First decent chub of 2011

chav professor · Feb 4, 2011

Have to share this with you, I have had 12 chub to 3lb13oz since Christmas - and yes I have been side tracked with pike but started to feel I had lost the 'touch'.

Just nipped out for 2 hours fishing. Blustery conditions made spotting bites on a modern ledger rod impossible, so reverted back to my MK4 Avon - the rod is soft enough at the top to show bites, but stable enough in the wind!

After about an hour, a hesitant pull signalled the attention of Chevin. Banked at a weight of 4lb 9oz At least I have something to build my confidence on...... Its been a funny year for Chub on our river.

i'll have to persuade the Misses to let me out after tea.........

Its not all about 6lb chub in my nick of the woods....lol

dannytaylor · Feb 4, 2011

Nice chub Christian

---------- Post added at 09:28 ---------- Previous post was at 09:17 ----------

"Its not all about 6Ib chub"

Too true, big Chub are quite rare on my local rivers and brooks and a 4Ib + Chub is a good fish. Took this nice bag during early December last year from a small stream, they fell for ledgered flake/roquefort cheese. These where the last Chub i caught so yet to catch my first chub of this year. Looking forward to some lure fishing for them this coming season

chav professor · Feb 4, 2011

I love seeing a gang of chub on the bank danny - lovely photo!! Chub fishing has been a little topsy turvey - last year was a disaster. I suppose that is why I have started fishing for pike a little more seriously.

Anyway - just upset the wife, so tonight looks like a goer.....:wh

At the moment have to take the chances as they come along - looks ideal for sharing the bank with an evening of bold wild life. Perhaps i shall see an otter hunting...........

I'll let you know how it goes

peter crabtree · Feb 4, 2011

on the bank sounds better than on the sofa with bold,wild wife.......

bigchub · Feb 4, 2011

I'm rather envious of both of you as I haven't been able to get out for a spot of chubbing yet this year

. Good fishing guys and nice pictures.

Harvey · Feb 4, 2011

..........

Sean Meeghan · Feb 4, 2011

Nice one Christian! It looks like the Swale chub I've been catching - very thin for this time of year.

Deanos has been reporting 5lbers to me, but I think he's been using scales 'borrowed' from his auntie Aggies tripe shop in Heckmondwyke. All the 5lbers I've weighed from the Swale this year have weighed about 4 1/2lb

chav professor · Feb 4, 2011

Should get a few fives before the end of the season.... Just seem like the sands of time are evaperating. I always feel a bit of tension this time of the year......

should have a little faith..... its a long close season admiring the photo album/memories etc........

904_cannon · Feb 4, 2011

Nice fish, and Ambidex, Christian.

Just learned a valuable lesson from the photo, always use a split shot larger than the landing net mesh

Does anyone make 4oz split shot

Deanos, I heard he'd passed on, ate too many of Hofmans pork pies.

chav professor · Feb 4, 2011

Cheers John - I'm going to be controversial here, but that ambidex is the equal of any modern reel I own - shimanos included...

It is my favourite fixed spool reel. I do tend to backwind but have the drag set for 'lunges', which to be truthfull is not giving the reel due credit - it has a lovely smooth clutch.

I just wish it had a line clip on the spool - a super invention..

904_cannon · Feb 4, 2011

Lovely reels. I had a couple Christian, sadly I left them in my wife's granddad's out-house in N Ireland in 1970.
We didn't return 'till 2003, the out-house was still there but no reels

The old fella was long gone.

no-one in particular · Feb 5, 2011

February for chub

I have found February and the first two weeks of March to be an excellent time for chub. I have records going back 11 years and the statistics show this to be so. In fact I have shown the statistics for February/Moon Phase on the website anglingfor.co.uk and chub are top species for the month in all but one of the moon phases. This is based on pure statistics but, does anyone else find this month and next month to be a excellent time for chub?
I have found some of the rivers I fish in the lower stretches to be absent of chub in the summer and yet, come February they seem to produce plenty and sometimes very good fish. Do other anglers find this - is there some migration to the lower stretches at this time of year?

Sean Meeghan · Feb 5, 2011

The chub at this time of the year do seem to prefer the steadier, deeper water. There seems to be a migration out of the faster water in the autumn with fish becoming spread out through the river. They then tend to shoal up more tightly in the colder weather in late December, January and February.

They do tend to be at their biggest at this time of year, but this year, presumably due to the harsh conditions, they aren't as heavy as they usually are.

chav professor · Feb 5, 2011

Historically, feb/mar is the best time for me and chub - maybe because I focus more attention around this time of the year. This lovelly warm wind we are experiencing at the moment is great for fishing, but family commitments etc. will be going piking tomoroow morning though

Phil Hatton 2 · Feb 6, 2011

Nice rig Prof'

chav professor · Feb 6, 2011

As Gok would say 'its all about the confidence'! the river was pretty slow, so just a single swan shot about 14 inches from a cube of luncheon on a size 6.

Cheers Phil

First decent chub of 2011

chav professor

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dannytaylor

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chav professor

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peter crabtree

AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)

bigchub

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Harvey

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Sean Meeghan

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chav professor

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904_cannon

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chav professor

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904_cannon

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no-one in particular

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Sean Meeghan

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chav professor

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Phil Hatton 2

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chav professor

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