Another incredible week for specimen chub
It’s been another great week for catches of big chub, with five 7lb-plus fish reported to the Angling Times newsdesk. Biggest this week was a whopping 7lb 13oz fish caught from the Great Ouse by Tony Gibson.
The big Ouse chub tops a remarkable start to 2019 for Tony, who already this year has landed 100lb-plus sturgeon, 3lb-plus perch, 16lb-plus brown trout and a double-figure bream.
Talking to Angling Times following the capture of his personal best chub, he said: “I had an unsuccessful afternoon targeting perch on the Ouse, so I decided to switch to chub.
“The stretch I fished produces very few bites, but I had a feeling that it could throw up a big ’un. I’d moved swims a couple of times without any action whatsoever, but the bite came within 10 minutes of me moving into the new swim.”
Tony’s rig consisted of a paste-wrapped boilie on a size 7 hook tied to an 18ins 20lb coated braid hooklink.
It’s not just the Ouse that has been throwing up monster chub either – check out these captures from other rivers across the country...
Alfie Naylor 7lb 7oz chub
Daiwa and Nutrabaits-backed specialist Alfie Naylor once again produced the goods on the River Trent in the form of this 7lb 7oz chub.
This fish follows his capture of a 7lb 8oz fish from the same stretch, as reported in last week’s issue. Both fell to Nutrabaits River Range boilies.
Alfie’s top chub tip: “Try fishing after dark, as this is when the chub feed most confidently.”
Jamie Swinbourne 7lb 9oz chub
A free stretch of the Upper Severn in Wales produced this cracking 7lb 9oz chub for 28-year-old Jamie Swinbourne.
The big fish was caught on a small piece of crust on a size 8 hook wrapped in cheesepaste.
This was presented alongside a cage feeder loaded with liquidised bread.
Jamie’s top chub tip: “Arrive at first light and keep bankside disturbance to a minimum.”
Dave Owen 7lb 7oz chub
Dave Owen tackled a Cambridgeshire waterway that threatened to live up to its tough reputation – but his only bite of the day on cheesepaste resulted in this 7lb 7oz chub.
Dave rigged up a four-SSG link leger on 8lb line and a size 4 wide gape hook.
Dave’s top chub tip: “Cheesepaste is a great bait for the colder months and when there’s colour in the water.”
Andrew Tredgett 7lb 7oz chub
Kings Weir fishery manager Andrew Tredgett was on cloud nine when he landed his third 7lb-plus chub in three weeks, in the form of this 7lb 8oz fish.
The famous Lea fishery in Hertfordshire has produced a raft of big chub over the past few months, with Andrew leading the way by consistently catching these large specimens.
“First cast was bang on the spot and no more than five minutes later I’d landed a 6lb 14oz fish,” he said.
“I’ve learnt not to release the chub straight away, so it was retained in a second landing net. Next cast the rod went again with an even bigger fish.”
Andrew’s top chub tip: “Boilies are a great bait for chub, and are resistant to the attentions of small fish.”
