While on the subject anyone want to share their set ups with us? I am using 6lb.line straight through to a 6 or 8 hook with a running link leger made up of swanshot but may now try a size 10 with hair rigged cheese paste, also cheese paste is the only bait that i have tried......
Tbh, I think a lot depends on the numbers (and maybe sizes) of fish in your stretch.
I fish the Lea, river, relief channel and navigation. There are times and places where a good stickfloat angler (not me) with a few pints of maggots can winkle out a good bagfull including some very big fish (6's and 7's). However, 90% of my chub-fishing is spent at night in areas where 1, maybe 2 bites a session is as much as can be expected, so I've found that boilies (in the winter) tend to produce the better fish. I do quiver-tip during the day if I arrive early enough, worm and prawn being my preferred baits before the crays become active; very soft rod, 5lb line and soft braid link on a small bomb or a light feeder with the same bait chopped up inside.
It became too frustrating sitting in the cold for hours on end and then missing that one knock, so bolt-rigs and short stiff links became the norm.
Stopped using cheesepaste due to the crays love of it, soft boilies and paste in the lead produce the most consistent action.
Having said that, when it's cold and clear and you're fishing to an hour after dark, I don't think you can beat maggot feeder, top the swim up regularly and have a very short link. Biggest problem then is if they miss the hookbait and start trying to eat the whole feeder. That's good fun!
If I was on a river like Robin's, I think I'd put some hemp or bread-mash in as many likely looking spots as I could find (and remember) and then fish bread, meat, worm or cheese in sequence about 30-40 minutes each.
I've often seen this thing about "If you don't catch first cast or 15-20 miniutes, move on", but chub do move around a fair bit and particularly after dark and I feel if an area is a good one for features, it's just as worthwhile sticking it out as moving. The varying amount of time between casting and getting a fish in any particular swim can be anywhere from 5 minutes to 6 hours, with multiples coming if you get one early and keep the bait going in. Especially with particles.
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