Winter Chub
by
Steve ‘eelfisher' Richardson
It had been suggested to me by our very own ‘Ronaldo', the lovely Mr. Trevis, that I could consider contributing to the club by penning a few words on the fishing within the DCAC waters that I frequent. I gave this request some thought and decided that I would write one article and see how it was received by the membership. If it goes down well, then I will consider writing more on differing subjects and species.
The river Trent is a fine river for many fish species. Winter or summer it holds fish that can bring a smile to any anglers face. One such specie is the Chub. This lovely fish is also known by other such names as ‘Chevin', ‘Chavender', ‘Loggerhead' and ‘Alderman'. Old and favourite names for a fish that has such a history within the Trent system.
In fact, as I write this short article, yet another massive chub has been extracted from the Trent at a weight of over 8lbs. A colossus of a fish and one that dreams are made from.
However, this is not an article about big chub. It is an article about the potential of the chub fishing on our stretch of the river Trent at Willington. On Sunday 5 th March 2006 , I decided that, regardless of the weather conditions, I was going out for a few hours fishing in the late afternoon.
I arrived at Willington at 3.00pm and decided upon a swim that I had never fished before……the swim was selected more due to the fact that the wind was icy cold and blowing from the north. Better to have that behind me than in any other direction. I set up my large brolly and considered my approach. I took a river water temperature reading of 3.8 degrees. So, as I suspected it would be whilst considering my options at home, the river was cold and due to the level being low, it was also very clear as well.
My choice that afternoon was to fish bread crust as the hook bait with a little liquidised bread as a food carrier. The conditions were very cold and so any chub fancying a bite to eat wouldn't be up for a big bait or lots of it either.
I set up my 11ft 6” quiver tip rod and coupled it with 6lb mainline to a 3lb hook link, which was approximately 3ft in length. To this was tied a size 12 Drennan specialist hook. A small half an ounce ledger was incorporated in order to be able to allow the rivers current move the whole set up about on the river bed. This was done to ensure that the rig would cover the whole river bed area with the hope of it finding where the chub were laying up.
I squeezed a small amount of liquidised bread into a tight ball, the size of a golf ball, and plopped it in about five yards above the area I was intending to place the bait. It sank to the bottom and before it disappeared from sight, I watched as it exploded into what looked like an underwater snow storm made up of lots of small particle sized offerings. I then waited and enjoyed a cup of warm coffee and the last rays of sunshine lighting up the whole river scene.
Before I made the decision to bait up, I was visited by a kingfisher which landed upon the willow tree branch in front of my swim. We eyed each other up in the mutual understanding of two anglers on the bank. One of us fishing for food and survival and the other seeking the enjoyment of being able to fool his intended quarry. At that point it wouldn't have mattered if the latter achieved his goal. Just sharing that intimate experience had already made the trip a success.
Another small ball of the white stuff was deposited up river of the swim and I baited up the rod with a small piece of crust, the size of the average little finger nail. The hook was concealed well, with only the small point protruding from the hopefully tempting morsel of food. This was then cast up river, tight against the protruding branches of the willow tree and the rod was cradled on the rod rest to await any action.
The line above the reel was curled round my index finger and I concentrated on feeling for any indication of a bite. Within seconds of the bait settling on the river bed, the line tightened and the rod tip dropped back. A classic bite when ledgering up river style. I struck and the fish fought hard for the sanctuary of the tree roots. It felt a nice fish and so I took my time with it but soon it was playing out in front of the swim. In the clear water I could see every lunge the fish made and could see that it was a nice chub. It was soon netted and after popping the hook out I decided to give it a quick weigh, as it looked a fine specimen. The scales showed a weight of 4lb 11oz. Interestingly, the fish was not fat and so hadn't been feeding much lately, probably due to the extreme cold weather conditions of late. Either way, I was a happy man. Time for another small ball of bread into the swim and another coffee.
Fifteen minutes later the whole procedure was repeated, small crust cast up river into the exact same position as the last time. Never do I fish at Willington and not look around me and consume the vast birdlife that resides within that habitat. Chaffinches, robins, wrens, pied wagtails, small groups of long tailed tits, seasonal fieldfares and redwings at this time of the year and the almost constant sighting of the local sparrow-hawk hunting in the shadows of the far side high banks and tree line…….blue tits beware. Behind me I could hear the oystercatchers calling on the banks of the trout lake, accompanied by the constant calling of the Canada geese. I also took the opportunity to take a couple of photographs of the river in its afternoon glory.
Probably twenty minutes had passed at which point my finger was starting to get numb from the cold when the rod tip dropped back a couple of inches and then the rod banged down savagely. Another chub had fallen to the deadly crust offering. The fight was similar to the first and in the clear water watching the fight underwater was thrilling……the speed these chub can muster is awesome as they doggedly try to reach the tree roots. This chub looked the twin of the first fish and so I decided to once again weigh it. The scales settled at 4lb 10oz. Another superbly conditioned specimen, although once again it seemed rather too lean to have been feeding of late. It also had a small yellow dot at the base of its pelvic fin and so was certainly a different fish to the first one.
A freezing cold afternoon and already two very nice and welcome chub landed. Strangely, there was no one else on the site at all……just daft old me doing a bit of cold water chubbing.
I followed the same path again, returned the fish in the down river swim and introduced another small ball of liquidised bread into the swim and rested the swim for fifteen minutes. This time I went for a walk along the river in the fast receding evening light. This served two purposes, one it allowed time to pass without me rushing to re-cast back into the swim and it also allowed me to get some warmth back into my cooling body. (I do have the sensible big coat that keeps you as warm as toast but I don't like sitting in a fastened up coat when touch ledgering for chub, due to the restrictions it brings.)
I decided to recast a little further up river to the last two casts and the crust bait settled alongside the willow branches, a few feet further out in the river. The bait settled and then dislodged naturally and moved and then settled under the canopy of the trailing branches. I tightened up gently to put a small curve into the quiver tip in order to spot any indication of a bite. I waited for about ten minutes and then the rod tip just straightened out. I struck and the rod took on a healthy curve and the hooked fish surged out into the main current. This fish fought much more doggedly than the other two and even managed to take a little line of the clutch.
Eventually she succumbed and slide over the landing net rim and was hoisted onto the unhooking mat. What a cracking looking fish she was, although, just like her counterparts, she looked a little on the lean side. The scales were once again brought into use and they gave a reading of 4lb 14oz. I decided that this time I would take a quick photo of her resting on the unhooking mat alongside my rod and reel as a memento of the session.
Three very nice chub caught in very cold conditions……not monsters but easily the stamp of chub that are available to anyone in the membership who feels like a spot of chub fishing on the Willington fishery site.
As I packed away my gear, a friend and fellow club member arrived and we chatted about the fishing. I can inform you that he also had a couple of nice chub that evening as well but from a completely different section of the river. They weighed 4lb 10oz and 4lb 12oz.
Chub can be seriously easy to catch on some days but they can also be the hardest fish to tempt with any bait when they have that air of caution about them. Either way, they make for a great challenge and it's a challenge that I hope that this article might inspire in you one day in the coming new river season at the Willington fishery.
As I write this, I will take this opportunity to inform you all that I have taken up the role as Site Supervisor for the Willington fishery. If you find yourself on the site whilst I am there and want to talk fishing or discuss any issues, then please do not hesitate to approach me and engage in conversation. I am, after all, a fellow angler and the link between the fishery site and the club committee. (Likewise, please feel free to write to me, either via Royal Mail or by E-mail or phone me.)
Good fishing to you all this coming year.