First session of the 2010 season on the River Eden

It was great to get back to the river after a long closed season. I decided to go down to the river Eden for the afternoon to try catch a few chub. I was slightly worried about the current stock of the Eden due to the sighting of an otter last season. I headed down to my usual starting swim in the free stretch carrying a loaf of bread and spicy luncheon meat. The river was very shallow and overgrown making most of the swims in-accessible. I flick my bread fake out beyond the sunken Lilly's close to where I saw a fish move. On the second cast the rod tip wrapped around and I was in. After a powerful run the fish tired quickly and I netted it first time. It was huge and pulled my new Rubens around to 5lb 2oz and a new personal best. Little did I know that I would be in for the session of a lifetime. After this fish the swim became quite so I decided to move. The weather was hot with a cool breeze and so I decided to fish the weir pools. I don't usually fish the weirs as they normally contain the smaller chub collecting food in the current but because it was a hot day I presumed that the fish would be in these colder oxygenated areas. Above left: 3lb chub from the weir on spicy luncheon meat. I managed a small fish from the weir before deciding to fish the other weir further up-stream which is slightly deeper. On my first cast with a piece of luncheon meat on a size 8 long shank the rod bent around and I was in. This continued on for about an hour and I caught 14 chub from this one weir. It was amazing fishing with at least nine over 3lb one of about 4lb and four of about 2lb. Below, the weir in which I had fourteen chub.

 After catching an amazing amount of goo sized chub from the weir I decided to go back to the other weir and fish the deeper water. I dropped my bait out 2 feet in front of me and within seconds I was in. This continued and I caught another 6 or so chub. One went 4lb and the others around three. To top the day off I saw some chub in the shallow water surfacing. I threw in some bread crust and they surfaced again. I decided to take the lead shot of my mainline and float bread crust trotting it down the current. I missed a few bites when finally one surfaced and I was in. The fish was only around 2lb but catching one on the surface must be the ultimate way to catch chub. What a day. Below a 3lb weir chub, the swim from which I caught the 5lb 2oz personal best, a 4lb chub caught two feet from the bank and my PB chub 5lb 2oz. All these pictures were self takes and many of the other pictures had half my head cut off!!!!!!!!!

Tight lines.