Big Chub – Thoughts and Observations

[Tee-Cee]

As **** Walker once said when asked why he used such heavy tackle " I go to land them, not lose them" (or words to that effect)...............Pointless spending countless hours after a fish only to lose it because the tackle fell short of the task-or even worse, yards of mono attached to a 6/7lb fish AND the necessary barbed hook..

When told of my 10lb line one angler said to me " far too heavy for this water.doesn't give the fish a chance"...........what planet are these people on??

.....................he was too fat to throw in!!

 

[Philip]

Just catching up with this. Thanks for that Simon. Nice to see a good unadulterated article about how someone goes about catching big fish. Of course I like the other articles people post as well but sometimes an article like this is a nice change from the waxing lyrical type pieces about the beauty of "just being there"...

Good to see someone put it straight down the line...here's what I use, here's what I do. Anyone reading it can't help but pick up a few pointers which could help them to catch.

Nice one.

 

[bigchub]

I've already been putting Bob & Simon's tactics to devastating effect. In the last two afternoon chubbing sessions on the Waveney me and my Dad have took 19 chub to 4lb 10oz. Don't you just love it when the plan comes together!

By the way those circle hooks really are the business! Won't be using anything else for this style of chubbing from now on.

 

[Simon K]

Thank you Phillip.


And Big Chub, sssshhhhhhhh, we didn't mention cycle hooks, right?

Well done, there's some big ones on their way I'm sure.

 

[xenon]

A great article, and another arrow in the quiver... also very interested in your last post - packing up at Croxley and coming back past the normally fishless, welly-wadeable (almost) shallows by torchlight, there used to be big bow-waves and splashes that suggested that shrimps weren't safe once the light went.

Hi Alan-had just the same thing happen to me a few times at Croxley (just below the bridge that goes over the canal and the river?) Cannot say for sure what it was, except it could well have been chub and that it was big. Very big.

 

[Alan Tyler]

The very spot. There were a carp and bream or two that visited from the canal from time to time, but they would be outnumbered by the chub.

 

[richard859]

A little late maybe but?

I found this article interesting and thought provoking. However I would like to add a little something else.

I find coarse fishing and the articles around it starting to become a little too samey?

Example.

We turned up at the lake/river baited a few swims fished bolt-rigs for carp, barbel, tench, bream, roach and now chub and mostly caught.

It seems to me all fishing is now becoming a case of baiting a trap for the fish, waiting, and the fish now hooks itself. Little is left to chance as we also use very heavy tackle so few fish are lost. Gone is the art of surprise, luck or craft, and the writing around it is becoming very boring, sorry Simon!

As Simon mentions he knows most of the swims the big chub visit (it's the same with barbel, carp, bream as most other big, old, fish being creatures of habit) so I would imagine is more a case of ''getting the swim'' and putting in the time?

Now I know finding the fish is a skill in itself, but the angling grapevine is a bountyful source of information, and it's not that difficult to track down big fish spots, without even visiting the venue?

Many people said what a wonderful article it was, but without being cruel, you could have subtracked chub, and put any species, such as barbel, and little would have to be changed.
I'm grateful to Simon for the piece as it's given me (an on and off chub fisherman for 50 years) much to think about. And I expect I will give it a try, despite my little rant.
People like Simon push us forward and that's a good thing, but many others follow with out a second thought. Maybe it's time we stood back and reviewed our fishing methods. The bolt rig is a highly effective way to catch fish, that is beyond any doubt. But it also takes so much of the essence away from our hobby.

Another example is, it's getting so boring many people are turning to cane rods and centre pins to spice things up a bit?

I don't expect many will agree with me, in this do or die culture now days. But it's my humble view.

I really wish Simon good luck with his 8lb chub quest. I just hope when he gets it, it's on a freelined slug, cast at a fish he can see!

Good Luck.

 

[chav professor]

I think what Simon was doing in writing this was to re-dress the balance by describing the methods he has found so sucsessful - believe me, this artical was welcomed from my perspective as I was seeking clarification on how to approach chub specifically using this method - and this is from someone who has cane rods and uses more 'traditional' methods.

