'Good six' taken on the float - Dean Derbyshire
“My mate wanted to learn some winter chub fishing tactics so we headed to the Dorset Stour to see if we could catch one on the float.
“We set up in a swim with a steady glide and I began baiting it with maggots for half-an-hour before making my first trot through.
“After a few attempts, I let the float carry right to the end of the swim where it buried out of sight. The fish made a run downstream, leaving my 14ft Ultralight waggler rod bent right through!
“It was a solid and typically dogged fight from a big chub, but with slow and steady pressure for around five minutes I was able to bring the fish back upstream.
“My mate and I high-fived the second it went in the net and we both looked down saying that we thought it was a good ‘six’. We were right, too, as the scales soon confirmed a weight of 6lb 7oz.
“I was chuffed with the catch, but even more so because my mate had learned how to catch winter chub!”
Dean Derbyshire with his 6lb 7oz Stour chub
Sunken moped home to a giant dace! - Adam Jones
“I grew up in the Cotswolds fishing for grayling, so I decided to re-live my youth and target them in the small rivers surrounding my new West London home. My first few sessions were productive, and I caught grayling to 1lb 11oz, but it was the capture of a different species that grabbed my attention.
“I was roving along a Thames backwater when I discovered a sunken moped in the middle of the river that created a break in the flow. The slack water behind it looked perfect for a bite, so I baited up with maggots before running the float through. My prediction proved right, and I caught small grayling right from the off.
“The float buried again on the next cast and I struck into a fish that felt like a grayling but ended up being a chublet of around 1lb… or so I thought. It was far too big to swing in, so I netted it and removed the hook before slipping it back without a second thought. I remember thinking at the time that its mouth looked a little small for a chub, but it was just an afterthought.
“Later that night I was flicking through Instagram and spotted a fellow angler’s post about big dace, and that’s when I got that sinking feeling. His fish looked exactly like mine! The only way to atone for my mistake was to return to the swim, where hopefully I’d be lucky enough to catch another one.
“The next day I headed back with nothing but my rod, net, tackle bag and a bait pouch loaded with white and red maggots. After spending a few minutes baiting both sides of the moped, I made my first cast along the inside crease, the float buried and I netted a 9oz dace.
“I was delighted, but I knew that the fish was way smaller than the one I’d had the day before. After slipping it back I rebaited my hook with a single red and white maggot, before flicking the rig into the outside crease. I watched as it sailed past the moped, before sinking from sight.
“I struck and connected with a fish that kited just like a grayling into the near-bank slack, where it surfaced. Then my legs turned to jelly!
“I had a flashback to the day before as I guided what I knew was a huge dace into my net. At dead on 1lb, it was a scale-perfect example, and redemption for the earlier mistake! It goes to show that it pays to capitalise on by-catches – you might be surprised at what you’ll discover!”
Adam Jones and his 1lb dace
100lb-plus dace haul is a Wye record!
IT was tough going for some anglers hitting the banks after the return of match fishing post-lockdown. But despite tumbling temperatures and melting snow, the River Wye saw a new match record set.
Even with several feet of extra water the Herefordshire river can fish its head off, and running water maestro Hadrian Whittle demonstrated just that by winning the Hereford DAA open on the river through the city with a mammoth 125-10-0 of dace. That’s right, dace – 585 of them to be precise.
It’s reckoned to be the Wye’s biggest dace match weight ever. Daiwa man Hadrian had taken one look at the river after arriving at his peg 98 draw next to the town bridge and stuck his neck out by saying 100lb was on.
Five fast and furious hours later, he was proving himself right. The win also makes it three in a row for Hadrian on the Wye, including the prestigious Wye Champs.
“Did I think the river was capable of that type of weight? I did, mainly because everything seemed to be right in terms of the river level, the colour of the water and the fact that, owing to lockdown, not much bait had been going into the river,” he said.
At the peg
“As soon as I drew peg 98, I was installed as favourite. Looking at it, the colour was ideal to catch at short range and there was 4ft of extra water on, so all the stars were aligning, if you like, for a big dace weight.
“I’d walked the river a lot and had clocked that, on peg 98, you could catch dace really close in provided there was colour in the water. The peg was one that I’d always wanted to draw, but never had. To say I was looking forward to the start would be an understatement!
“I began fishing at around 6m to hand, but after half-an-hour moved in to 5m in around 4ft of water, as there were so many fish to catch and they were happy to be at close range. To do a big weight, I wanted to settle into a rhythm of cast, feed, strike and swing the fish in, but some of the dace were so big that it took some time to swing them in, even though I was using Grey Hydrolastic.”
