sometimes it’s a roach day , others it’s a chub day , most of the time it’s hopeless .
For me thats the thing that lures me back to the Thames every autumn and winter,it’s just picking the right day is down to lady luck?

jwb simple they the large fish know its getting colder so its bean feast, the carp are really having a go at the mo and lots over twenty happy days

Do you think they are big because of the cray fish?

Almost certainly, 15-20 years ago a 3lber was a good chub, 4lb really big. As John was saying, 5lb is hardly uncommon now. There may have been other changes to the river, but the most significant has been the spread of mini lobsters for them to munch on. Also, I think cormarants take some of the smaller fish, leaving more food and space for those that remain to get fat.

@proper tidal boy wrote:

jwb simple they the large fish know its getting colder so its bean feast, the carp are really having a go at the mo and lots over twenty happy days

Brian are you turning into a bivvy boy lol..

Can’t wait for Sunday now John. What did Kevin catch on

same thing happening on the river soar all the pound and half to two pound fish seam to be missing tons of ounce to two ounce chub yet four to six pound are plenty we also have the same problems cormorants and stacks of crayfish it must have something to do with it
10lb chub nets used to be 5o fish now they are 3 fish at most

high protein baits also a plus even the reported 8ib thames chub was witnessed having a munch on some ????seriously pellets have a bigger input to there weight increase as well??????havent seen a decrease in mitten crabs on the thames though ?????

@Dishyfish wrote:

@proper tidal boy wrote:

jwb simple they the large fish know its getting colder so its bean feast, the carp are really having a go at the mo and lots over twenty happy days

Brian are you turning into a bivvy boy lol..

One of the joys of going to willy was when the float went under regulary you never knew what was going to surface, sadly for me that doesnt hap[pen to me now as i dont go there very often?? but the thames is a different matter because that feeling of surprise HAS RESURFACED TO MY JOY as to the bivve boy never just short stays lol ps is that a boat i see~think ~think ~think ~clap ~clap

those are proper munters ……. 11 for 59lb!!!!

On the Great Ouse it it seemed to be just the ageing of a particular year class or two …. average size in general just went up over the years … but the number of pegs with them in went down.
Unfortunately on the Ouse there was very little succession … so very few 2-3 pounders coming through.

@proper tidal boy wrote:

@Dishyfish wrote:

@proper tidal boy wrote:

jwb simple they the large fish know its getting colder so its bean feast, the carp are really having a go at the mo and lots over twenty happy days

Brian are you turning into a bivvy boy lol..

One of the joys of going to willy was when the float went under regulary you never knew what was going to surface, sadly for me that doesnt hap[pen to me now as i dont go there very often?? but the thames is a different matter because that feeling of surprise HAS RESURFACED TO MY JOY as to the bivve boy never just short stays lol ps is that a boat i see~think ~think ~think ~clap ~clap

Enjoy your fishing Brian!! Stay as long as you want, as long as the enjoyment is there it dosn’t matter. See you soon mate…

Just found out, my mate fished Clifton on a pleasure session just above the concrete and had two chub in his catch. The first 5.14.0 the second 5.2.0. The rest of his weight were skimmers and 1-2ib chub. Estimated 45-50ib bag. I need to get back on the rivers, even if its just pleasure. Seems like those big chub are going for it big time…

Im going down there tomorrow to have a go for some of those beauties.

Hello Mick did you catch any of those big chub?? Where did you go Radley or Cliffton Hampden? It was a lovely day, so Im sure you had some great sport and did not have to wait till five to three lol…