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Record Equaling Chub

Simon Lush said:
I am having difficulty with 'Stout of Heart and Tenacious' where a bit of Chubbing is concerned :D
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You'd be quite right to, Simon, on most rivers, but the chub population crashed at the same time leaving a few big fish and no more shoals.

It's the very definition of a Specimen Water now.

Bear in mind Neill had been targetting chub there for some months and the morning of the Monster produced the first bites of his campaign.

That should tell you all you need to know! ;)
 
Simon King said:
You'd be quite right to, Simon, on most rivers, but the chub population crashed at the same time leaving a few big fish and no more shoals.

It's the very definition of a Specimen Water now.

Bear in mind Neill had been targetting chub there for some months and the morning of the Monster produced the first bites of his campaign.

That should tell you all you need to know! ;)
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Sounds like some of the Cherwell now, though whether there's anything like that in there I very much doubt. But who knows, one thing the Cherwell certainly has is an abundance of crays which seems essential for mega chub
 
Simon King said:
You'd be quite right to, Simon, on most rivers, but the chub population crashed at the same time leaving a few big fish and no more shoals.

It's the very definition of a Specimen Water now.

Bear in mind Neill had been targetting chub there for some months and the morning of the Monster produced the first bites of his campaign.

That should tell you all you need to know! ;)
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I just thought it an odd prerequiste to sit on a chair and drown worms for hours on end :) The fact that most of us apparently don't have either, the implication being that you do, i find a little judemental and if you'll allow, pompous :D
 
Simon Lush said:
I just thought it an odd prerequiste to sit on a chair and drown worms for hours on end :) The fact that most of us apparently don't have either, the implication being that you do, i find a little judemental and if you'll allow, pompous :D
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You're right, it is judgemental. I judge my reasoning on seeing the tiny number of anglers on the bank at the venue, compared to the total number of anglers who have access to it.
Then the number of those anglers who actually catch anything specimen sized regularly.

And the number who become "regulars" up there, compared to those who fish it a couple/three times and give up.

So, with all this information in mind, I've made the judgement that, comparatively speaking, very few anglers, who can access the place *, have the time, patience and perseverance, to get the best out of the venue as it stands.

In my opinion, it takes several seasons to do so.

You can call it pompous if you like, but then I'm not referring to you, since (to the best of my knowledge) you don't fish there, so I wouldn't expect you to have a true picture of what it's like.

* Maybe that's the caveat I should have made clear? :)
 
Now, I like Simon Lush and although I`ve never met him I quite like Simon King, there`s only one way to sort this out.............


FIGHT !!!!!

Mic
 
Simon King said:
You're right, it is judgemental. I judge my reasoning on seeing the tiny number of anglers on the bank at the venue, compared to the total number of anglers who have access to it.
Then the number of those anglers who actually catch anything specimen sized regularly.

And the number who become "regulars" up there, compared to those who fish it a couple/three times and give up.

So, with all this information in mind, I've made the judgement that, comparatively speaking, very few anglers, who can access the place *, have the time, patience and perseverance, to get the best out of the venue as it stands.

In my opinion, it takes several seasons to do so.

You can call it pompous if you like, but then I'm not referring to you, since (to the best of my knowledge) you don't fish there, so I wouldn't expect you to have a true picture of what it's like.

* Maybe that's the caveat I should have made clear? :)
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Yep, then, Quote, "Something most anglers ,in my opinion aren't" wouldn't have sounded like a generalisation !
Mic, behave yerself :D
 
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Would it be fair to say that fish this size are almost certainly the result of signal infestation! I can feel some enthusiasm for the Cherwell returning :)
 
Alex Gowney said:
Would it be fair to say that fish this size are almost certainly the result of signal infestation! I can feel some enthusiasm for the Cherwell returning :)
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Almost certainly, Alex. It seems to be the case for Perch and Chub wherever the crays exist in numbers.
 
Simon Ks views/thoughts, re signals and perch/chub, borne out IMO regards the Kennet.

And Mic. he's a very nice young lad.:D

Graham
 
The big chub/barbel/crayfish analogy (can you have an analogy of three?) seems generally to hold true with large fish/small populations due to high protein food source availability for the chub/barbel and poor fry recruitment through the crays feeding on the spawn of the aforementioned.

Do we think the same could be happening on the Thames with the mitten crabs which have superseded the signals in the lower/middle river?

Graham; I`m sure both Simons are exemplary individuals, you have to excuse Mr Lush though because he`s from up north, quite a rough lot those northerners.
 
Mic Foot said:
The big chub/barbel/crayfish analogy (can you have an analogy of three?) seems generally to hold true with large fish/small populations due to high protein food source availability for the chub/barbel and poor fry recruitment through the crays feeding on the spawn of the aforementioned.

Do we think the same could be happening on the Thames with the mitten crabs which have superseded the signals in the lower/middle river?

Graham; I`m sure both Simons are exemplary individuals, you have to excuse Mr Lush though because he`s from up north, quite a rough lot those northerners.
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Do any fish eat Mittens, Mic?

Apparently they've given the crays a good spanking where they've met, which may not be good news if they travel ever further up the tributaries.

Does anyone know if they're tolerant to completely fresh water, as opposed to brackish/tidal?
 
I'm sure they are tough up there Mic, but don't know if they have or have experienced the results from infested signal Crayfish rivers yet.

I do however know, from my friends experience of attending the Obligatory "Grab a Granny " nights they hold up there that they certainly have a lot of muffin crabs.

Graham
 
Graham Elliott said:
I'm sure they are tough up there Mic, but don't know if they have or have experienced the results from infested signal Crayfish rivers yet.

I do however know, from my friends experience of attending the Obligatory "Grab a Granny " nights they hold up there that they certainly have a lot of muffin crabs.

Graham
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From up there Graham, but not still up there ;) fully aware of signal crays, a couple of us spent a month on the Cherwell last winter baiting up and shooting em with a .177, not a great way to control their numbers but good fun anyway :)

As for 'Grab a granny nights' seeing as your hair is a similar colour to mine you will understand the meaning of the phrase 'Any port in a storm' :D
 
Simon Lush said:
a couple of us spent a month on the Cherwell last winter baiting up and shooting em with a .177, not a great way to control their numbers but good fun anyway :)
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:D:D

As for the mittens, I've heard reports of them aproaching as far up the Thames as Didcot.... And yes by all accounts fish definitely eat them..... Apparently, some successful carpers bait their spots with the intention of drawing the crabs in, which in turn attract the fish.... Allegedly ;)
 
Mittens

Mittens definitely thrive in completely fresh water and I`ve had several chub, caught from as far up as Penton Hook, excreting pieces of carapace. Not a hundred per cent certain that it is mitten carapace but I`ve had mitten trouble on these stretches of the Thames.

When they are at the peeler stage or when the mittens are small enough I`m sure the chub will make the most of the opportunity.

So.... yes were doomed.

Mic
 
Mic Foot said:
Mittens

Mittens definitely thrive in completely fresh water and I`ve had several chub, caught from as far up as Penton Hook, excreting pieces of carapace. Not a hundred per cent certain that it is mitten carapace but I`ve had mitten trouble on these stretches of the Thames.

When they are at the peeler stage or when the mittens are small enough I`m sure the chub will make the most of the opportunity.

So.... yes were doomed.

Mic
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Bloomin' 'eck Mic, looks like we will have to get the elasticated shirring thread out of the loft and start fishing peelers on the Thames then....especially if the bass follow the mittens up river :p

Cheers, Dave.
 
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