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Martin James award-winning fisherman consultant,broadcaster,writer





  

04/03/2017 - Brace of Chub for Brendan

Fishing the Big Oak

 

For some time Brendan Ince has been looking for a bamboo rod, today he got a Richard Walker MK1V Avon, I though the best thing I could do was act as his guide for a few hours on my stretch of the River Ribble, we arrived around 1400 hrs to find the river gauge giving a reading of 0.963m on checking the water temperature I got a reading of 42 degrees F up a degree from yesterday. After a coffee we started off in the top wood where I thought Brendan would have his best chance to christen his rod. I put him in a swim upstream of a big oak (see pic) suggesting he use 2 LG shot 6” from a size 4 barbless hook and fish with bread crust, within a minute of casting out the rod tip pull ed round the perfect bite, sadly Brendan got to excited and fluffed the strike. Baiting with crust he vast slightly further downstream, as we waited for another bite I noticed a dog doing its business on the far bank footpath, I quickly extended the camera lens to 800 metres in case the woman didn’t pick up the mess, thankfully she was responsible. We fished on for another fifteen minutes, with no more sign of interest from the chub, I suggested we move downstream to the tail of Heron Pool which is lined by several beech trees alders and willows where many of the roots go deep in the water making it a perfect sanctuary when cormorants are about.

Success for Brendan

I put Brendan in a spot that I would have fished, where the water flows left to right goes partly across the river towards the opposite bank then meet the river flow from another direction creating a quiet area where I though chub would lay up so they could intercept food coming from both directions, I put in a handful of mashed bread flavoured with Lone Angler cheese spray then added half a dozen pieces of bread flake. Baiting Brendan hook with a chunk of crust I pointed to the spot where I wanted him to cast. It was spot on so we sat back and waited but not for long as the rod tip pulled round, the answering strike connected with what I thought was a good fish, After a few minutes I was able to net a good chub which I thought would go around 4lb 8 ounces perhaps an ounce more. On the scales it weighed 4lb 12 ounces.(see pic) Brendan had a grin a mile wide, I also noticed as he played the fish he made several admiring glances at the fighting curve of his first built cane rod, All his Christmases had come in one. Half an hour later he had a second chub of 4lb 6 ounces, it was time for coffee and biscuit’s for Brendan a boil in the bag meal for me. Back at my home I gave him some fresh trout fillets for his mum also I loaned him Still Water Angling by Richard Walker suggesting he read and read the first chapter if nothing else. At my time in life I get great pleasure in helping other anglers, as I say if I don’t catch another fish I’ve had my share but I still want to catch more.

 

 

 

Brendan with 4 lb 8 ounce chub

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Martin James Fishing
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