Tigger
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.
That does appear to be true, but I honestly believe it's down to a diet mainly of Crayfish, you see the same in Carp which have feasted on Crayfish, having said that, the Big Chub I have caught fought very well and were certainly fighting fit.
My biggest Chub was 251/2 inches long to the V of the tail with a girth of 181/2 inches, a truly massive fish, Simon Chub of 8lbs14ozs was 241/2inches long with a girth of 171/2inches, having spoken with other big chub captors, I think that Chub seem to reach an optimum length of between 24 to 26 inches and then expand their girth depending on what they are eating.
Interestingly the Crayfish in the Fisher Green catchment area seem to be less this year and I wonder if that is why the Chub were slightly down in weight ?
Bob