At last a 5lb chub!

Decided to give the river a try today. When I got there I could see that the river was down to its bare bones and gravel bars were above the water line - the lowest I'd seen this particular stretch. I knew it wasn't going to be easy. 

I decided to set up with the drennan acolyte plus, 5lb drennan supplex, and a size 18 kamasan animal (in the hope of an animal!). I waded to one of the gravel bars and trotted maggot and caster against a tree lined bank. I'd brought 2 pints of each. It didn take long to get the first bite - a minnow. And about 20 more followed before something a little better in the shape of a dace.

A few more dace followed before I hooked a kamikaze trout, which went wild and destroyed everything before dislodging itself - time to move on. On the next swim, I could see the odd decent shape moving in the flow and thought to myself - chub. The problem was, they weren't interested in my crude tackle but took the freebies. I ended up stepping down my gear to 2lb drennan supplex and a size 20 kamasan b911F1 - this could be interesting I thought!

First trot through, a chub took the double maggot and the fight begun. I often find that fish respond like for like with the pressure being exerted - if that makes sense? Ie, if you pike the pressure on, they do the same. So I played it very softly, and for a couple of minutes it just sat in the flow. It then got bored and went for the far bank trees, making it underneath so I sunk the rod tip and hoped. It came back out, then dashed for my bank, near snagging me twice, before eventually netted. A good 4 I thought, and put it in the keepnet. It wasn't until I packed up and emptied the net, that I weighed it at 5lb 1oz, a new pb and my first 5. Happy!! It had a hollow belly, in prime winter condition I think 5 and a half at least.

A few more dace followed, and I went home with a smile.