A FISH OF A LIFETIME (8lb CHUB!)

It was a normal Sunday and i was getting ready for work for the week. Finishing my admin, i decided to get out for 2-3 hours before sunset. There was rain of course the previous day, but it was a lovely day. Sun was out, river was up and had a bit of colour to it. It was surprisingly warm and it looked perfect for a bite.  I went to a stretch of the River Colne that holds really good chub. I started in a specific spot where i had caught my previous pb chub of 5lb 15oz. I was using my korum 1.1lb quiver tip rod, 6lb mainline, little running bomb, 6lb hooklink with a size 6 hook. Its a really simple set up that i always use for these faster flowing rivers. I used a flake of bread, pinched round the size 6 hook with the point showing. I had made up some liquidised bread and added some bread crumb i got from Wenzels bakery. A nice sloppy mix that when entering the water created a big cloud.  This specific spot screams chub. Youve got the main flow of the river then pass that is a big fallen tree with loads of branches which creates this big slack all the way along the other side of the river. Like i said before, this is where i got my previous pb chub a couple of Boxing Days a go! The cast is tricky and requires accuracy. Like a lot of places where i fish, theres always over hanging trees and vegetation i need to get past. After failing a couple of times i finally landed it in the spot but the main flow was just catching my line and couldnt hold bottom. I decided to move down a few meters where it was a bit more open and could cast better. After chucking a bit more of the bread mix in i cast on the other side of the river, nicely in the slack.  I normally only spend about 15 minutes in each swim when im going after chub, but persisted in this area because it should hold a fish. After about 6 minutes of it being in the water i got itchy feet and wasn’t comfortable. On camera i said, “just gonna have a little re-cast i think”, and as soon as i put my hand on the butt of the rod the rod tip started twitching. “Oh, theres a bite!”, i struck and hooked onto a fish. The fish went in the main flow. Having had chub of about 4lb from here in the past they normally put up a good fight in the main flow. This fish eased its way in the flow, on camera i said, “yeah i don't think it’s big”. It continued to my right, straight in the margin and snagged me up! Little did i know how big it was i went to investigate and decided to rest my rod and slack a little bit of line off. After about 8 minutes of back and forth with the fish i made the decision to try and get on the other side of the snag and pull it out with a bit of force. The fish come out, still hooked and saw a massive belly from a big bronzed chub. I was in disbelief. I netted this chub and couldn’t get over how big it was. In the past, ive had a few chub an ounce or two under the 6lb mark. I weighed it and not only did i skip the 6lb club, i skipped the 7lb club and straight into the 8lb club. Walking around, adrenaline pumping, I honestly couldn't believe what had happened.  During the season i had said a few times that if im gonna beat my pb, i reckon im gonna smash it, and i was right. You honestly couldn’t make this stuff up. Fishing rivers never ceases to amaze and surprise me. A fish of a lifetime. Theres always one bigger… #fishing #coarsefishing #catchandrelease #angler #fish #fishinglife #river #riverfishing