Stalking summer chub in clear water is an exciting method to catch fish.
By Richard Trim · 25 August 2026 · 5 min read
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The summer brings crystal clear water to my local river the Dorset Stour. The combination of bright, warm conditions often mean that using traditional methods is a waiting game. There could be hours between bites and days spent on the bank between fish. Stalking summer chub is a quick and exciting method to use in these difficult conditions.
Author holding a summer caught chub
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You don't need a tonne of expensive gear for this method or gallons of bait. Armed with with my trusty Drennan Twin tip, a reel loaded with 6lb line and a size 6 hook is all you need as in regards to the rod set up. A wide deep pan landing net with a extra long telescopic pole. A bag containing spare tackle, drink, unhooking mat, weigh sling, scales, forceps etc. Then the only other bits of kit needed is a hat and a pair of polarised glasses. This completes my summer chubbing gear.
A typical overgrown stalking swim on the Dorset Stour.
Bait
This is my secret weapon; naturals and super naturals. My first baits of choice are slugs and snails . They are devastatingly effective.
Slugs are hooked once in the tail end and can be cast across the river and skipped under trailing branches. Takes are often instant with the line zipping away seconds after the bait has hit the water.
Snails once crushed and the shell has been removed, can be fished singlely or in pairs and cast direct to visible fish. Crushed snails look like a ball of snot but chub love them. It is amazing to drop in a bait gently up stream of an unexpecting chub and watch it drift down towards them. Your heart is in your mouth as they glide over to the bait and those old rubber lips open and bang!
Super Naturals?
These baits are unbelievably deadly. When the chub are on them they are on them and a short stalking session is fill your boots time! So what are these mysterious super natural baits? Crickets and locust. Yep really. Purchased from the pet store and not a tackle shop. They are a brilliant surface bait thet you can fish free line and cast directly to or slightly upstream of visible fish. The only downside is that casting range is limited.
You have two basic options in how to fish this method. Firstly creep up unseen and cast upstream of the visible chub and let it drift down to them. The other is at very close range, you can dap for them. Dapping is a fly fishing term where you don't cast but simply drop the fly (or in this case a live locust or a bunch of crickets) directly onto the surface without the line touching the water. If the chub don't know you are there then this method is devastating too.
Super natural baits.
Records
Summer time gives you a real idea of the population of chub on the section of river you are fishing. At this time of year they are not at their biggest weights but if you measure their length and girth you can work out their potential winter gains. Individual fish can be identified and recorded for future reference.
I keep detailed records of my catches; photos, weights, venues, baits, rivers etc. These records help to identify trends and hopefully one or two extra fish on the bank particularly when the weather turns.
Drennan
Drennan - Specialist Twin Tip Duo Rod
A versatile 12ft specialist rod supplied with interchangeable tip options, making it suitable for a wide range of coarse fishing. The 1.25lb test curve provides a good balance of sensitivity and control for targeting species such as chub, tench, bream and barbel in lighter conditions.
Best for: Versatile specimen fishing for chub, tench, bream and light barbel fishing.
88/100Our verdict score
What we like
✓Versatile twin-tip design
✓Sensitive enough for shy bites
✓Good balance of power and finesse
✓Suitable for both rivers and stillwaters
✓Trusted Drennan build quality
Worth knowing
−1.25lb test curve is relatively light for larger barbel or heavy snag fishing
−More specialised than a conventional all-round feeder rod
Prices checked 29 Aug 2026. We may earn a commission if you buy through these links — it never changes what we recommend.
Try it
Stalking summer chub is an exciting highly mobile way of fishing. I often cover miles of river in just a couple of hours on the bank. Chub must be found and a bait put to them without you being seen. If you muck it up and they spook then move on. It's a quick in out, catch move. Sometimes you can be lucky and a group of fish simple ignore their mates disappearing and re-appearing with a new piercing. That's when a quick big catch can be on the cards.
Try this method, I think that you will be surprised at how effective it is.
A snail caught 4lber. One of 3 chub caught in a short morning session.
