Winter Chub Fishing Guide – Phil Spinks

This entry was posted on 15th January, 2021

If there is one species of fish you can always rely on in the depths of winter, it’s chub. However cold it gets chub always seem to oblige.

Here are some top tips to help you put a few more chub on the bank this winter.

Location

Watercraft is incredibly important when it comes chub fishing. The best way to improve your watercraft is to spend time on the bank. Some chub swims are obvious, such as overhanging trees or deep bends, others are less obvious.

Personally, I look for creases and slacks in the flow when searching for chub, although I never overlook the bland looking straights. I’ve had some very big chub fishing areas that probably get overlooked by most other anglers, I’ve found that the boring looking straights fish especially well into dark.

“My best tip for chub location is to stay mobile, bites normally come quickly if there is a chub in the swim, meaning that if I haven’t had any bites after 20-30 minutes I'll relocate.”

Tackle

One thing I love about chub fishing is how minimalistic the tackle is. Here is a list of my essential items of tackle:

1. Advanta RVS Twin Tip Rod paired with a 4000 size Shimano reel
2. Small lightweight chair
3. Advanta RVS spoon net with long extending handle
4. Small rucksack
5. Small compact unhooking mat
6. Rod rest

Rigs

Most of my chub fishing in the winter is simple ledgering. The rig could not be easier, a link ledger rig with as little weight as possible, just enough to hold bottom.

In terms of main line, you want either 6 or 8lb breaking strain depending on how snaggy your chosen venue is. My hooklink will be a similar breaking strain but slightly thinner diameter to improve bait presentation.

My favourite chub fishing hook for larger baits such as cheese paste or bread flake are Kamasan B983 in either size 6 or 4.  

If the rivers become low and very clear in the winter, I enjoy trotting maggots on small hooks and light line. Hooks as small as size 18 or even 20’s with single or double maggots, Drennan super spade hooks to nylon are a particular favourite of mine.

Baits

Without doubt my number one winter chub bait is cheese paste. It works best when the river is holding some colour, if the water starts to clear my second choice of bait is bread flake.

“There is not a single chub that can resist a nice smelly lump of cheese paste!”

Here are my top 5 winter chub baits, in order:

1. Cheese paste
2. Bread flake
3. Fishmeal boilies
4. Maggots
5. Luncheon meat

Bite indication

Chub bites can sometimes be very subtle. For this reason, I use either a 1oz or 2oz glass quivertip, as I feel it gives me better bite indication.

A typical chub bite will normally be a couple of very delicate taps on the quivertip followed by a more positive pull. A nice firm strike is needed to set the hook.

Hopefully, these tips will help you catch a few more chub during the winter.

Tight lines,

Phil

If you need any more inspiration check out my specimen series chub video on ADTV:

Here is another helpful video showing you how to make cheese paste: