Amazing week for end of season chub
Anglers in pursuit of late-season chub have enjoyed phenomenal results with several specimens to a 7lb 9oz best.
The huge fish was banked by Rob Thompson from the Great Ouse in Bedfordshire. It was his first-ever seven and a pb for the species.
Rob told Angling Times: “I hooked the fish in midriver. It then bolted for some far-bank reeds. I managed to turn it away, when it then stayed deep, feeling heavy all the way in. I had to bring it across some fast water in the near margin, which was troublesome!”
The Korum-backed angler created a simple link leger set-up comprising 8lb mainline through to a 6lb hooklink, to which a size 6 Korum Specialist hook was attached. Loaded on the hook was the ever-faithful cheesepaste.
It was prebaiting a few swims, then fishing them in turn with a roving approach, that proved fruitful for Rob.
He backed up the seven-pounder with fish of 5lb 14oz, 6lb 5oz and 6lb 6oz from the formidable chub river of his choice.
Darrel Hughes – 7lb 2oz
Maggot tactics were used to great effect by Darrel Hughes to fooled several chub to an impressive 7lb 2oz from the Hampshire Avon.
The stand-out method was casting a feeder into a near-margin crease, while Darrel’s end tackle consisted of a customised inline Kamasan Black Cap feeder, a short hooklink and a size 18 hook carrying double maggot.
Darrel went on to bag a 14lb 7oz barbel that fell to a paste-wrapped boilie.
Phill Mcguire – 7lb 9oz
Phill McGuire struck gold on a free stretch of the famous Dorset Stour when he landed this clonking chub of 7lb 9oz.
The specimen fell to a homemade boilie presented on a size 10 hook, a simple running rig and a PVA bag of free offerings.
Phill is no stranger to big chub, having landed them to 7lb 13oz in the past. He told Angling Times: “This one may not have been a personal best, but it was great to catch such a specimen from a free stretch of the Stour.”
Stuart Biggs – 7lb 6oz
Kings Weir on the River Lea has thrown up yet another remarkable chub in the shape of this 7lb 6oz giant, landed by venue regular Stuart Biggs.
He tempted the fish on a double lobworm, a bait that he has the utmost confidence in when the water is coloured. A simple link leger set-up carried the bait for the chub specialist, who has now had eight of them over 7lb.
Adrian Eves – 6lb 10oz
Adrian Eves came close to the 7lb mark with this 6lb 10oz chub, his ninth over 6lb since December.
A roving approach using bolt-rig tactics have resulted in this good run of form, fishing into dark proving fruitful. Adrian claimed: “My main target is a new chub best, and I thought I’d done it when a really big-framed fish came to the top. Still, it’s hard to be disappointed with such a fabulous looking fish!”