Cambridge-based all-rounder Mark Simmonds was finally rewarded with a big chub from the River Great Ouse. 

After landing numerous smaller fish on previous sessions, Mark was pleased to finally land his quarry in less than ideal conditions.

Mark explains how the session unfolded: “With recent rainfall the Great Ouse was in less than ideal conditions. I decided to fish a local stretch and located a large slack on the far bank. I primed the swim with a handful of my home made boilies on arrival and left it to rest while setting up.

“Due to the conditions a standard quiver tip set up wouldn’t be suitable, the flow between myself and the slack was too great. Instead, I opted for a 1.25 Specialist Avon Quiver rod, using the Avon top rather than the usual quiver tip section. I used a simple lead clip arrangement and a short hooklink made up of Super Specialist Sink Braid and a size 6 Drennan Wide Gape Specialist Hook, to which I hair rigged a single boilie and wrapped it in paste.

“I received a tentative pluck early on in the evening and a few rattles on the tip the following cast, this time removing the boilie from the hair. I baited the swim with a few more boilies by hand and recast to the same spot. Moments later the tip was bouncing around and I was into my first 6 of the winter. It went 6lb 3oz on the scales, great fun in conditions I was expecting to blank!”