This wasn’t just ‘any old’ 8-pounder though, it weighed in at a massive 8lb 14oz, making it the second biggest ever river chub, behind Neill Stephens’ record-equalling fish from the same venue earlier in 2012.
Simon has been a regular at the Fishers Green venue on the River Lea for the past ten years and has conducted an annual winter chub campaign, out in all weathers and conditions and FishingMagic regulars will recall some of his insightful features on chubbing on the site, such as THIS superb analysis of his big cub tactics and techniques. During the course of his campaigns Simon netted several big fish, to well over the 7lb mark, but he never gave up on catching his ‘dream’ fish; one topping 8lb.
Simon commented:
“I’m lucky enough to have the Lea close to home, and for a specimen angler the chub there really have to be the target species with the awesome sizes they’ve grown to.
I’ve fished almost every swim on the venue and have built up a good picture of where the prevailing conditions will put the fish. Big chub are a challenge in many ways, not least for the snow, ice, wind and rain you have to endure through the best months of the year in which to catch them.
In respect of this particular session I’d had a good look around before I started and decided on the swim. The current was still pushing through with the river in flood, but I managed to find a spot where I could fish both margins.”
Simon started the session with a 6lb 2oz chub just ten minutes after casting out and with the milder weather, he felt there was a good chance of another fish and 90 minutes later and the same rod swung into action.
“There was a good fight in the flow, but it wasn’t until I got it onto the mat that its size really registered. I thought my previous best at 7lb 15oz was a big fish, but this just dwarfed it! I must admit I was shaking a bit after I watched the scales settle on its true weight. We measured its length at exactly 24 inches and girth at 17.25 inches.”
Osprey SG Chairman and highly respected big fish angler, Bob Hornegold left his sick-bed to witness, re-weigh and photograph the fish, assisted by Ray Taylor – a former fly-fishing tutor and England Fly Angler.
Simon’s tackle comprised 10lb main line, 3oz Grippa lead, a coated braid hooklength and a size 6 hook baited with a 20mm Smoked Salmon Boilie by All Season Bait Developments, with a small pva mesh bag of broken boilies.
“The traditionalists won’t like the approach I take” laughed Simon, “but I’d never have got a bait holding on the far side of the current without it. Once I clip a backlead on the main line it drops the line down through the current and allows you to fish where a normal set-up won’t. It also stops big, wary fish from spooking when they touch line.
It’s a tried and tested set-up and it’s stood me in good stead for many years and caught a lot of superb chub. It’s an old cliché, but this really is a fish of a lifetime and what makes it even more special is that I’ve compared notes with Neill Stephen and we both believe it’s an unknown fish.”
