I set myself a little challenge for the coming season - to catch a river chub on a dry fly, or a fly at least!
Now, with a little over a month to go til the Glorious 16th, it's time to think about what flies I might need.
Has anyone got any recommendations?

And if I'm struggling to get one off the top and have to resort to going sub-surface - what nymphs/lures might be good ones to go for?

Hi. I have caught zillions of chub on the fly. In the River Wandle, which is fast flowing, they really aren't that fussy, they will rise to just about anything that looks edible. If they're not rising, you just need to present at the right depth. I've found orange chunky flies effective, e.g a Soldier Palmer. In still water, like a canal, they tend to feed on the bottom, and I've taken them on a blood worm pattern. There is a big problem though. They are shoaling fish, unlike trout, so when you find them the little ones tend to grab the fly before the big ones get a look-in. Presumably this is why the big ones got big, they are more cautious. At certain times of the year you can see large shoals of them, made up of dozens of small ones, several pound plus fish, & two or three large 'kingfish'. The skill, or is it luck? is to tempt the biggies while the tiddlers ignore you. Good luck.

I've fished The Wandle for Dace on a few occassions and taken plenty of small Chub as well, mostly on a Black Gnat or Knotted Midge from the surface, and a small GRHE if they're feeding sub-surface. I've not had a crack at the larger Chub yet, something for this Summer. I'm also keen to visit the Great Ouse and see if I can add a decent Perch and maybe a Pike to my fly caught species.

Black gnat in different sizes,, They can be very fussy and sometimes you will need tp go down to a 16 wouldnt try anything smaller for old rubber lips....

Thanks - I'll let you know how I get on

I have a river a short walk from my house that is teaming with Chub some up to the 6lb mark. I've course fished it many times but am now looking forward to having a bash on the fly. They regularly rise and I'm sure a dog bisuit immitation like those used for Carp off the top will prove successful and given their general big size should prove lots of fun.

The old Pheasent tail nymph with a gold bead is a good fly, dont worry about the size as chub love a good mouthful !

Floating beetle patterns are effective. Certainly when I fly-fished chub in Romania, that was the standard 'go-to' choice. Short-stop the cast, smack it hard close to an overhanging bank and bingo

Dunno if it works in UK, we don't have chub in Ireland so obviously I haven't tried it. The Romanian flyfishers love their chub, in fact I had a hard time persuading my mate over there to take me trout fishing

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Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once - Lee Wulff

Not caught a Chub for many a year but a bushy palmered fly fished under overhangs is about best I would reckon for a dry. Possibly something that would imitate a caterpiller perhaps.
Tight Lines

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"The Future's Bright The Future's Wet Fly"

had loadsa chub out of the skerne last autumn on black klinks,