Fat Chub

[Phone]

Tigger,

 

Maybe you selectively only catch the larger females.

 

Phone

[lutra]

They weren't like this last year but thetemp's have been up on last year that's what made me think maybe they're gonna spawn early this year... round here at least.

I don't think they will spawn early this year, but they might have been late last year. It was a long cold winter last year and i think it was very late Feb before you could cast in without your gear bouncing off the top.

[lutra]

I was wondering that myself Phone. I don't know but did think it may well be a male only thing. It's that long since i've caught a chub in still water in spawning condition I just can't remember if i've even seen tubercules on them at all.

Can't say I've noticed much in the way of tubercles on them even when I've caught them in April, May and June on the river when game fishing.

[Rusty]

And where's your blog entry - bin waiting all week to see how you got on on Sunday !! - mind you my 180 mile round trip to Dorset was worth it!

 

C.

 

Haven't been able to motivate myself to write it yet Chris. I'd picked up man-flu and my energy levels dropped to nothing early on Sunday, towards the end the last thing I wanted to do was fish. I've been at home all week trying to recover, I don't want miss the last day out of the season.

[Tigger]

I don't think they will spawn early this year, but they might have been late last year. It was a long cold winter last year and i think it was very late Feb before you could cast in without your gear bouncing off the top.

 

Your probably right Brian but it just seemed strange how the majority of them where blown up and similar in appearance to tench when they start to swell with spawn (but not at the point of spawning). I'm sure it wasn't food, I don't think there's a lot in the river right now and the fish where tip top fettle so not blown up through illness. Thinkin about it the season closes in a fortnight so I suppose it's possible they may be conditioning to spawn just after that:) .

[Steve Walker]

No Steve, but I don't think they where quite that far through the cycle. I would imagine they only develope them towards their peak.

 

Yep, I'd agree with that. I'm not sure I remember seeing them on river chub because of the closed season and then tench fishing early season, but we used to get them on the stillwater chub in the club I was in years ago.

[Phone]

All,

 

The tubercles on creek chub are a few little bumps - not horns. They are bait fish rarely reaching more than 4 or 5 inches maximum. The only reason it is "meaningful" is that creek chub make nests and they are easy prey when you need bait during the early spring.

 

Phone