The most agonising weigh-in

[Anderoo]

As I had a free day today I went back to that river I had my PB chub from a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't expecting much - it was very cold, windy, and the river was still in a pretty bad state, high and coloured. The temperature is on a downward slope but the river is dropping and clearing, so I hoped the two would cancel themselves out! I'd had a look on Google Maps and decided to go much further upstream to some nice looking bends, where I hoped the chub could shelter from the extra flow. It's a good couple of miles from the car, but definitely worth the walk - it looked gorgeous!

 

I baited up a few swims with two or three blobs of cheesepaste and left them to it for half an hour, then started to fish my way back. Nothing! The spots looked superb, with cover and nice slacks and creases, but I didn't get a single twitch in over 5 hours. I wasn't too surprised as it was really cold, and these spots didn't seem to have much depth to them. But all the deep water was charging through. Hmm.

 

So I wandered back to the swim I had my recent chub from and gave it half an hour. Nothing! Not even a crayfish. I tried another one which also looked good as it had loads of cover, and by then I thought they must all be tucked away under the banks somewhere. Ahem, nothing! It's like the river was completely dead.

 

As a final straw I went further downstream to a big bend where there's a huge slack area along the far bank, and thought, I'll sit here until I've drunk the last of my tea, and then call it a day. At the very least I've explored some new water which I'm sure will fish well when conditions are better. This is a tricky swim because the flow along the near bank and out to the middle is really strong, so you have to use a heavy lead (a flat pear 1.5oz) and let out a huge bow of line so the bait stays in position. Indication is therefore not great, as the tip bounces and heaves under the pressure from the surging, swirly water. But it was out of the wind and I had my tea, so I was happy enough

 

As soon as I cast it was obvious I was fishing much deeper water, probably about 5-6ft rather than the 2-3ft I'd been fishing all day. That plus the fact it was slack and near to some reed cover, added up to a decent bet for a last gasp fish. I'll give it till 4pm, I thought - half an hour.

 

After 15 minutes - nothing! So I decided to recast nearer to the far bank just in case they were tucked away. A couple of cheesepaste blobs followed the bait and another huge bow let out. Tea now gone and feet getting cold.

 

About 10 minutes later - a tap! Then another, and then taptaptap and fish must be on, so I reeled like mad, gathered up all the slack and swept into a hugely exaggerated strike, and felt the donk donk of a chub - blimey, I really wasn't expecting that today! The rod bent over into a healthy curve and the fish got into the flow and plodded downstream. It came up and boiled on the surface and I could see it was a good one, so I slackened off the clutch and let it tire itself out in the flow. There were no last minute scares this time, and after just a couple on minutes I drew him over the net.

 

It looked big and felt heavy!

 

OK, stop shaking, pop the hook out and get the Avons. Zero them, unscrew the landing net head and hang it on. It swings round past 6lb, bounces around and settles on 6lb 8oz. The last time I weighed the net it was 10oz, making this a new PB of 5lb 14oz! That's amazing, I was not expecting that. Reweigh out of the wind to be sure - yep, 6lb 8oz. Crikey. A rest in the water followed by a couple of snaps, and back he goes, swimming off strongly.

 

I weigh the now empty net, just to be sure. the needle swings round to 8oz, then the wind catches it and it bounces around 7, 8, 9oz. Hang on - I'm terrible at maths but even I realise that if this weighs 8oz, that chub was a 6lber. Suddenly everything is charged with tension - check the scales, yes, they're zero'd; hang the net on, 8,9oz. Damn wind! I can't believe this, it's down to a single ounce! I go to my sheltered spot and try again. Hang it on - 8oz. Eight ounces! This is agonising! I do it again, I need to be certain - 8oz!

 

It's a 6! A proper scraper, but a 6lb chub! Unbelievable. The net must be holding less water than last time I guess. Anyway, who cares, a new PB!

 

Hooray

 

[Guest tigger]

Great stuff Anderoo congrats ! I enjoyed reading your post n'all.

[Anderoo]

Great stuff Anderoo congrats ! I enjoyed reading your post n'all.

 

Thanks Tigger I forgot to mention also that the wildlife was really out in force today, I saw a pair of buzzards (I think!), about a million canada geese, a very entertaining squirrel, robins, wrens, and best of all, two deer. I often see them around there, it's always great to see them!

 

I've had a glass of wine now, so I've stopped shaking!

[Alan Roe]

Brilliant fish Anderoo and a very good write up from the pic it really looks like a good deep solid fish so well done. Have another glass of wine and enjoy!

[tincatinca]

Excellent read and well done on a new PB. I went down my local river today with the intention of fishing a couple of hours into dark but it got so cold at 4 pm along with an extremely chilly wind that I thought B----r it and went home. I did have a few bits of excitement as the Pike were very active and were having a go at nearly everything I caught but the best bit was when an Otter surfaced 2 feet in front of me. Didn't half make me jump though. I had heard from other anglers that Otters were around but until today I had not seem one. Only problem was that I was stuck down the bottom of the bank and could not get the camera from the car quickly enough to get a photo. Ideal habitat though and I shall make sure the camera is in the bag next time I go down there.

 

[medwaygreen]

Great catch and well done on the new PB

[Houseplant]

congratulations and thanks for posting.

 

i had a similar plan, used google maps to find some slack water as the river was really pushing through and a horrible colour. found the perfect spot, but it didn't come off

 

i'm really struggling at the moment!

 

my baits were placed at the red x

 

[1superken]

Another cracker well done Anderoo

[Elton]

Proper monster, that. Nice one!

[JV44]

Anderoo well done matey boy that's another cracker ,you are on a roll at the moment and no mistake.

The few hours after the capture of a special fish are priceless and if you are anything like me you lose the ability to speak coherent English and repeat the tale of the capture to your girlfriend/wife until she gives you that tell me again and i am going to stab you look with the heart rate and shaking uncontrollable until the compulsory number of glasses of wine .

The Chub looked a very chunky fish and no doubt has been munching on a few crayfish speaking of which that's all i caught today from one of the free bits of small stream in Newbury where i met up with Rusty who had a decent Chub which was much better than my attempt,To sum up my session there a lady threw sticks into the water right by me for her dog to retrieve which i bit my lip and ignored as i was about to move swim anyway but then to add insult to injury some geezers boxer dog running around about two hundred meters in front of him decided to p*^s all over my holdall which i didn't ignore ,But that is the trouble with big open areas in towns where everyone and there uncle walks /well lets there dogs rampage around not to mention the amount of dog c$%& on the banks.

Righto rant over i then went to a bit with Grayling in but couldn't get them to play ,I did catch a few small trout though which was great fun,great write up and cracking fish mate Steve.