Bob's tips for winter chub

1. Location, Location, Location… It’s important you find the winter haunts as the fish might not be moving far. Organise your gear so you can stay mobile giving you the option to explore likely holding areas such as runs of slower deeper water, rafts of debris, overhanging trees, snags and creases.

2. Think about scaling down… If you are using balanced tackle then you can often scale down to lighter lines and smaller hooks but still have the potential to land big fish. You will have better control of your terminal tackle, float etc. which will help your bait behave more naturally, this is particularly relevant if the river is running low and clear.

3. In the summer months using maggots can be a problem if you are targeting big fish because of the activity of much smaller so called nuisance fish, but in winter they make a great chub bait.

4. Sometimes switching to an “alternative” bait can save a session. I always carry alternative baits such as cheese, bread, paste, etc.

5. I often see anglers packing up well before dusk. It can be hard to stay that bit longer, particularly as the temperature starts to drop, but staying into dark can produce that special fish that makes it all worth it.

Good Luck.

Bob