The Wye peg where 100lb-plus of dace were caught
Runs of big fish
“The size of dace I was getting went up and down all the time. I’d catch a dozen small dace very fast and then clonk into a run of 6oz fish. Feeding was like clockwork, throwing in a ball of groundbait and soil full of casters each cast and then a handful of maggots over the top. This allowed me to catch either as soon as the float cocked or down my peg a little. Given the depth, I fished a 1.5g Sensas Alberto float with a double bulk and double maggot on a size 14 hook, really positive fishing that’s essential when you’re trying to catch a big weight.
“There were times when I was foul-hooking dace because there were so many fish in the swim. I tried fishing a foot off bottom, and the catch rate slowed right down. My next move was to cut out the loosefeed and rely on just that ball of groundbait each time. It solved the foul hooking, but still the catch rate was too slow, so I had to put up with losing the odd fish.”
The weigh-in
“I’d counted the fish and knew I had 100lb –I’ve always said that if you catch 500 dace on the Wye, that’s 100lb. I had well over that so was thinking getting on for 120lb, and I’d be amazed if that didn’t win!
“The final weight is believed to be the best dace match return from the Wye and probably in the UK. It was just one of those days to savour as they don’t come along that often. I believe 100lb of dace can be caught again this winter if conditions are right and the right angler is on the right peg. There are enough fish there of a big enough size.”
Hadrian and his bumper Wye dace haul
Rising river no problem for best grayling
THE bold decision to target grayling on a rising and coloured river paid off for Matthew Fernandez when he slipped his net under a grayling pb of 3lb 2oz 8dr.
The Hampshire rod found an area of slack water along the far bank of the River Frome which he baited with maggots before flicking his 7AAA Drennan Loafer over the top.
After losing a big fish on his very first trot through the swim, the 33-year-old’s fortunes took an upward turn on the very next cast when he set his hook into another powerful grayling.
Matt backed up his catch with fish of 2lb 8oz and 2lb 14oz, both of which also fell to double red maggot.
Matthew Fernandez and his 3lb 2oz 8dr Frome grayling
Session of dreams topped by 1lb dace
A DAY trotting red maggots under an overhanging tree took a superb net of dace for Steve Spiller – including this 1lb fish.
The 54-year-old jumped at the opportunity when his mate Matt Tann invited him to fish the Hampshire Avon, but had no idea he was about to enjoy the session of his dreams.
“I managed several fish around 12oz-13oz before I hooked this one,” he said.
Steve Spiller and his 1lb Hampshire Avon dace
Cracking Avon chub falls on the float - Gavin Barrett
“The Hampshire Avon is exceptionally low and clear at the moment, but recently I managed to find a deep far-bank run which I could trot a stick float down with hemp and caster.
“In a few hours I’d caught a few dace and a 3lb chub, but I’d run out of bait. I decided instead to just have a couple of runs down without feeding and just fish double caster on the hook.
“Halfway down the swim the float buried and I stuck into a solid weight that tried its best to get under the far bank.
“Luckily it came back and on to the surface – giving me an opportunity to guide it over a mid-river weedbed.
“After a few last-minute lunges I was able to scoop her up.”
Gavin Barrett – 6lb 11oz chub
"This was a grayling I didn't want to lose" - Jamie Cartwright
“I was roving along a southern river when a fish rolled on the surface in a swim. I flicked in a few grains of corn before following them with a matching hookbait fished under a five-swan loafer.
The bite finally came further down the swim to where I saw the fish roll, and on setting the hook I knew it was a better fish than the 2lb 2oz grayling I’d caught earlier, as I couldn’t draw it upstream!
After what seemed like ages, I got the fish up to the surface where I got a good look at it, and knew it was definitely a grayling I didn’t want to lose.
Luckily the gear I was using was up to the job and I bundled this absolutely flawless 2lb 14oz grayling into my net. It beat my previous best by 13oz.”
Avon roach beyond anglers wildest dreams!
It has been a very special season for anglers fishing the historic Hampshire Avon for the country’s favourite species, the roach.
This week, like so many before it, has seen the capture of some fantastic river redfins. Here are the best reported to us…
Charlie Dawkins 2lb 1oz and 2lb 6oz roach
“I’d set myself the target of catching big roach and I knew there were specimens to be had in my local stretch of the Hampshire Avon.
