Chub Fishing - Trotting for Chub - Part 2
Rod: Any decent match or trotting rod of around 13 feet. This may well be governed by the stretch of river you are fishing. If there are a lot of trees you may wish to use a shorter rod, to avoid overhead branches, otherwise a 13foot rod is about perfect. Look for something with a nice tip that will be able to pick line up off of the surface at a distance. Don’t go for anything too pokey either, or you’ll suffer hook pulls galore. Ideally a nice tippy, soft, through action match style rod is perfect.
Reels: Centrepins are perhaps the purists choice and that of the more experienced river angler. However I can assure you that with very little practice, if any, you will be able to fish quite effectively with a pin despite being a novice. They are simple to use, offer a smooth presentation of the float and unparalleled control of a hooked fish.
Centrepins are essentially a rotating drum. Most, these days, have ball bearings and so are incredibly free running. The mere weight of a float being carried along by the slightest current will be sufficient to turn the drum of the pin, thus allowing line to be taken from the reel. The floats goes with the natural flow of the river. You can control the spinning of the pin further by using your thumb as a brake.
Fixed spool: The standard coarse fishing reel. With the bail arm open line can spool off quite freely and as with the closed face reel, can be controlled with a finger. This is perhaps the least favoured reel for trotting as it is harder to control the line as effectively. However in experienced hands it can be every bit as effective as the centrepin and closed face varieties.
Line: Any good quality floating line will suffice. Something along the lines of Drennan float fish is as good as you’ll get. You can always add some grease or floatant spray to your line to make it float, if it doesn’t already. Breaking strains vary depending on the style of the river your fishing. If it’s very snaggy or has heavily overgrown banks for instance. Generally speaking for chub, I would suggest around 3lb breaking strain lines. You always have the option of using a lighter hook length if the fishing is proving to be slow.
Hooks: A good quality hook should always be used and should suit the bait you intend using. It is obviously no good using a 10 or 12 hook if maggots are the bait of choice. Always try and balance your hook size to suit the bait. If using maggots go for a 14, 16 or 18. You may even wish to use hooks to nylon for a lighter hook length. However, I generally find this unnecessary. Bread flake can be used with anything from a size 4 upwards.
Split shot: Try and buy a good quality split shot. They can damage lines especially in lower breaking strains, so attach with care. If you need to move the shot up or down the line, make sure it has been opened sufficiently so as not to cause any damage. During a fight with a decent chub, your line will be under immense pressure and any weakness caused by line damage will result in a break off. A good idea is to thread some micro tubing onto the line and attach the split shot to this. However careful attachment of shot will generally not prove to be problematic.
Floats: Float selection can vary greatly. There are many varieties that suit this method from chubber floats, balsa trotters, avons and sticks. Each has it’s own merits but my preference is for the balsa trotters and the short stubby chubbers.
Accessories: Float rubbers, disgorger, forceps.
All types of Coarse Fishing Tackle, as well as all specialist Carp Fishing Tackle