I recoil when I write the words traditional as it has conitations of doing the same thing time over time and negates the need to think around a problem - this is obviously not the case.

Bolt rigs and chub are open to contreversy and belief that perhaps it does not work. This article specifically answer this question.

Is bolt rigging for chub as effective as it is for other species? there is only one way to find out....... you can use it or not. there are plenty of enjoyable methods for catching chub - for me that is what makes me tick... In fact it is my motivation for specialising in this species. I fully anticipate giving it a go, but not to the exclusion of other incredibally effective methods.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

A little late maybe but?

I found this article interesting and thought provoking. However I would like to add a little something else.

I find coarse fishing and the articles around it starting to become a little too samey?

Example.

We turned up at the lake/river baited a few swims fished bolt-rigs for carp, barbel, tench, bream, roach and now chub and mostly caught.

It seems to me all fishing is now becoming a case of baiting a trap for the fish, waiting, and the fish now hooks itself. Little is left to chance as we also use very heavy tackle so few fish are lost. Gone is the art of surprise, luck or craft, and the writing around it is becoming very boring, sorry Simon!

As Simon mentions he knows most of the swims the big chub visit (it's the same with barbel, carp, bream as most other big, old, fish being creatures of habit) so I would imagine is more a case of ''getting the swim'' and putting in the time?

Now I know finding the fish is a skill in itself, but the angling grapevine is a bountyful source of information, and it's not that difficult to track down big fish spots, without even visiting the venue?

Many people said what a wonderful article it was, but without being cruel, you could have subtracked chub, and put any species, such as barbel, and little would have to be changed.
I'm grateful to Simon for the piece as it's given me (an on and off chub fisherman for 50 years) much to think about. And I expect I will give it a try, despite my little rant.
People like Simon push us forward and that's a good thing, but many others follow with out a second thought. Maybe it's time we stood back and reviewed our fishing methods. The bolt rig is a highly effective way to catch fish, that is beyond any doubt. But it also takes so much of the essence away from our hobby.

Another example is, it's getting so boring many people are turning to cane rods and centre pins to spice things up a bit?

I don't expect many will agree with me, in this do or die culture now days. But it's my humble view.

I really wish Simon good luck with his 8lb chub quest. I just hope when he gets it, it's on a freelined slug, cast at a fish he can see!

Good Luck.

****,

You found it Samey ?

Where else have you found a constructive article on the use of Circle hooks for Chub Fishing ?

Yes it incorperates a Bolt Rig, but that is how the hook works best.

You can flick out a free lined Slug or touch leger with a bit of Cheese to Chub you can see, but has this not been writen about a thousand times before ?

Cutting edge articles are few and far between in the press or on the internet, they require fishing outside the box.

Simon and I have used all the older methods to catch Chub successfully, but the article was about the use of circle hooks and a chance to pass on information gained over 6yr period when other were stuggling to catch Big Chub with the more usual methods.

And I noticed that some angler took this information and used it to their own advantage to catch Chub.

There are those in angling who want nothing to change, to live in the past and there are those who try new things all the time, it's regarded as progress by some and hated by others ?

Bob

 

[chav professor]

Bob,

I totally agree! When i set about writing my own chub articles there are two caveats; I can only write about what I know and secondly, there has to be something slightly different from anything else I have come across. e.g. free-lining maggots, using strange creature from the pet store for bait (though substitute the word 'morio worm' for slug and it is samey)......

Look out for my November offering where I share a technique that has proved very effective in recent years - better still, I have never seen it in print before.

Chris

 

[904_cannon]

There are those in angling who want nothing to change, to live in the past and there are those who try new things all the time, it's regarded as progress by some and hated by others ?

Bob

And there are some who would object to even this small, but increasingly important, part of 'angling' to be shared by others, Bob.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

And there are some who would object to even this small, but increasingly important, part of 'angling' to be shared by others, Bob.

Well John,

I hope it helped

Bob

 

[Simon K]

****y,

Thanks for your critique, although I struggle to understand what you really mean by it?