I trotted double red maggot and with probably around 30 minutes of light left my float finally sunk. After some encouraging it was soon in the net – a 2lb 6oz beauty.
On the next cast I hooked into another fish of 2lb 1oz! My knees were trembling – my first brace of 2lb-plus roach felt amazing!
Fred Harris 2lb 2oz roach
“I was already on a high after landing a 2lb 5oz roach, but the session that followed a week later was beyond my wildest dreams. Targeting the Hampshire Avon again, I waded into my swim and sprayed maggots to a far bank slack.
It was exciting to see the occasional ‘dark shape’ drift out from the vegetation to pick off the odd maggot and in six trots I hooked six stunning roach all over 1lb, but the best came just before dark.
The float sunk and I made contact with a much heavier fish that stayed deep. I eventually banked a 2lb 2oz roach that capped off a great day.”
"My mind was blown by the quality of these roach" - Simon Daley
“It’s not every week you say you’ve enjoyed the catch of a lifetime but it finally happened to me during my latest visit to the Hampshire Avon.
“Trotting flake over a bed of liquidised bread and hemp, it wasn’t long before I had my first roach of just over a pound.
“The next cast produced a 2lb 12oz 8dr cracker and throughout the rest of the day the big roach just kept on coming.
“I ended with a new PB of 2lb 14oz alongside others of 2lb 10oz, 2lb 8oz, 2lb 6oz, 2lb 4oz, 2lb 3oz, 2lb 1oz and two at 1lb 15oz…It was a catch I could only dream about!”
2lb roach during lunch hour
Imagine catching the fish of a lifetime during your lunch break…
Well that’s exactly what Robert Rees did recently when he caught this 2lb 10oz roach from the River Itchen.
The Hampshire River Keeper told Angling Times:
“With the water cloudy I decided to have a go for the roach I had seen on our stretch in the summer months.
“It was my second trot through on bread, and my first bite. Then I went back to work!”
Rob used a Drennan Loafer float, 4lb Supplex mainline and a size 12 Super Specialist Match hook to tackle the river redfins.
Magic number three for Adam
THREE really was the magic number for Adam Fisher who struck into this perfect 3lb 2oz grayling during his third cast on the third day in pursuit of a river specimen.
Overnight rain and a gloomy morning start had initially dampened the spirits of the Angling Dreams Fishery owner but after visiting three Welsh rivers he eventually settled on a stretch with a tinge of colour and ideal pace.
He told Angling Times: “It was my third swim of the day and on my third trot through the float slid away.
“When the grayling went 3lb on the scales it was clear that three really was going to be the number of the trip!
“It was also my third grayling over 3lb! Nuts hey?”
As you probably guessed it, Adam’s hookbait included three white maggots nicked onto a size 16 Drennan red maggot hook.
More 2lb-plus roach landed in great spell for UK rivers
A 2lb river roach is considered the fish of a lifetime by many anglers so you can image how delighted these three were when they ticked-off the achievement during recent sessions.
Here are the stories behind each catch…
Rob Taylor 2lb 15oz roach
DEVON-based angler Rob Taylor said ‘he didn’t want the fight to end’ when he struck into this superb 2lb 15oz roach.
The 61-year-old and his mate Ed trotted red maggots on a southern-chalk stream for a big fish and weren’t left disappointed when Rob’s rod arched over half-way through the session.
He said: “I’d already caught small roach and dace when I hooked into what I thought was a chub, but the classic headshakes soon revealed it was a big roach!
“When Ed saw it in the net he was more excited than I was!”
It was a new personal best for Rob who added a 2lb 4oz redfin moments later.
Steve Martin 2lb 10oz roach
MATCH ace Steve Martin only caught three fish during his latest contest but didn’t complain when one of them turned out to be this fin-perfect 2lb 10oz roach!
Fishing a Ringwood & DAA Chub Match on the Dorset Stour at Parley, Bournemouth, Steve hooked into his prize on a 4AAA waggler setup fished into seven feet of water close to a weed bed.
It devoured double red maggots presented on a size 16 Drennan Wide Gape Match hook.
Mark Everard 2lb 1oz roach
MARK Everard proved that you can still catch big fish in horrible conditions when he slipped his net under a 2lb 1oz redfin.
Targeting the Britford Fishery on the coloured and rapidly rising Hampshire Avon, the university professor trotted breadflake into near-bank slacks in hope of a bite.
He said: “I had the big roach within five minutes of starting, followed by four more roach up to about 1lb, three dace and a surprise 1lb 4oz perch on the trotted bread!”
