How big would you say this Chub is........

chav professor · Jun 7, 2012

There are many who may say I have an un-healthy interest in the Chevin and spend far too much time in pursuit the logger headed Chub. But I can't help it!!! I have spent the last few months absorbing myself in their environment allowing my polarizing glasses to merge our terrestrial and watery worlds.

My main focus has been observing chub behavior in between 1.5 and 5ft of water... as it happens this was to include the pre-spawning, spawning and post spawning habits. Interestingly, the earlier spawning, the male Chub did not have tubercles - now plainly visible.

Anyway, back to the point of the thread........ I took this picture from a tree and was gobsmacked at the size of the chub in the photo. with so many factors that make fish size estimation difficult in water, adrenaline and wishful thinking

D)....

I have always found it difficult to estimate fish sizes in the water - often under-estimating

I estimate the size of the smaller chub in that picture to be a good 4lb - the size of the second Chub......?????? The more observant of you will notice the spawning tubercles on the smaller fish, males being typically much smaller than females, could my estimation be out by half a pound (max) +/- saying that, it was a good sized fish.

Water depth is approximately 3ft where that was shot.

Just interested in what you guys reckon......

andreagrispi · Jun 7, 2012

You need to change your glasses, they are bream!!!

peter crabtree · Jun 7, 2012

Thats what I thought ?

Mark Wintle · Jun 7, 2012

Chub on the left, 8-10lb barbel on the right.

dangermouse · Jun 7, 2012

The one on the left is definitely a chub (you can see the white lips) and if your estimate of 4lbs is correct the fish on the right has to be close to double figures. I think Mark may well have hit the nail on the head and it`s a barbel.

Alan Tyler · Jun 7, 2012

Doesn't the pink of barbels' pectoral fins show more clearly than that in shallow water?

Left-hand fish appears to have spawning tubercles - I think they're a pair of bream, the hen on the right.

Chub have a much blunter head from above, and less "snout".

Edit: Sorry, missed Christian's note on tubercles, but still think they're bream!

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Jun 7, 2012

Bream??? With rounded, convex pectoral fins? I don't think so.

chav professor · Jun 7, 2012

I shall post another picture.... It would be a surprise if it were a barbel!!! The shape of the mouth of the big fish is perhaps skewed due to the water ripple effect, I have some pics of some strange looking fish due to the 'fish-eye' effect.

I saw the fish from a different angle to that photographed and nothing about either fish indicated bream, though there seems something odd about the larger fish. perhaps through dream eyes, or could that be bream eyes(?)....

If that is a Chub, that would be a handful on rod and line!

Interesting debate.......

murv · Jun 7, 2012

It's interesting that despite countless hours watching fish with Polaroids, I can't quite tell if it's a Barbel, Chub or Bream...

Gut instinct, I would suspect a barbel although it does look very Chub like to me. Probably a fish of 7-8lbs? so a very nice fish regardless of what it is.

Hopefully you'll have a decent side-on photo for us come the 16th

EDIT: another interesting thing is your point about under estimating fish in the water. It's a very pronounced effect that what looks to be a small fish in the water, actually turns out to be a nice 4lber when you hook it!
Spotted a huge, huge Perch from a bridge crossing a local river a couple of Months ago, it was the biggest Perch I'd seen in my life. I would've conservatively estimated it at around 6lbs so Lord knows how big it actually was. (yes, I'll be Perch fishing there at some point this coming season)

chav professor · Jun 7, 2012

If it is a Barbel, this is a river with no history of official stockings...... though you could say the same about koy, golden orfe and various carp and goldfish etc..... we have become quite multicultural since the heaviest floods in over 40 years.

chub_on_the_block · Jun 7, 2012

Both bream?. Difficult!

Maybe they are the go-to fish in such circumstances...Ide

rubio · Jun 7, 2012

I don't recall ever seeing tubercules on chub. Even if that were a consistent fact I don't think either are bream. Maybe the signs on the head of the left of the pair are just an effect of the light on a rippled flowing surface. The pectoral fins seem appropiate for a chub. That part of the river is predominantly chub, and not a single barbel ever reported.
Process of elimination suggests chub all the way imo.
How long ago did you get the 6lb 2oz? Cos the biggun looks very like the scartailed beast from the same stretch. Maybe the left one is the 4 3/4 lb fish I had from there?
I've always told you monsters lurk ain't I

dangermouse · Jun 7, 2012

If barbel are highly unlikely could the fish on the right be a carp?

bennygesserit · Jun 7, 2012

Well with my Ninja fish estimating skills I am keeping out of this one , other than to say what a wonderful photograph and how well you did to creep up on them.

chav professor · Jun 7, 2012

6lb4oz Rubio..... its companion did have a scar pattern remarkably similar to that fish.

cause, they are easier to distinguish out of the water.

Though, being a point in case, the fish pictured above did not look that big in the water..... I was thinking, maybe a good '5'.

Mark Wintle · Jun 7, 2012

No barbel? Hmmmm... Down on the South coast at least three rivers that haven't been officially stocked seem to have acquired a breeding stock, and another river, the Dorset Frome, now has chub - I had my first ones from it after fishing the river for over 40 years just last February. Someone is seeding fish left right and centre. We're wondering if there are barbel in there as well!

Try us with another pic.

chav professor · Jun 7, 2012

Hi Mark, value your input!

Heres a close up shot of the head of the larger chub. If I could have climbed down without spooking this fish, is would have made identification much simpler. when I saw it.... my instinct said 'Chub'... but I am open to suggestions. Barbel would be credible in light that there are lakes upstream that do have a 'still water' population.

murv · Jun 7, 2012

Looks very much like a Barbel to me!

Mark Wintle · Jun 7, 2012

The scaling and shape of head looks like barbel to me, too.

barbelboi · Jun 7, 2012

If I had to make a guess I'd say barbel.
Jerry
PS Not sure about the one in your hands though Chav

How big would you say this Chub is........

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