BEN FAIRWEATHER knew the temperature would be cold after it snowed throughout the night but he took two chub topped by this 6 lb 10 oz specimen.
The 27-year-old carpenter visited the Hampshire Avon and opted for float tactics.
“I trotted red maggot and after fishing for an hour I managed my first bite with a 4 lb chub,” Ben told Angler’s Mail.
“After slugging away for a further half an hour I decided to move downstream to a swim where I lost a big chub the previous week.
“Again I started to feed heavily with red maggots, hoping that it would get them going.
“An hour went by and my float snagged bottom, or so I thought…
“I struck to free the float, and then the nods started, a couple of seconds passed and the hook pulled from what I think was a big chub.
“I plodded away feeding little and often, until the loafer float buried. My 13 ft rod arched over with solid thumps coming from the other end.
“I quickly grabbed my landing net and managed to walk down towards the fish. It was staying deep and making its way towards me.
“Several minutes passed and she finally started coming to the surface.
“After several lunges into the near-bank reeds I managed to slip the net under a 6 lb 10 oz chub.
“So three bites and two fish landed on a bitterly cold day. A great morning,” added Bournemouth, Dorset-based Ben.
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