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Chasing chub....

Gale Light said:
Morning All
I'm hoping to have a few days fishing somewhere different next week, weather and river levels allowing if course.
Could anyone point me in direction of free or day ticket stretches of the Thames where there's a chance of of chub or two ?
It's not somewhere I've ever fished and a a two or three hour drive so any info appreciated.
Thanks.
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I'm not sure if the Thames will get back in it's banks before end of season. Oxon area anyway.
 
I still had loads of magg's and defrosted corn left from yesterdays trotting session so decided to have another go today. At the river there was a nasty cold downstream northerly wind which made controling the float, holding back etc quite alkward as I was casting about 30 yards across stream and trying to keep the float trotting down that line.
On my walk to along the bank I bumped into another angler who informed me that the river temperature was down to 4.5 degrees today and I would have no chance of a barbel. To be fair I think the chap who told me that was right for the biggest part, but I wasn't really bothered as I was pretty sure of a chub or two.
On my second trott down I had a small chub of about a pound, after that I had about another 20 or more chub ranging in size of a pound to about 2 1/2 lbs and about a dozen dace. I'd fished for a couple of hours before i'd had enough of the bonechilling wind and cold water and decided to have one last cast. One that last trott thw float pulled under and I was surprised to wind in a tiddly barbel. Because it was my last trott and I was going back to the bank I netted the little barbel and took it back with me for a quick pic of it.....



I used the 13ft accy speci again and a Chris Lythe float master SU. I regretted not choosing to take the 14ft rod today, the extra foot would have made controlling the float much easier in that downstream wind.
 
Since I last posted on this thread I've had a couple of float fishing trips and have had numerous chub on each session, although the majority of them have been small, mostly ranging from a few ounces to 3lb maximum with a few dace moxed in amongst them.
No rain today so I decided to pop out for a couple of hours, it wasn't long before I regretted it! The temperature wasn't to bad at 7 degrees, but the downstream northerly wind was evil making it feel seriously cold.
I did a lot of walking to get to my desired spots. Once there I waded out, had half a dozen trotts and waded back, it wasn't enjoyable in the slightest.
So, after all the walking, aching hands etc, this was all I got.....



Since I got the specimen acolyte rods I haven't used my other acolytes, but today I used my 13ft acolyte plus. In use it felt much lighter than the speci rod and I think I enjoyed using more than the speci rod for that reason 🙄.
 
After last Fridays disaster ( I did catch a chub as well as that trout...total brain fog!) but still a disaster, so I had to get out today and try to catch something better.
To be honest... this morning I clocked the weather forecast for the rest of the week and it has forecast rain everyday. If the forecast is correct it will most likely swell the rivers and may stop me from wading, hence my decision to give it a go today. The temp was still cool, being 7.5 degrees when I arrived at the river at 11.45 am. At least that horrendusly cold wind I fished in last Friday had subsided to a mere breeze, and the river level had dropped off nicely...for my liking at least.
Anyhow, first trot through the chosen swim and the float was pulled under befoee it had travelled more than 10ft! It was a chub of a couple of pounds. After that I had numerous chub from around a pound to around 3 1/2 lbs. Then I had a very handsome choach, the first one i've had for some time now.
I took a picture of the choach and then first trott through on wading back out I hooked a small barbel, it was one of three, the following two where half decent ones and put a good bend in the 14ft acolyte specimen float rod.
I checked the time and it was 2.15, and since my legs were aching with cold and i'd had my string pulled I decided to call it a day and make my way back to the car.
Here's a pic of the handsome choach...



the two better barbel and a chub.....





 
Forecast was rain for today from early doors...but...there was no sign of any at 9am so I decided to risk it and head off to the river. As I arrived at the river it started to rain, as I waded out it started to hammer down 🙄.
After about one hour the river level had risen about 3 or 4 inches from when I got there and as I only had my thigh waders on I had to make an exit while I still could without the water coming over the tops.
Anyhow, during the hour or so I was fishing I had about 6 or 7 chub, all about a pound or so and one small barbel of about 2lbs, so at least I didn't balnk!
Looking at the forecast for the next 48hrs, trotting how and where I like to trott will have to wait until the new season. I could go and leger and probably catch a lot more, but I think i'd rather take up knitting than do that 😉🤣.
 
Fishing a small river near me where levels have been up and down like a yo-yo, on Tuesday it was too high/turbulent for trotting but Wednesday it had fined down nicely for one last trip before the end of the season.
Managed 6 chub to 4lbs and a 2lb bream all on trotted maggot, glad I dug out the float road this season after a long time sat behind a leger rod.
 
I decided to have a go on a still water today to try for a chub. First fish I caught was a carp, then there was a procession of carp before I finally got "a chub",. I haven't been so happy to catch a chub for yonks,
After the chub some more carp appeared before I got another chub, followed by several more chub, and then some more carp. All the fish I caught were thin and most of the carp had bad mouth damage....quite sickening if i'm honest.
A picture of the first carp I caught, this ones mouth was one of a couple with a decent mouth...



This is the first of the chub....

 
I had another go after some still water chub the other day but unfortunately I blanked on the chub, but had quite a fewof these things.....





I know they weren't the target species, but it was good fun catching them on freelined bread, some of them put up quite a scrap!
 
I had another go at the stillwater chub on Sunday just gone, not a sign of a chub but I lost count of the mud pigs.
To be honest, those mud pigs are much more fun than chub on a still water😀.

Strange as it sounds, I had a number of half decent bream take freelined bread, some took it as it floated and some prefered it slow sinking



 
Ian Woods said:
I had another go at the stillwater chub on Sunday just gone, not a sign of a chub but I lost count of the mud pigs.
To be honest, those mud pigs are much more fun than chub on a still water😀.

Strange as it sounds, I had a number of half decent bream take freelined bread, some took it as it floated and some prefered it slow sinking



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I've got bream on floating dog biscuits before which was good fun, but they certainly didn't hang around after I landed a few, quite skittish behavior and didn't get another chance after that.
And still water Chub are good fun too... Again off the top if you can find them. 👍
 
Ian Woods said:
I had another go at the stillwater chub on Sunday just gone, not a sign of a chub but I lost count of the mud pigs.
To be honest, those mud pigs are much more fun than chub on a still water😀.

Strange as it sounds, I had a number of half decent bream take freelined bread, some took it as it floated and some prefered it slow sinking



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Strewth, them carp look like they've had Botox injections. Ugly f*****s, must go the same clinic as Jordan, glad i don't fish for them.
 
Derek Funcks said:
Strewth, them carp look like they've had Botox injections. Ugly f*****s, must go the same clinic as Jordan, glad i don't fish for them.
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I was pretty sure I would catch carp, but I was actually trying to catch the chub. A couple of weeks back I caught chub on each session, but haven't had any on my last two attempts for them.
Those mud pigs really are great fun though, they pull back and don't want to be netted!

I think the carps eggs are hydrating now which is making them look a little bloated. Not long now and they will be spawning.
 
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