No Points - But Some Proper Chub!

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

After last Thursdays farce, I was determined to give the Dorset Stour another go today. So I got up at very silly o'clock and was down there ready to give it my all by 7am! Not too many cars in the car park so there would be plenty of room. As I went down the path my pace quickened as I wanted to see how the river looked (and four more cars were disgorging their contents back in the car park!).

Good and bad news! The level had dropped by a good 18 inches but most of the colour had gone as well. The flow was still fast and furious but the clarity of the water was going to be a problem. Hopefully the skies will cloud over and make it nearly perfect conditions. Fat chance!



To cut a long story short, it was a struggle! I did manage a few Roach and Dace but I reckon I convinced myself the day was going to be hard and just could not settle down to fish it the way the venue deserved. Mid afternoon arrived and I decided to give myself a right "talking to"!

Yes it was hard going but stick around till later and the Chub/Barbel might just put in an appearance.

I vowed to stick it out and fish into the first hour of darkness. I'm glad I did!

They left it very late but I managed two superb Chub within minutes of each other. Both on trotted maggot using my favourite centrepin. I'll own up and say I didn't really see the float go under! Well it was dark! Both times I sort of "thought" it had gone and struck! The result:

Chub 5lb 6oz



Chub 6lb 2oz



Apologies for the quality of the images. This is the first time I've used the self timer function!

No Species Race points but I've increased the Forum chub record again!

[Twiddler]

Wow......some awesome chub there Partner, never mind the points, we can catch them up in no time.

Well done on those superb fish Partner, chuffed to bits for you

We must arrange a day for you to take me out there....maybe I can juggle a day off during the week

[mithrandir]

Cracking fish Neil, you certainly are making the most of that club membership

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

The 6lb 02oz Chub is not quite a PB (that was 30+ years ago!) but I'd forgotten just what a big Chub looks like. Not bad on a 20 hook to 2lb line!

Also the thing is, on Throop, 6lb Chub are fairly common. They're not easy to catch but there's plenty of them! The local experts don't get too excited unless they exceed 7lb .

I believe the Throop record exceeds 8lb!

It's a different planet down there!

[Wilza]

6lb 2oz! thats a clonker! well done

[Noel]

Two lovely fish. There may be more big chub there than other places but that doesn't mean you can just turn up and catch them. Well done, great angling.

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

An 8lb Chub probably looks like this:



This one is actually 7lb 15oz and I had the privilige of seeing it close up last March! It was huge .

[tat]

very very nice fish

well done!

[..::Pike Pirate::..]

Jesus!

wouldnt mind one of them.

last time i caught a chub was years ago at Broken Brae, it was about 2 pounds and the first thing it did was bury its head in a hole in the bank

did well to get it out considering i was about 9.

congrats on those fish though...clunkers by my standards anyway!

[Portland Pirate]

Fantastic fish. Another contender for fish of the month.