Seven heaven for chub anglers

“After seven consecutive blanks fishing for barbel and chub, I finally connected with this fish – a new PB weighing 7lb 8oz, so it was worth the wait!

“Fishing the River Thames, I cast just into the main flow with a paste-wrapped 18mm boilie hookbait and a 4oz lead to hold bottom. As soon as I set the hook, I knew it was a good fish, although it didn’t put up much of a fight and came in like a bin bag to be honest!

“As soon as it went into the net, though, I knew that it was a new personal best for the species. It must be a right fat old boilie muncher!”

“I caught this 7lb 7oz chub during the recent mild spell, when I had to make the most of good conditions. After feeding a few blobs of paste, I fished a simple paste-wrapped boilie just a rodlength out.

“I soon landed a good chub, and I got the rod straight back out.

"A minute later it banged round again, and after a brief tussle I landed an even bigger chub. The first went 6lb 5oz, the second 7lb 7oz.

“Three years ago, a mate asked me what my target for the season was, and I joked that it was a 17lb barbel, a 3lb roach and a 7lb chub, all from the Hampshire Avon. With this fish, I’ve managed all three!”

“On my first river session in nearly 20 years, I landed my best-ever chub, weighing 7lb exactly.

“Arriving at my local stretch around mid-morning, I’d planned to adopt a mobile approach, but after flicking my maggot feeder towards the far bank, missing a few bites and losing the odd fish, I ended up playing a game of cat and mouse with the chub.

“I finally hooked what I initially thought was a ball of weed, but after a few sluggish lunges, I realised I was connected to a good fish!

“A passing angler offered to net the fish, and he shouted ‘Oh my God, it’s massive’ as it came in. My girlfriend came down and took some pictures, and once it was released, I walked to the car with a smile you could see from a mile away.”