Ribble 'sixes'

Gary Knowles · Oct 24, 2006

Interesting article Graham.

I know from experience how rare GENUINE ribble 'sixes' are. Personally speaking I have had two, both scrapers. When you consider the number of chub in excess of 5lb I have caught to only catch a couple of 6's shows (to me at any rate) that they are the proverbial rocking horse sh*t.

That said I have had three fish at 5.15 and even more at 5.14 so maybe its just my scales that need changing !!!!

Also you mention float fishing, I've actually made a promise to myself to do a lot more float fishing on the rivers this winter in search of chub, roach and grayling and this is something I'm really looking forward to.

Fred Bonney · Oct 24, 2006

Thanks for this article Graham.
I'm looking forward to my first Ribble adventure (18/11)
No preconceived ideas though,just my Trent tackle.

GrahamM · Oct 24, 2006

That should do it Fred.

John Ledger (ACA) · Oct 24, 2006

Great aticle Graham and its a river i have never fished.Past over it a few times near Preston by the motorway bridge

John Ledger (ACA) · Oct 24, 2006

Graham
You have not seen the size of Freds weights.
Big Arnie would have trouble working out with them,ok for the bench press

GrahamM · Oct 24, 2006

I just wish I could fish it more often these days, but the M6 is such a nightmare the traveling spoils the trip to the point where it puts you off going. I might start fishing the upper Severn again this winter as the journey doesn't involve any motorways. It's hard fishing but reasonable potential for a 6-pounder.

Bryan Baron 2 · Oct 24, 2006

Great read Graham that got the chub jucies flowing. If this weather continues we should have a great fish-in next month. Plan to do more with the float rod this year as well. Getting a bit bored sitting behind rods.

GrahamM · Oct 24, 2006

Fred's weight? I have John, he's fatter than me.

Dimitrievich Nabokov · Oct 24, 2006

Thank you for the Article Mr Marsden but there was no mention of was the fish tasting like. I imagine it was nice with potatoes and very strong vodka. The fine fish in the picture I presume it was a ribble fish, if so was it one of the above ribchester fishes I read so much about?

I would like to take this chance to say thank you for a very well presented and informative site.

BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester · Oct 24, 2006

A really nice read Graham. And brilliant photographs. I will deffinately have to get more float fishing in.

Bryan Baron 2 · Oct 24, 2006

Dim best with creamed potatoes and a nice mushroom and cream sauce and fresh asparagus.

I also think the fish came from below ribchester. Clitherow anglers stretch i think.

yoggy · Oct 24, 2006

Graham,If there is one thing that i lack in fishing its confidence.You state that when things get tough you opt for a 1.7lb hooklength.I never go below a 3lb hooklength when targeting Chub nowadays.I have in the past lost fish when using a 2.6lb hooklength.A 1.7lb hooklength seems to me such a light line to be using for hard fighting winter Chub.Am i doing something wrong or is it as i stated just a confidence thing??.

GrahamM · Oct 24, 2006

Simon, I only go that light in open water, never when there is a chance the fish can reach snags. I've never had a problem with 1.7 to a 20's landing chub over 5lb providing I can take my time and 'guide' them to the net.

I don't mean take all day, but just don't try to bully them like you can with heavier line. The best way I can describe fishing a light line for any big fish is to make sure all the tackle is balanced right through from the rod to the hook and 'guide' them. When they swim away from you with a rush you have to let them go, when you manage to get them swimming towards you put just enough pressure on them to steer them where you want them to go. If they start to get more aggressive then ease off again.

It's a fact that the more pressure you put on a fish the more it will try to swim away from that pressure. I suppose the secret, for want of a better way of putting it, is to apply just enough pressure to not allow them to have all their own way, but not enough to instil panic.

Yes, confidence comes into it, but the only way you'll get confident is to try it.

Remember though, the lightest line is the last resort, not the first one.

Baz, that's something I keep promising myself and now I've just had a reminder of the sheer joy of it on the Idle fish-in I'm more determined than ever to do more float fishing for chub this winter.

Dimitrievich Nabokov · Oct 24, 2006

Mr Marsden, or can I call you God? I agree about the light line. I also say a similar thing about small single hooks. In Poland we have saying, "why tie one small hook when you can tie many big ones"

You could try 50ft of 20lb line with a size 2 hook at 1ft intervals. To this tie a large pebble or stone and throw it has far as you can. Bait would be some form of dried meat any cheap cut will work but it must be tough as leather. when targeting predators you can put meat on the first say 3 hooks and tin foil or bits of coke tins on the others (big trebles are best for this) the idea being chub or eels will pick up the meat first giving movement to the tinfoil. Tie all this in an unobtrusive area and Jadwiga?s your uncle.

Don't worry about confidence or snags.

All this should take no more than an hour including the journey. Go back in a day or maybe two if you?ve had much vodka. The time you save can be better used to make love to your beautiful wifes and girl friends.

It never ceases to amaze me how you English mess about with all this tickle tackle.

Neil Maidment · Oct 24, 2006

Good article Graham, thanks.

Some thing don't change! Your comments on float fishing and feeding techniques, especially "don't feed a swim straight away", almost exactly match those of my mentors and teachers from way back in the 1960's/1970's.

We fished the Stour and Avon and I loved to trot the float. Feeding was always, always the key to a good net of Chub.

Fred Bonney · Oct 24, 2006

Nah,I will not respond.

Dimitrievich Nabokov · Oct 24, 2006

Go on Fred you know you wanna.

yoggy · Oct 24, 2006

Graham,thankyou for your advice.Like any other angler i to from time to time find the going tough. What type of low diameter hooklengths should i be looking at.My local shop sells that WB Clarke hooklength. Would this be ok to use?.

BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester · Oct 24, 2006

I have caught and landed 15 lb carp on a 1lb bottom and 20's hook.
but as Graham says, this was in open water and I knew there were no snags about. When it wanted to go I simply let it go. Surprisingly it didn't take that long to get in either. This incidentally was on a stillwater.

Peter Jacobs · Oct 24, 2006

A really enjoyable article Graham.

I have never been able to get up there to fish that lovely looking river, but who knows what the next year or so might bring forth.

I know very few swims on the Avon where you can fish that light, but when you can what a great experience landing good sized Chub is on light lines and matched rods.
Typically, with all the weed on the Avon then 21/2lb hook length is the minimum I'd recommend. That said, there are a few swims though where 1.7 or 2lb hooklength is acceptable.

I always think that one good Chub on the float is worth 5 on the ledger or feeder, but that is just me as I love to trot a float whenever I can. Also, I've noticed that when feeding little and often you can bring the Grayling on quite well on the Avon, and a deeply hooked Grayling on feeder tackle is not good for the Grayling.

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