Don’t worry, this isn’t a story about the large flabby appendage I have amassed on my frontage during lockdown, although I suppose that could be classed as a personnal best (PB) in some respects!
A nice way to sign
off the season.
I was required to
work throughout the outbreak. A prospect I initially had reservations about,
but eventually realised I was appreciating the normality and routine it was
providing. I spent the rest of the time on “House Arrest” clocking up the
brownie points, helping out with the home schooling and spending time with the
wife and kids on daily walks and bike rides. All the time though, in the back of
my mind was if and when we were going to be allowed out fishing again.
I enjoy lure fishing for bass in the spring and summer months but with weather, wind direction and tides being such a big factor in whether it’s even worth leaving the house, I was in need of a back-up plan, which in the few years previous had been half-heartedly chucking lures about my local river for perch and chub.
I’d had some success, but I wasn’t using the best set up and to be honest, I wasn’t taking it too seriously, so this year I vowed to change that, especially where the chub were concerned, and I used the time in lockdown to prepare.
Now, being a
Northerner, parting with cash is not my favourite pastime, so I was on the hunt
for a decent light lure set up that wouldn’t break the bank, and wasn’t utter
horse sh**e.
The rod I found
was a HTO Hooligan 5-25g rod. Now I knew nothing about this rod but
research showed a few positive reviews and I use a HTO rod for my bass
fishing which is an awesome rod, so I took a chance and clicked.
The rod arrived and I
was pleasantly surprised. It had a nice fast action and felt good in hand, one
issue is that the butt eye was ever so slightly out of line but what do you
expect for a £50 mass produced rod from china. I was sure it would have no
impact on the function of the rod at all but it was a bit annoying. Luckily
I’ve got a mate who is a very experience rod builder and he promised to rectify
it if it ever got too much to bear.
I’d already amassed a collection of little jelly shads, grubs and critter baits from the previous years and had a few little crank baits but felt I needed a few more of these as I knew they were going to be more likely to attract chub, so I purchased a little set of cheap cranks from flea bay.
Now this will probably have some of you reeling in disgust, but I refuse to spend decent money on little bits of plastic that are destined to end up as decorations in the surrounding foliage, and as previously mentioned, I’m Northern.
Anyway, for just over £100, I had a half reasonable set up that I could “get a bit more serious” with. Knowing that my local river was not known for its specimen chub, a 5lb fish on a lure was a challenge but not an impossibility so the target was set and I eagerly waited in hope of the rules relaxing, before the June 16th.
And they were, so
I got out for a few bass sessions seen as my club waters were still closed so
they could adjust swims in adherence to the guidelines, but I was keen for the
river season to arrive so I could try out my new set up.
The day arrived and I was out with my new rod and reel, which normally means a blank, but, I was like a kid on Christmas, and even better the weather was glorious. I’d had a certain backwater in mind as I knew there were chub there from the previous excursions, and it was a good walk away from the nearest access, so I assumed it’d get me away from the crowds. How wrong could I be!
The place was RAMMO!
Boats, canoes, paddleboards, swimmers, picnickers, every man and his dog, literally!
I couldn’t believe it, I’d hardly seen another soul in this area when I’d fished it the previous year but it was party central now!
It wasn’t the numbers of people there that annoyed me really though, they had just as much right to be there as I did, but there was total lack of respect and disregard for this beautiful place. Now I normally encounter litter on my river when I go there, and pick up bits at times, especially if its fishing rubbish giving the rest of us a bad name, but this was another level. Whole boxes of empty Stella cans lying about, takeaway cartons, burst lilos, carrier bags full of rubbish tied up and thrown in hedgerows. It was utterly depressing.
I had a few chucks but couldn’t handle it and went home.
I encountered scenes like this on two other occasions after that, including one where id managed to find a little bit of solitude casting from a ledge into a weir pool. I’d just missed a take on a surface frog and wasn’t sure if it was a chub or a jack, when out of the corner of my eye I seen a bloke slide down the weir, splash into the pool, swim over to me and ask “caught anything mate?”
