9.91M and steady
So, another short session after work. Again I am in peg 6 and the level has now fallen enough to expose the normal fishing peg. It was still a bit slippery getting down to it but I quickly settled in and was fishing by 3:40.
A long wait for a bite
As planned, I fished a small open ended feeder out into the crease and a stronger rod near the downstream bush. I planned to remain on the feeder on the crease rod and switch to a small bomb on the bush rod after 2 or 3 casts to get some loose feed in.
Last night I got my first twitch about 4:40. However, tonight I got nothing until about 5:20. Yesterday, following the twitch I got nothing until about 6pm when I got my one and only Chub (and fish). Tonight, although the first signs came later, I then got 3 or 4 bites in fairly quick succession but missed them all – the best one being a proper pull around but I had glanced away for a second and the tip was already bent round when I looked back.
Small Chub
About 5:45 I hooked into a Chub that was about 2.5lb. So far all action had come to the crease rod with the bush rod remaining static. Just before 6 I got a couple light twitches on the bush rod and, excitingly, the crease rod was also twitching. I felt certain a proper bite would come at any moment. In the end, it was about 10 mins later (maybe 6:05) when the bush rod showed a strikeable bite – however I missed the fish.
Was this the one!
By 6:15 the light really was going. The crease rod had been quiet for a few minutes so I decided on my usual countdown from 60 – I would pack up if I got to 0 without seeing any interest. When I got to about 25, the crease rod gave a sharp tug. I decided on another 60 countdown to give the fish chance to come back – sure enough it did and I struck into a fish that felt very and kept very low/deep. I played it for quite a while and was just starting to pump it up from the bottom and was making progress when “ping” my hooklength broke. This was a 5lb 14oz hooklength and close inspection showed that it snapped just above the hook. I suspect it must have been damaged. Was that my one and only chance of a PB Chub this season – it certainly felt big enough.
Summary
So, that’s my two late afternoon/evening sessions complete. That leaves me two more attempts before the end of the season. I plan to fish all day Friday (today is Wednesday) and then all day Monday (the last day of the season). My plan is to fish for Perch in the morning in the hope of a large Perch that has fattened itself ready for breeding and then move into peg 6 for the afternoon/evening in search of the elusive Chub PB.
I am actually quite pleased because last winter was very disappointing Chub wise. I only had 1 Chub once the weather turned and I failed to locate them. By contrast I have been able to catch Chub quite regularly this winter and also know where there are fairly dependable large Perch to be had. My knowledge of my local river continues to grow
