The Chub
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The chub, its voracious appetite is helped by its large mouth, and pound for pound it�s one of the hardest fighting fish you can hook.
The Vital statisticsScientific name - Leuciscus cephalus
Life Span - 10-12 years Maximum Weight - 8-9lb (3.6-4.1kg) Maximum Length � 22-23in (56-59cm) Distribution � See map on right. Chub are found throughout the rivers of England, Wales and Scotland, although they don�t thrive in cold, clear Scottish rivers and they are not native to Ireland. Season � June to March on rivers, all year on stillwaters. Natural Diet � They are omnivorous, they will eat fish, insects, frogs, crustaceans, spent moths and flies and vegetable matter (such as silkweed, berries and bread). They especially like slugs and these should be collected at dawn.
Where do they hang out?It is all very well knowing which method to use for catching the fish, but if you don't know where they are, then the method is no good to you.
Where will you find them ? - Weirpools - the slack water at the edge, may hold large specimens looking for fry that gather here. If there is debris caught under trees or posts in the water will provide cover for them. Look for them under overhanging banks, they will be just out of the main flow facing upstream.
How do you catch them ?Locate the swim you want to fish and approach from upstream, insure you don't cast a shadow on the water as this will spock the fish and your days fishing is over.There are several methods you can use - free line a slug down the swim, the current will take it right over the fish, no self respecting chub can resist a juicy big slug floating right above its head. You can also try legering a lump of luncheon meat. On rivers try floatfishing, block-end feeder fishing, straight legering and freelining are all good methods on their day. On canals, they tend to hug far bank cover, so fish right across with a straight leger.   
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