Garbolino Blackmoor Vale angler Rich Chave set out to target the roach on the Bristol Avon at Melksham, Wiltshire, but got more than he bargained for when the silvers quickly turned to thickset chub.
Fishing against 70 other anglers in the team competition, held over six rounds on rivers and canals, the 44-year-old started by setting up his pole with a short rig and 0.20 bottom with a size 20 to tempt the roach.
Then, after having to go even finer to net a couple of roach, the real action started.
“I had a bite that just whipped the elastic out and broke me off almost straight away,” Rich told Pole Fishing. “I knew it was a good chub and as you usually only get one chance in a match to catch one I was a bit annoyed.
“I carried on fishing on that set-up thinking that was it for the chub, when the same thing happened again on the next chuck in.”
After loosing another couple of good fish, Rich change tactics, arming his Garbolino GMAX 1000 with 10 elastic and a worm rig consisting of an 0.14 bottom and a size 16 hook.
“The chub must have been all shoaled very tightly under a far bank bush because they just came thick and fast after that,” continued Rich. “I fed caster and fished lobworm sections on the hook and managed to get 20 fish to the net and in the match.”
With a total of 34lb 7oz of chub to 4lb and a few roach, Rich doubled the weight of the second placed angler and won his section by over 20lb.
“I was the only one to catch any chub in the match. It was an amazing days fishing,” he added.
Rich's haul of match-winning chub.
