While fishing for chub on the Thame the other day, using a really big worm bait (3 lobs) I struck into a fish, rather than bolting around or maybe into the far bank like chub do, this fish stopped, and ran straight upstream and slightly towards me, throwing the hook with a swirl, a decent swirl from a sizeable fish. It was very different from any chub ive hooked before, and ive had a few.

Ive caught barbel in the Thame, but never this far up river, ive caught them 10 miles or more downstream. Ive also lost a fish or two, as has my father which have just slowly speed off down river with no decrease in speed as you apply pressure, just to snap the hooklength, 4lb hook length, again, not like most chub.

What do think would run upstream? Im thinking either Barbel, or Big perch, by the way it threw the hook, as ive had and lost some big perch there. I often think its the fish you lose which keep you going back, not just the fish you catch!

Cheers
David