'You're a stubborn old git' (the Wife) and to be honest, she is very much correct on that point. I'm one of those stupid ones that does Dry January every year for that much needed break from the bottle, where my resolve is tested on many occasions but stays strong . The Wife on the other hand starts with good intentions but often fails at the first hurdle. One-upmanship I suppose where after the family settle down for a Sunday roast she is reaching for a glass of wine and I'm picking up a glass of water instead.
Still we are on the countdown now and these beauties will mark a welcome return (they've been chilling in the garage for 2 weeks winking at me), I like a drink, I always have done even though my intake reduces year on year, which ain't a bad thing I suppose. My resting heart rate plummets after the Xmas excesses, my post pork pie, christmas pudding, chocolate and cheese weight gets back to normal. (9 lbs down thus far) and my sleep improves, Hmmm 🤔
Now during the winter 'new' quarters for the fish are provided by nature in the form of rafts of rubbish that often collect after a flood. All kinds of dead vegetation and other debris will accumulate against some obstruction, and the chub are not slow to take advantage of this temporary cover, provided the water speed below the raft is to their liking.
Here again legering is the easiest way to tackle these swims. The bait needs to go right underneath if the fish are to be interested, and one must take the risk of getting snagged. Should the tackle become hooked up the disturbance caused by releasing it will usually put an end to any hope of catching chub for some time, and a move to a fresh spot is indicated. Likewise if a fish is caught it may pay to find another swim and return later after the pitch has had time to settle down.
There are times when a solitary chub will take up a position in what might be termed an 'impossible swim', such as beneath the overhanging boughs of a tree whose branches actually hang deep into the water, thus preventing a bait being rolled to the fish below. And, even though one may be able to manoeuvre a float into this hideout, the chub that is in residence is usually an old, wise fish who will not tolerate such tactics.
It might be possible to carefully cut away a minimum of timber from above the fish and to try dapping for it at a later date.
But there is another method that can be successfully tried in daylight by using a piece of crust and a small lead.
It will be found, by experiment, that a lump of crust can be used that will just (and only just) float on the surface, supporting the weight of the bomb below. This lead is stopped by a shot placed three or four inches from the hook.
The bait is then floated down into position, beneath the obstruction, and held there when, after a short time, it will become saturated and be slowly sunk by the weight below.
It may be necessary to wait a considerable time for the fish to recover from its initial fright, caused by the arrival of the bait, and to make up its mind to feed. The crust, therefore, should be left undisturbed, for an hour or more if need be, before being retrieved for examination. The chub in such places are often well worth the waiting.
In all types of chub fishing one should aim to cultivate an eye for the correct speed of current that suits the fish's requirements. Whenever chub are caught try to imprint on your mind the flow of the water from which they came, until you reach a point where you can walk along the bank and pick out a chub swim with confidence.
Now talking about confidence, on the way home from the office I decided to drop in to a swim that more often than not holds fish.
Shallow to the left, the pot hunters 'tree' over at the far side and close a swim with decent depth. Now this curfew stretch wasn't a curfew at one time however someone was caught night fishing and buggered it up for everyone else so fishing in to dark is NOT ALLOWED.
Still half an hour after official dusk curfew is fine for me, and another smash and grab session this where I managed to catch two 3lb'ers in quick succession, it was exactly how I wanted it to play out. Ok nothing big has shown up thus far, however I'll give it another go later, I'm sure one will show soon f I keep plugging away.
The biggest fish caught in the short session was a piece of cheesepaste away from a 4lber and a decent fight as well. I've said before like Dean Macey has in many of his Youtube videos, chub I think are my favorite species to target mainly because thee tactics vary throughout the seasons and of cause their gluttonous appetite means they fish all year round.
Lovely Chubbly !!!
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