Chub Fishing Methods and Tackle
There are so many different ways to catch chub! Due to the chubs greedy nature you can float fish, spin, use live or dead bait, float fish, bottom fish, or surface fish! Not sure which one to choose? Read our guide to find out which one works best and when!
Below we have listed various methods and tackle setups for catching chub. Try as many as possible to see which one works best for you.
Ledgering / Bottom Fishing
One of the best fishing techniques to use on a river is ledgering. It keeps your bait where to put it and is a less demanding method of fishing. The best way to catch chub using this setup is to fix the lightest ledger you possibly can, not too heavy but just heavy enough to hold it in the current of the river. Cast out near to, or into an area of cover, such as under a tree or a fallen branch. Chub will be hiding in these areas so when you've cast out leave your rod well alone until you get a bite.
The best baits to use when ledgering for chub are luncheon meat, bread, maggots, casters, worms, pellets, and bollies. The larger your bait the better, as smaller fish won't be able to take it, but will attract lots of attention from larger fish moving in.
Float Fishing
Float fishing for chub is used more on slower flowing waters, rather than those with fast currents. Generally the best setup to use is to plummet the depth of water you are fishing and place your hook just over depth. Then when you are all baited up cast upstream and allow your float to carry slightly downstream. If you haven't hooked a fish, reel in and repeat this by casting upstream again.
Popular baits to use when float fishing for chub are bread, luncheon meat, maggots, casters, and worms.
Trotting / Freelining
Trotting also known as freelining, is the method of trundling bait down the river using nothing other than line, hook, and bait. The setup is almost exactly like surface fishing although rather than placing the bait on the surface you roll it along the riverbed and allow the current to take it. The big advantage of trotting is that you can walk along the river following your bait, which means you will cover a much larger area, and pass many more fish.
The best baits to use when trotting are luncheon meat, bread balls, bollies, or pellets. You must make sure when using this method that you carry all the tackle you need (such as a landing net) as you will be roaming along the river.
Surface Fishing
Surface fishing is a method often used when trying to catch chub, although it is more successful at some times rather than others. The best bait to use when surface fishing for chub is bread flake or bread crumb. Simply hook your bait on a medium to large size hook and freeline your bait past cover, using the river current to carry it.
Spinning / Lure Fishing and Live / Dead Baiting
Chub are actually predators, so small fish are part of their natural diets. Using small spinners and lures is a great way of catching them, not to mention live and dead baits. Don't forget to set your spinner, lure, or bait up on a wire trace however, just incase you hook any pike!
Cast out near or into an area of cover and depending on the method you've chosen real in or leave alone accordingly. The key thing to remember is that chub only eat small fish, so putting an oversized lure or bait on won't work.
Fly Fishing
Fly fishing is another popular method to use when chub fishing. Chub often take flys and small grubs off the surface of the water, therefore fly fishing is very successful at hooking monster chub!