I'm sorry the writing was boring for you, but given the subject matter, "Targetting Big Chub After Dark In Over Four Miles Of River, Canal And Flood Channel, When You Can't See Them In Deep Water" would have sorely taxed even Henry Williamson, I think?

Most of the answers to your questions are buried in the article and some in the replies in this thread.

You seem not to like the use of bolt-rigs (particularly for chub), which I have no problem with since that's your personal choice. I would suggest then, that you carry on fishing whichever method you choose without taking any of my work or thoughts on board, since it all relates to the use of said rigs in specific situations.

The article came off the back of a rather interesting thread a few months back.
http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/coarse-fishing/223026-favourite-chub-hook-4.html

I will answer just the one of your observations.
I know a swim on my club card where an 8lb chub was caught and publicised, with the result that that fish was subsequently captured (on last count) 8 times last season. 7 times from the same spot in that swim.
If I was just the "mercenary" Specimen Hunter that you allude to, I could quite happily stake out that swim (when I could get it), bang that "8" on my C.V. and go onto the next species.
As could probably anyone, even you.

I have not fished for it, nor have any intention of doing so. I deplore the anglers who exploited that information and I also deplore the egotistical manner in which the original captor (whom I know) put the info into the angling press.

At the moment, I am starting my winter chubbing in an area that holds several 8's, none of which to my knowledge, have ever come out of the swims I am currently targetting.

I think you should be careful about making assumptions based on "internet speak" and general hearsay, before putting them in front of a more knowledgeable audience.

 

[Simon K]

One final thought for ****y.

You should bear in mind that your complaint about articles like mine being "boring" and "samey" are being written by complete "nobody" amateurs who merely wish to share or explain something about their experience, especially where it differs from others.
Damning with faint praise is pretty mean-spirited in this context, I think and is hardly likely to encourage others to have a go.

You seem to be confusing this with anglers who write as part, or all, of their living?

But then, that wasn't really what riled you, was it? :wh

 

[Paul Morley]

An awful lot of coarse fishing writing is indeed samey - Simon's article lifted a lid on interesting ways to capture chub under adverse conditions, the amount of flamin repetitive nonsense about cheesepaste and crust is taking nothing forward. I'll happily do my Charles Landells technique when I want or need to, and I intend also to try circle hooks etc. when I want, or feel [[/I] need to.

 

[904_cannon]

Sir. Charles 'Slugger' Landells

The first time I ever encountered Charles, the smell of his slug bucket met me before he did. If there was a Doctorate in slug breeding he would have made Consultant

 

[Steve Pope]

You should bear in mind that your complaint about articles like mine being "boring" and "samey" are being written by complete "nobody" amateurs who merely wish to share or explain something about their experience, especially where it differs from others.
Damning with faint praise is pretty mean-spirited in this context, I think and is hardly likely to encourage others to have a go.

Simon doesn't really need any support from me but I am compelled to say how much I agree with the above.

The variety of articles on this site is amazing, there is something for everyone and every writer on here should be encouraged.

Chub fishing is not my game but I thoroughly enjoyed Simon's article.

 

[Simon K]

Thanks Steve.
I have to confess that if there's one creature I will not free-handle it's a slug. Forceps only. That slime takes DAYS to come off.
I don't have a phobia, but they have a greater "yuck" factor than any other organism I'd normally encounter. And that statement covers a lot of weird and scary animals, believe me.

"Slugger". What a fantastic nickname.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Thanks Steve.
I have to confess that if there's one creature I will not free-handle it's a slug. Forceps only. That slime takes DAYS to come off.
I don't have a phobia, but they have a greater "yuck" factor than any other organism I'd normally encounter. And that statement covers a lot of weird and scary animals, believe me.

"Slugger". What a fantastic nickname.

----------

Sugar Tongs :w

Bob

 

[Bob Hornegold]

With the Big Chub Season apon us again, I thought I would bring this thread up again.

And with Derek's question about methods it might help someone to realise a dream !!

Bob