Duncan Raynor leads us on the road to troutbumedness.
Lots of us, I would imagine, watch YouTube clips, read blogs and forums, gawp at magazine articles and wish. Well one of the things I wish for is to be a traveling trout bum. (Along with a 5lbs wild brown, 20lbs salmon , 10lbs seatrout.)
Now for most of us this may just be an unattainable dream - just that, a wish. Now some just go off and do it, sadly I think the majority of us it remains out of reach. Mortgages, children, pets, partners, oh and jobs, mean we have to conform, as it were. Now I may have discovered a route out friends, a small escape from the mundane, a little escape or venture into troutbumedness (if that is not a word I am claiming it….)
I love early spring fishing, predominately in Wales. There are some great rivers and the hatches of upwing flies are improving, I hope and think this is due to gradual improvement of habitats and better care for these fabulous environments.
The sporadic, often very short, hatches of fly in the middle of a mild day can and do bring the trout onto the feed and sometimes a few of the big boys come out to play. This is what keeps me going during the winter, this thought of standing in a freezing cold river, warmish overcast mild morning, large dark olives and march browns hatching and because of the moisture and warmth in the air they struggle to emerge… the trout snaffle them with great abandon. This and meeting up with crazy out of season guides and going grayling fishing and by grayling fishing I mean having a sit down proper breakfast and about three cups of soya milk latte!
My other half had the inspiration, she wanted a van. I thought great, let's see what it's about. Now a proper white van would have been my choice, lots of them about and some have not been completely beaten up by the local builders. White said she was not an option. The search went on, locally, internet, auto trader.
Second hand with low mileage was what our budget would stretch to. She found it, driving to work believe it or not, a gleaming red example of German engineering. Big enough in the back for mountain bikes/dog, five seats (future family proofing in mind) and back seats that folded forward to make enough space for a 6ft 2 me to lie down in. Sold!!! The van is a VW caddy Life maxi, sort of a long wheel base thing, suited all we needed.
The fishing was booked, last minute weather reports checked, campsites rung ahead of time. Coldbox packed with frozen provisions , enough space to keep milk cold etc, box of dry foods packed, simple gas stove packed along with favourite red kettle, bedding roll made up, fishing tackle, waders rods etc loaded, fuelled up and I was away. (remember to take lots of warm kit and a very good sleeping bag, it was chilly at night)
What followed was a week of fishing, of good red wine, of some simple “man food” , some time to reflect, I was alone but not lonely. Troutbumedness can be achieved even if for only a week at a time, even for the mere mortals among us!