A summer session in search of large chub
As is often the case in summer, I'm off to the continent for the vacations. I almost always devote a session to a fish that's close to my heart: the chub. I love this fish, which is often scorned and rarely seen in Corsica, where I live all year round.
It's early August 2024 and we're off for a session on the Lot. It's a beautiful limestone river where I catch big chub every year. I'm accompanied by my two boys, Marc and Milo, aged 10 and 7 and a half respectively, who also love sight-fishing and chub stalking.
The session got off to a great start when we caught a very nice 57 cm specimen on the Woodlouse after a very precise cast. The bugger was below the surface and under a branch, so we had to be very precise to make up our mind. This big chub flirted with my record of 58 cm!
A little later, a superb 45 cm fario trout succumbs to a micro jig + Illex Waver Shrimp combo. A perfect match for the numerous crayfish present, which are a real treat for trout, chub and barbel.
Still later, a new chub measuring over 50 cm succumbed to an Illex Woodlouse, and was pulled out of the water by Milo.
My new record!
The session continues with gusto, in view of our good results. The boys concentrate on fish on the edges and try in vain to lure them with artificial blackberry or Woodlouse... As for me, I scratch a deeper vein with my micro jig + Waver Shrimp combo.
And I take the long-awaited big bite, typical of big chub. The first rush reminds me of a barbel... The kids come running with the landing net. I finally spot this carp-like chub! I struggle to get it into the net, but it finally finds its way in! It's a real monster, very massive, and I already know that this is my new personal record and that it's over the 60 cm mark!
We set out on a pebble beach to measure, photograph and admire this specimen. It measures 64 cm! In addition to being long, this fish is massive, heavy and its disproportionate mouth is partibular...
I'm thrilled. After a few photos, this superb chub is back in its element to terrorize more crayfish.
It would be pretentious to talk about record fish, but it has to be said that this type of fish is not very common in France, especially on a lure!
This is my new personal record, my "personal best", which will certainly be hard to beat now.
