The 1st week of January saw me making a trip to the famous Throop fishery on the Dorset Stour to fish for its huge shoals of Chub. Taking up a long standing invitiation from my friend Paul Martin I was soon heading down the M40 with thoughts of monster Chub filling my head. Below is a short account of our weeks fishing that I wrote for an online forum,
While the country has spent the past couple of weeks under a blanket of snow there has been a small pocket on the south coast that so far has escaped the dreaded white stuff. It was here, in Dorset that I spent last week fishing the Stour for Chub with Paul. I had fished the Stour a few years ago but it was in the height of summer and with me not knowing the venue I really struggled. Hopefully with a bit of local knowledge and more experience this trip would be different 
I arrived on the Sunday evening and Paul spent some time talking me through methods and rigs to get me upto speed for the week ahead, very different to how I would fish for Chub on the Warks Avon but 'when in Rome'.
Monday arrived and we were on Throop for 1st light,
I arrived on the Sunday evening and Paul spent some time talking me through methods and rigs to get me upto speed for the week ahead, very different to how I would fish for Chub on the Warks Avon but 'when in Rome'.
Monday arrived and we were on Throop for 1st light,
Paul had been informed that the fishing was very hard and he kindly pointed me in the direction of the'going' chub swim on the fishery while he set up a couple of hundred yards downstream. It was indeed hard going, it was the 1st time I had ever fished with light lines and size 20 hooks and that 1st day I struggled, losing 1 fish and missing a couple of bites. The bragging rights went Paul for day 1 with him landing 4 chub to my 0.
Tuesday came and again we were out for 1st thing. Today i was determined to make amends and learn from my mistakes of the previous day. We again set up in the same swims and from the off I fished hard, recasting every couple of minutes to build up a bed of maggots in the swim in the hope I could get the chub going. It was very hard fishing and by the time dusk came I was beginning to think it wouldnt happen but then someone hit the 'switch' and it was a bite a cast. My last 5 casts of the day brought me 4 chub and a missed bite, in the process enabling me to beat my PB with a lovely fish of 6.3.
With Paul blanking the scores were level pegging 4-4.
Wednesday came and went without much happening, we fished till late morning but the conditions were awful and it was chuffing freezing so a cup of tea in the local Tackle Shop and a Cafe brekkie were the highlights.
We were up bright and early again on Thursday and decided we were going to fish as a team. With Paul setting up slightly upstream of me the plan was for both of us to fish the same 'line' and draw the fish upto my swim. The plan worked to start with as I landed a couple of moderate chub mid morning but then as the day wore on the temperature took a huge dive and the river switched off. Just as it got dark I got a shout from Paul 'fish on'! I reeled in and went to his swim to see him land a chub of quite large proportions. It was certainly the largest chub I had ever seen and so it was proved when the scales read a very healthy 6.11.
Wednesday came and went without much happening, we fished till late morning but the conditions were awful and it was chuffing freezing so a cup of tea in the local Tackle Shop and a Cafe brekkie were the highlights.
We were up bright and early again on Thursday and decided we were going to fish as a team. With Paul setting up slightly upstream of me the plan was for both of us to fish the same 'line' and draw the fish upto my swim. The plan worked to start with as I landed a couple of moderate chub mid morning but then as the day wore on the temperature took a huge dive and the river switched off. Just as it got dark I got a shout from Paul 'fish on'! I reeled in and went to his swim to see him land a chub of quite large proportions. It was certainly the largest chub I had ever seen and so it was proved when the scales read a very healthy 6.11.
While Paul now had the biggest fish of the week (and the biggest off Throop for a while) I was nosing ahead in the numbers game 6-5.
Friday was soon upon us and again we headed for Throop albeit in different swims today. A cold North easterly wind had come in and it was easily the coldest day of the week.
Friday was soon upon us and again we headed for Throop albeit in different swims today. A cold North easterly wind had come in and it was easily the coldest day of the week.
Paul caught a fish mid morning to save a blank and as I was struggling in my choice of swim he kindly invited me to have a social and fish his swim with him as he had feeding fish infront of him. Before I could get amongst the fish Paul hooked and lost one, I then managed to land one of around 5lbs and then as the day before as it got colder the river seemed to go quiet. As dusk approached the river came alive with fish topping everywhere, alas no more bites were forthcoming and we headed off home.
The final scores at the end of the week were 7-6 in my favour.
A very tough week in the coldest conditions I have ever fished in but very enjoyable and a good laugh, Cheers Paul.
A very tough week in the coldest conditions I have ever fished in but very enjoyable and a good laugh, Cheers Paul.
Again this was to be my only fishing of the month due to work and weather restrictions. It is also the 1st time in 4 years that I haven't caught barbel in every month of the season!! Something to put right next season I think.
Thanks for reading and hopefully I can finish the season with a bang.
Cheers Lewis.