“NO I HAVENT YOU CUCKING FUNT AND IM NOT GOING TO NOW AM I!?!” is what I thought of saying, but a simple “Nah mate” is what came out as I packed up and headed for home. After that, I decided to avoid the river for a while until the weather turned a bit or until I could get there at more unsociable hours.
Fast forward a
couple of weeks and a few blank beach sessions and I’d put my stuff in the car
and decided to drop on to the river after my night shift. I chose a spot I had found
the previous year but the real reason I was going here was because it was
closest to home so wouldn’t be too much of a struggle for my tired little eyes
on the way home to bed.
I got there just as it was getting light enough to see and jumped out of the car into the surprising cold morning air. I got set up and decide to have a few chucks on a brand new fishing platform that had been put there curtesy of the Environment Agency and Angling Trust. I was flicking a little limtreuse spikey shad about when I had a take from a good perch of around a 1lb 8oz, maybe even two, but after five seconds of being on and a shake of its head it was gone. I’d seen the whole thing clear as day through the water, even in the dim light, and it was then I realised just how crystal clear the water was. This was going to require some stealth!
When the light got up a bit more, I headed to my chosen backwater pushing through the 6ft high nettles. I got to a spot of fast narrow water where a crouching underarm flick of about 5 yards in either direction was all that was achievable, and all that was required, first cast downstream and after maybe two turns of the handle, Whollop, the lure was smashed by a chub of barely a pound.
Netted, snapped and released, I turned round and noticed a dark shape upstream of where I was. Another little flick in that direction and it was hammered again by a jack of about 4lb. luckily the hooks fell out in the net so it was released pronto.
Two for two! Both fish
taken on the Shakespeare mini S, roach pattern.
After another couple of flicks up and down with no interest, I figured the commotion of two fish meant a move was in order so headed to another spot close by where I’d seen the grass had been trampled down so assumed it had been flattened by a previous angler. Access was from higher ground so I was pretty much on my belt buckle crawling through the grass and stingy’s to get to the bank. I could see a few fish of about 2-3lb milling about in a small pool so I flicked the mini S on their heads but they spooked and scarpered.
I moved up the bank about 5 yards where it was just manageable to cast into a pool where the stream enters and eddies round before rushing past again where I’d just moved up from. I tried a couple of little flicks close by which produced no interest so started flicking further into the pool. Line of sight to the lure was obstructed by the bankside vegetation so it took me a second to realise what had happened when on one retrieve the lure was stopped in its tracks, thinking I’d snagged, then the clutch gave way. FISH ON!
I bullied the fish so it couldn't run me into a snag as it looked to be a decent sized chub. A few spirited runs taking a bit of line ensued before it allowed itself to be netted.
 |
| 4lb 8oz |
I’d matched my PB, on purpose, i.e. I was actually fishing for chub. Not like my previous best fish which had fallen to a real eel a couple years previous whilst after a toothier quarry.Happy days, this was turning out to be a great little session, two fish in the first two casts and now a matched PB and all on mini S, roach pattern. Another flick into the same pool produced a pike of around 6-7lb, obviously attracted by the earlier commotion. Netted, unhooked, snapped and released it was time to head home, and due to the excitement there was no “noddy dogging”* during the journey.
*this
is not referring to some sort of sordid activity involving newbie anglers and
sexual encounters in public places before all you dirty minded bar stewards
comment.
A few days later I got back out for a few hours having decided to revisit the same area but push further through the undergrowth to try and find a few more likely spots. A gazillion nettles
I’d found a couple of spots and managed a few micro chub but hadn’t seen anything of any stamp. I then happened across a deep pool that was screaming chub. Access to the pool was at 6’o’clock, with the stream entering fast at 11’o’clock, eddying around and exiting at 2’o’clock.
I'd lock with a big overhanging tree directly opposite at 12’o’clock with a big submerged fallen tree snag at the front of it. It was not an unfished mark as I could see the imprint of a bucket seat in the mud so I took it as a good sign that it must be worth a try.
