Kennet Chub Weight 'Progression' since 1982

[Paulg]

One thing I have noticed about the larger chub from Southern waters is how short, fat, unfit and unhealthy they appear compared to the ones from more northern regions. They appear to have bloted guts like the carp we often see. It make you wonder if the fish that get so fat have some kind of genetic disorder.

By the way i'm not trying to put these fish down, i'm just pointing out the obvious.

 

Its not just the larger fish either, see the second and third chub in my latest blog entry,

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/195/entry-1291-the-plan-a-chub-from-the-emm-brook-13th-march/

 

both caught in a small Berkshire stream, neither fish is over 3lbs, but both have the short and fat shape you refer to.....I wouldn't say they look unfit though, and certainly not unhealthy. As far as I am aware this stream does not yet have crayfish present although it does join the Loddon a couple of miles further downstream.

[Latimeria]

This time of year that could very easily just be gravid rather than a porker...which does mean it needs mentioning that you need to say when you had these fish, as posting it up on the 24th might give the impression you're fishing maggot during the close season...

[Paulg]

This time of year that could very easily just be gravid rather than a porker...which does mean it needs mentioning that you need to say when you had these fish, as posting it up on the 24th might give the impression you're fishing maggot during the close season...

 

Perhaps you missed the obvious bit....the date on the blog is 13th March, the penultimate day of the river season. You can see the date on the link itself as well

[Latimeria]

Was reading it on my phone, could only see the date posted. Technology...

 

Was reading it on my phone, could only see the date posted. Technology...

[Tigger]

This time of year that could very easily just be gravid rather than a porker...which does mean it needs mentioning that you need to say when you had these fish, as posting it up on the 24th might give the impression you're fishing maggot during the close season...

 

 

Yeaph, as you say P the fish does look gravid, i've had them just like that in the last week or two of the season myself over the years.

The southern porker fish have a different look to that having bumpy lumps of fat under their skin, like cellulite in people I suppose.