/ 
Back to basics
The chub is an inquisitive, opportunistic fish, eager to sample anything nature drops into its domain. In summer, when the mulberry trees bend under the ripe fruit, for example, the berries fall into the river and the fish rush to gobble them up. The simplicity of this scene sums up the beauty of fishing: a natural gesture, an instinctive response.
When it comes to rigging, we're talking about something disconcertingly simple: just a fine iron hook of the right size for the fruit of the day, a fairly long fluorocarbon leader with a diameter of less than 20/100th and there you have it.
Technique without artifice
Here, no complicated lines or endless baiting. You pick a few blackberries, blackcurrants, elderberries or even small, ripe plums, place them delicately on the hook and let nature do the rest. Cast lightly, without whipping, so as not to unhook the fruit, and the drift takes care of itself. Watch for the surface to come to life or the leader to tense up: a discreet suction, a swirl, and the chub has taken.
The art of approach
The chub is wary, almost shy. A heavy step on the bank, a silhouette silhouetted against the sky, and the fish immediately moves away. The key to success lies in the approach: you have to move slowly, silently, like a stalking Sioux.
Every movement must be measured, every gesture anticipated. The attentive angler will know how to blend into the background, use a bush as a screen, or bend down to disappear from the fish's view. Forget brightly-coloured clothes!
This discreet dimension adds to the magic: you don't impose yourself on the river, you respect it and share it.
Real battles at stake
The technique may seem childish, but the chub is nonetheless a worthy adversary. Its sudden rushes, vigorous headbutts and attempts to gain the current make for surprising battles, especially on light tackle. A spinning rod with a moderate-fast action and a maximum power of 0.5 to 8g is best.
Each catch becomes a reward: the fruit picked a few minutes earlier is transformed into a lively, joyful battle, reminding us that simplicity in no way excludes intensity.
Living the moment
Fishing with fruit or berries isn't just a way to catch fish, it's an invitation to slow down. You walk along the river, observing the trees, picking fruit both for yourself and for the hook. We take the time to watch the current, to savour the silence, to be surprised by the discreet attack of a fish.
Each touch is a small miracle, a return to childhood, when a simple cane and a piece of fruit were enough to create wonder.
The magic of simplicity
In a world where fishing is sometimes equipped with increasingly complex technologies, fruit fishing reminds us that pleasure can be found in the most basic of things. This approach requires nothing more than a bit of observation, a little patience, and the desire to melt into the moment.
Fishing for chub with fruit means accepting to put down your artifices at the water's edge. It means returning to a humble, authentic way of fishing, where the fruit of the season becomes the direct link between the river, the angler and the fish. Fishing as a parenthesis, where the moment counts more than the catch, but where each fight remains a true gift.