I cast in all the likely spots but had no
interest and saw no signs, but then an absolute pearl of a cast, right under
the overhanging tree branches saw a dark shape take a bit of interest
but then a flash of bronze as it decided against it. At least I now knew there
was a good fish to be had there. I carried on for a little while longer but
couldn’t tempt a take so decided to head back and have quick stop at one of the
other spots before heading home. A stealthy crawl to the bank where I’d spooked
the fish with the plop of mini S on the previous session and I could see them
again. This time I decided a tiny little crank of about 2cm and as many grams
may be less disturbing and may tempt a take. I checked my trace as even the
slightest kink destroys the action of these lures as they’re so light. No
kinks, I was good to go. There were 3 fish and I flicked the little crank to
the tail of the middle fish. It turned to the sound of the plop, looked at the
lure, and as soon as I gave it a twitch, Whollop, it smashed it. Sight fishing
at its best, proper exciting stuff.
A short fight and it was netted, snapped and weighed at 2lb 12oz, not massive but even these small chub hit lures so aggressively. Happy days, no blank.
Another couple of days later and the gear was back in the car with the plan of dropping in on the river, bleary eyed after another night shift.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the deep pool where I’d seen the interest from under the overhanging tree and the plan was to make my way straight there and try to tempt the fish properly this time. I got there as it was getting light and didn’t notice any fresh bucket or boot marks so it seemed no one else had been there since I last had. I proceeded to cast to all the likely spots, stream entrance, under the overhanging branches and then up into the stream exit, but I couldn’t buy any interest.
I don’t know about anybody else, but I’ve found with lure fishing for chub, disturbance is the enemy, so I try not to make too many casts, so every hour in a swim I may only be actively fishing for 20-30 minutes. I know that sounds counterproductive as the lure needs to be in the water to catch the fish but I’ll make a cast to each likely spot then ill rest on my haunches for a few minutes, rest the swim and just watch. Especially if I’ve made a bit of a fluff cast and created some disturbance getting my lure back, I’ll just wait and watch for 5 minutes or so and let everything calm down in the hope I haven’t scared every living creature a million miles away. I apply this to my pike fishing sometimes too but not as much as I’ve found the need to while chub fishing.
Anyway, I digress, I fished the pool for maybe an hour with no signs of life whatsoever so decided to go exploring again and push further on, but after climbing over a barbed wire fence and slipping down a steep muddy bank I decided I was a bit too long in the tooth to be getting leggers off any angry game keepers so turned back and headed to more familiar ground. I decide to stop off and have a go at one of the swims fished previously again, so headed to the fast flowing section where I’d had the small chub and the 4lb jack. After crawling down the bank and a having a few downstream flicks, I was rewarded with a fish of 3lb 5oz in my net after causing a right commotion in the shallow water during the fight and soaking me.
 |
| Blank saver |
During the next day or two I was musing about what had been working, lure wise, and I noticed I’d only caught on light coloured cranks, silvers and roach style patterns, so I commandeered my missus UV nail varnish cooker thingy majig and got to painting a couple of my darker lures. I painted a spare perch pattern mini S as a white red head, and one of the cheap eBay cranks with a white belly, glitter grey sides and a darker grey top. I had to get out to try them so back to the same spot and straight to the deep pool.
The freshly
painted Gary Glitter crank was up first but the initial casts to the likely spots
produced nothing again. Casting to the stream exit was difficult as there was a
high overhanging tree I kept just catching the edge of and having to yank out my
line out of. Then another pearl of a cast saw the lure fly past
and keep my line clear of the branches, it flew right up close the reed on the
far side of the exiting stream and landed with an inviting plop.
