Tom Bryant has been fishing down on the Dorset Stour as of late, and has discovered a bait that anglers normally use for other species, is also excellent for catching chub.
“I’ve been doing a bit of perch fishing on the Dorset Stour lately, using worms and prawns as bait. I’ve caught a few decent ones, but also realised the chub that inhabit the stretch were also slipping up to the prawns!
“I don’t think they’ve been used much down there, at least not for a while, as most anglers are using bolt rigs and boilies these days. So, with it still being a bit too early in the season for me to be using cheesepaste, I decided to try targeting the chub specifically using prawns. My plan was to rove, carrying minimal tackle and trying to find the fish, rather than sitting and waiting for one to hang itself!
“I fished the prawns using a quivertip set-up, presenting one directly on a size 6 hook below a link leger carrying enough SSG shot to match the river’s flow. Over a few trips the other week I landed some cracking chub, the biggest of which was this 7lb’er.
“On one of my first sessions, I fished a swim where there’s a large raft extending out into the middle of the river. After baiting with a few free offerings, it wasn’t long before I landed a chub of 4lb 3oz. I fed a bit more bait, then left the swim for an hour beforereturning on darkness.
“Five minutes after casting out I received a few light taps on the tip, followed by the slowest chub bite I’ve seen for quite some time! I hit into what turned out to be a well-framed chub of 6lb 7oz, which I was delighted with, as it was my first six-pounder of the year.
“A few days later I had a couple of hours to spare in the evening, so headed back to the same swim. I introduced a few more freebies, rested the swim for around 20 minutes, then dropped my hookbait on the edge of the raft and allowed it to trundle beneath it in the light flow.
“Not long after that I had another bite and hooked a fish that soon had me holding on for dear life! Thankfully, my tackle held and I was able to steer the chub into clearer water where it held deep for a few minutes before I was able to slip the net under the seven-pounder.
“Two big fish in a week – and they were the result of a cheap bag of prawns and a few hours of roving the banks of the Stour. Needless to say, I was made up!”
THE BEST SPECIMEN RODS ARE IDEAL FOR CATCHING BIG CHUB LIKE THIS ONE...
Enjoying this article?
Subscribe to Angling Times for expert fishing tips, tackle reviews, and the latest angling news delivered straight to your door. Whether you're into coarse, carp, or match fishing, we’ve got the stories, advice and inspiration to keep you hooked.
