River Great Ouse chub record smashed with monster 8lb 8oz specimen

The River Great Ouse chub record has been broken with the capture of a colossal 8lb 8oz specimen.

The monster fish, which is believed to have beaten the former waterway record by a mere 4oz, was landed by specimen angler Gary Hickling from a Vauxhall Angling Club stretch of the waterway near Bedford.

Gary Hickling with his huge 8lb 8oz River Great Ouse Chub

Gary tempted the fish, which was witnessed and weighed by a club official, using a hair-rigged spicy crab flavoured boilie wrapped in halibut paste. The catch beat the former Vauxhall AC record for the species which he held himself with a 7lb 10oz fish he caught earlier in the season.

The London angler arrived at the venue to find an extra few foot of water on the river and with this in mind, decided to target some slack water created by an overhanging tree using a 2oz lead rig with a 8lb Drennan Sinklink hooklength and size 6 Drennan Super Specialist hook. Around half an hour after introducing a few broken boilies into his swim, the tip arched round as the huge beast took off with his hookbait.

As well as Gary's fish, the waterway has been producing some monster chub this season and we could see a national record for the species at some point in the future. Chub Study Group secretary Iain Nairn told AT: "The fish in the Ouse seem to be getting bigger every season thanks to anglers baits and the huge population of crayfish making them fatter. I wouldnt be surprised if it produced a new record in the coming seasons."