Whitelock]

free lining slug or big old lobworm or breadflake round a big hook.

cheers Daniel

 

[Dave Johnson]

The above methods in clear (ish) water will catch you a chub or two, but the secret is to feed mashed bread etc heavily, draw a few fish upstream then fish for them when the fish are competing rather than just taking the odd single bait.This way you shoud catch a few more before they spook. Travel light and keep moving DOWN the river, that way you will always be moving onto water that bait has gone through and fish are moving up to

 

[Stuart Johnson]

Chub, like that one, will try it on the Sow. However, I have read somewhere that it is best to walk upstream as you are less likly to spook the fish. The reasoning behind this is that the chub are facing upstream and they are less likly to see you through their tail. What do you think?

 

[Martin Wright]

From the sound of the type of small river the freelined worm type approach is a good one for summer/autumn. Approach from behind ie cast upstream if they are visible and easily spooked. Perhaps a clear/flourocarbon line might help. I personally have had more success with worms than slugs. It's great fun targeting individual fish.

Again from my own experience, if the river is clear and you walk downstream the chub will probably see you before you see them.

I tend to use the downstream approach if there's a bit of colour in the water and I can't see the fish and I want to feed up the swim(s) as Dave suggests.

 

[Fred Bonney]

I have a tiny trib. of Gt Ouse on my doorstep and often wander down(or up) the river from this time of year onwards.My main successes apart from the natural baits,particularly if water is coloured are smelly baits, freelined stilton on a big hook most productive.Good luck.

 

[Fred Bonney]

I have a tiny trib. of Gt Ouse on my doorstep and often wander down(or up) the river from this time of year onwards.My main successes apart from the natural baits,particularly if water is coloured are smelly baits, freelined stilton on a big hook most productive.Good luck.

 

[Stewart Bloor]

Jason, I do a lot of chub fishing on small rivers. You don't mention whether you can night fish, but if you can, dusk onwards should be a good time to tackle the river.

Your river sounds like a couple I fish. I bait up a number of swims and then basically rove between them. Catch a decent chub and the disturbance will kill the swim anyway for a while.

Not trying to promote myself, so please don't get the wrong impression, but check out the Pilgrim's Progress archives and read some of the previous ones that are about the River Mease. Thay make throw up some points that could be useful.

 

[Wendy Perry]

No offence taken JASON :O) i have caught loads of chubb just on maggot is it different on a river than a lodge ??????
(or am i just a dumb blonde )

Wendy

 

[Ron Clay]

Ah small rivers and chub, one of the greatest loves of my life. I spent 4 years living next to the Warwickshire Leam and in a 2 mile stretch I got to know every chub in it I guess.

This type of fishing means learning real watercraft. Before you even get any tackle go and buy a complete camouflaged set of clothes and learn to crawl on your stomach. If you,ve had army commando training it will be invaluable. Even the sight of a white handkerchief will spook them.

In winter mix up a bucket of mashed bread and hemp. Walk down the river and bait up the obvious spots, deep holes, bends, overhanging willows etc.

Then leave the river for about 2 hours and go back with your tackle.

Use crust from a farmhouse loaf to 8 lb line and a 4 hook. A 10 foot rod is ideal. Go to the spots you have baited, get on your stomach and move into place. You should get a fish within seconds of casting your bait if you havn't spooked them.

Get hold of Tony Miles book Search for big chub. Small river tactics are covered here very well.

Have fun - it's the most exciting from of fishing that I know.

 

[Dave Johnson]

could'nt agree more Ron. An important aspect of small river fishing is watercraft. It is not always the case to feed and draw fish to you on small rivers. The key is recognising potential chub swims-not only the obvious rafts etc, but the less obvious current changes, creases and deviations that cause food holding areas.
Above all though is concealment. Once they are spooked you will struggle, but catch em unaware and they are as bold as brass and will take anything.