Three or four turns of the reel handle and an absolutely savage, lightning fast take had me thinking I had a pike on. It was staying deep, taking line and darting for snags. I kept pressure on and bullied it out of the snaggy areas until it came closer and seen it was a real chunk of a chub. I was convinced this was a new PB so was a little surprised when it only tipped the scales at 4lb 7oz. Oh well, still a good fish from my river, and gave a fight like a fish possessed. Was this the fish I’d seen take interest previously? Probably, although the pool is definitely big enough to hold a few decent fish so it will be re visited. I had another few casts but decided that the commotion had probably spooked anything else into hiding so moved back in the direction of the car.
I stopped at the trampled grass swim for a few last casts before heading back and managed to find another spot where it was possible to cast across the upper pool and still maintain a view of the lure. It left you a bit more exposed and spottable, but keeping a low profile I flicked Gary Glitter as close to the far bank features as I could. Fan casting from left to right, I got to the point where the pool narrows and the water speeds up to exit as a stream again. I cast to the far edge of this where there was a small island of flotsam caught on an exposed tree root. The lure plopped down just in front of this and I can’t even remember turning the handle before I saw the dark shape dart out from under its cover and mug the lure off the surface. It felt like another decent fish and after a great little battle it was netted and weighed at 4lb 4oz.
My luck was definitely in.
After this session
I felt I’d pretty much exhausted the fishable spots and didn’t want to pressure
the area too much in the fear of ruining it for future fishing, so with another
backwater already in mind was planning my next trip out.
I’d fished the
next area the previous year also but hadn’t actually managed a chub out of
there, although I’d had countless missed takes on surface frogs.
A few days later
and a few hours to kill, I’m on my way. It’s a fair walk away which I quite
like as it normally stops the likely hood of anyone else being there.
I got to the first
spot and was casting across the weir pool. I could see a snag pretty much right
in front of me, a big tree branch that’d obviously been dragged down during the
previous floods. I was casting either side of this and trying to get my lure to
swim as close to it as possible without snagging. Gary glitter was back on and just swimming past the snag when
all hell broke loose on the surface!
A big Chub leapt clear of the water but missed the lure, damn.
I had a few more casts but couldn’t tempt another take so I decided to move to another swim for half hour or so then come back. During this time the heavens opened and I was soaked to the bone, not just from the rain but from the soaking wet waist high grass and nettles I was pushing through also. The other swim produced nothing but a couple of micro chub with eyes bigger than their bellies so I returned to the weir pool again.
I ran Gary past the snag a couple of times again but nothing stirred. I had a change and thought maybe the Mini S would have more of a chance due to it diving slightly deeper, it may give the fish a bit more confidence to strike if it had spooked itself with the previous attempt.
Low and behold,
second cast on the downstream side on the snag, I’d thought I’d caught on a
protruding branch I’d not seen until a head shake and the clutch giving line
told me different.
This fish ran me
ragged, trying to dart back into its snaggy home, and then 20 yards across the
pool to a load of overhanging trees and more snags. It was an awkward fight due
to the location I was fishing from and I was convinced he was going to get me
snagged or snap me off, but after a load more to’ing and fro’ing, he tired and
allowed himself to be netted.
A chunky Chub of 4lb 12oz which is a new PB, by only 4oz, but a new PB is a new PB.
Again I was a
little disappointed as I was convinced this fish was over 5lb, so I’m obviously
terrible at guessing fish weights.
I tried a few more
spots in this area but they were quite difficult casting, and there were a few
which were impossible, even for a little underarm flick and landing a fish
would’ve been another impossibility, so I gave up and headed home happy with my
new PB and with a plan to return with my cast waders to try my luck in a few of
the harder to reach areas.
At home, I’d started to making lures following a few tips and tricks I got from some likeminded folk on a well known forum (plug plug). I bought a few components and basic tools to get myself started and was enjoying the process of creating my own little custom cranks. My painting was pretty uncouth as I was still only using my better half’s UV nail varnish gear but the use of the foil tape on the sides with the added scale and gill plate details really made them look pretty good, even if I do say so myself.
