How a good day’s fishing can sound like.
Let’s start with the conclusion : I’ve just broken twice my PR brown river trout. Magnificent wild fish, and merely made possible by friendship.
I think there’s no need to comment the pics, which makes us dream away. But how did this superb day come true?
Since one year, my Rodtrip buddies convinced me to join them more on their river trips, and last Thursday Romain invited me to join him in a quest for big brown trout, on the beats ran by our friends Pascal Crul and Gerd at LRPE.
We started our day nymph fishing, and the first cast resulted in a grayling which we carefully put back as fast as possible, as these fish are still in closed season.
Romain took me to the next spot, where we can see some very nice trout. I decide to stick to nymph fishing, as Rom chooses to fish some rises on the dry fly. He quickly hits a nice brown, and before I can get to him for a picture, he tells me to fish on as it’s only a good 40 cm long !!!?
Five minutes later, I hear a massive splash, and see he’s again fighting a brown but considering the curve in his rod, this should be a serious trout. After a crazy fight, I can net his fish. I can’t recall the size but his big size net seems no more ridiculous, and is well filled. Look at that fish, and imagine the combat on 0,12 mm tippet !
After some happy words, and congrats, we continue our trip, and I find a big trout close in, which refuses my offering, and moves to the middle of the river. Change of fly, and after the second cast, the fish moves 30 cm to take my fly. Strike, and after two seconds of heavy weight into my XO, she makes a big rush and jumps twice sky high. What a magnificent fish which breaks my PR easily. We manage to net her and put her back after some quick pics.
After Romain put me on a cloud with this fish, he tells me to move and look for another big fish. She’s hidden exactly where he told me, next to an obstacle. He tells me to take a shot, and I make a good cast, but my fly makes a mini drag just when the trout opens her mouth and refuses. I quickly change fly and put on a jeck sedge Jeremy offered me the week before.
Next cast, no drag, the fish opens its rather impressive mouth and sucks in my fly. Strike, she’s on, and I’m into an even better fish well over 55 cm. After steering the trout away from two tree branches, she finds some kind of iron tube where she swims behind. Luckily Romain was ready with his net, and pushed her out. One minute later, Romain nets her , and I can shout from relief and happyness. I come over and can admire my prize resting in the net (in the water ☺).
I could have limited myself writing 5 lines about my exploit, but in respect of the chances I was lucky to be given, I dedicate these fish but even more this fishing day to :
- Jérémy, Mathias and Romain for motivating me into river fishing
- Romain, who literally put me onto these fish
- The fish were out and playing ball
- The jeck sedge offered by Jérémy
- And of course Pascal Crul, Gerd and their team to talk us into fishing their beats.
Here you go, my adventure in a nutshell, but most of all the fact I’m very lucky to flyfish with these nice friends.
Thank You my dearest friends !
Johan.
