Chub in West Yorkshire

I live in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and I've done my fair share of still water fishing over the years but now I fancy having a go for a chub or two!

I know they are quite happy in still waters, but can anyone recommend a stretch of river that I could try within an hour's drive?

Simon,

The Wharfe will be nearest to you.Lots of Chub & Barbel.

There are day ticket stretches at Boston Spa but I'm not sure where you get tickets from now after Lower Wharfe Anglers closed down. I'm sure others can help on this.

I did hear chub were being caught higher up the Calder and I know they were stocked in the canal system upstream of Wakefield. Every time I visit the mother-in-law I say I will have a go at the Calder, her garden backs on to the river just down stream of the Denby Dale Doad bridge, and looks across the river to Thornes. I have also heard that barbel are to be found in some of the faster sections down stream of some of the weirs, especially at Horbury Bridge.
A far cry from when I was at school there when all you would catch would be some death threatening disease.

There used to be an Albert Firth who played for Wakefield T in the 60's, any relation Simon?
Bought my first maggots from old Fred Alexandres pet shop in Lower Kirkgate many many years ago.

Thanks for that info! The Calder is indeed a good deal cleaner than few years ago; I'll have to give it a try!

No relation to Albert Firth as far as I know as my family originate from Barnsley; it;s a fairly common name! I'm pleased to say that Freds in Lower Kirkgate is still open.

Simon, The Fred I knew is long gone. When I firt married he lived just round the corner on Milnthorpe Lane, just off the Barnsley Rd. He must have been in his 80's then and that was 1965, by that time his son was running the business(I think) Old Freds shop used to be just up from the railway brige at the very bottonm of Lower Kirkgate. I think the shop is now in The Springs - if memory serves me right.
Strange how RL never took a hold in Barnsley, but from what I gather its not too well suported in Wakefield these days either. Things seemed to go down hill when an old drinking pal of mine became Chairman some years ago.