I obviously wanted
to get out to try them out and hopefully catch something on one, or all of them
so I was deliberating about my exploits and I got to thinking about the
original backwater again where I’d first had my luck. I was convinced there
must be a few more fishable spots beyond the barbed wire fence so was an early session
one morning, possibly before any angry gamekeepers or more importantly, their
dogs, were awake. I had an early night and set my alarm for 4.30am with the
missus looking at me like I had two heads! “you’re getting up at what time on a
Sunday?" Needs must!
Now I’m not an advocate of fishing private areas or to simplify it “Poaching”, but also, I don’t understand or agree with how stretches of natural river can be owned by an estate or household to the exclusion of all others. And anyway, there’s always the get out of jail free card isn’t there ’’Me sprackens de non Anglais mate !’’
So with the alarm silenced and a quick caffeine injection, I made my way, stealthily, to my chosen spot of transgression.
Arriving at the
barbed wire from a different path this time I found there was no need to climb
over it risking the safety of my most prized assets. The fence actually stopped
a few yards back from the edge of the water and so could be negotiated quite
easily.
I found a spot
just past the steep slope I’d slid down previously where you could cast from a
high ledge across the start of a deeper pool. There were enough features to
hold fish but after a few casts to each likely spot, I’d seen no interest from
anything. I could see quite a few shoals of micro chub which I never take as a
particularly good sign as I’ve found they tend to stay away from the bigger
fish. I don’t know if chub are cannibalistic but I’m sure if a quick flash of a
side flank took their fancy, they wouldn’t stop to determine the species before
engulfing it.
I could see a clear green area just through the trees further on so I pushed through and come out onto what could only be the very edge of the garden of whatever household owned it. Feeling a little apprehensive and naughty I thought “just a few chucks then ill scarper”, after all, it did look very chubby.
Well after a dozen
or so casts fanning the area from my knees, not just keeping a low profile for
the chub this time, I plopped the lure right on the edge of a snag on the far
bank. I’d tried all of my lures at this point and was happy with the action
from them, but now Gary glitter was back on, which was becoming my banker!
I noticed a dark
shape follow it but turn away making me think it’d spooked, only for it to
smash the lure from underneath and go berserk on the surface!
“Shhhhhh,dont you
know I’m not meant to be here!”
Anyway, after a
brief but chaotic fight she was in the net and I got a proper look at her. I
knew it was a decent chub but this was big, and I know coming from me after my
previous disappointments from fish guesstimations my word can possibly not be entirely
trusted but this was definitely bigger than any chub I’d had yet, it had thick
back more liking to a carp a really big head. I would say confidently this was
my 5lb plus fish.
But as karma has a way of kicking you in the assets you’d successfully protected from the barbed wire, especially when you’re being a bit naughty, I got to my bag to get my scales for the all important weighing, and realised, I’d left them on the worktop in the garage where I'd used them to weigh a parcel I was sending through the post, which serves me right for being a downright dirty trespasser.
A few snaps and
with the fish returned I made my escape with mixed emotions. Happy with the
capture of such a great fish but annoyed at myself for such a stupid mistake in
preparation.
I will finish off
with admitting that I got brave again a week or so later. Another early alarm
had me heading back to try and catch the same fish again in the hopes of confirming
my presumptions with the scales, which were most definitely in my bag this
time. The fish was easily identifiable as I’d noticed its left eye was bulging
out like you see on saltwater fish after they’d been dragged up to a boat from
a deep wreck or reef. No idea what could have caused it?
I made my way back
to the scene of the crime but was met with a bit of perimeter modernization.
The barbed wire fence had been extended by some way into the water.
Had I been spotted
? did they have cameras ? had I left some footprints?
God knows ? but I
took it as a sign to close this chapter and push my luck elsewhere, and as
little bonus, after trying a few “legal” spots on the way back to the car, I
had my first fish on one of my homemade lures. Only a jack of around 3lb but it
still felt good.
So in a nutshell,
that’s the start to my 2020 chub season.
The hunt for an officially
recorded 5lb+ chub continues and if it comes to one of the lures of my own
creation, it will be all the more special.
Stay safe all and tight lines, over and out!
Joe Birch
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