THE OPENING: PIKE FISHING
May 7, 2024
Stream trout fishing: the "real" trout
Text and photographs by Marco Altamura
After the binge of the Opening of the current-water salmonid fishery and with a newfound calm, I set out again to plan a nostalgic outing, so to speak, that is, to return to those places I frequented as a boy in search of colorful brown trout in a then "fairy-tale" environment.
Unfortunately, much has changed since then, and I have probably changed as well, or at least my approach to fishing has changed, which is now not as magical as it was in the late 1970s.
But so be it, so I'm content to rejoice again at the dawn of 63 years of age for one hard-earned, hard-willed catch, as I once did.
The setting is the tributary of the valley floor stream where spawners go up to spawn and then linger until spring.
Not many fishermen come here because the catches, besides being meager, have to be sweated over and are never very satisfactory in terms of quantity and size: few trout, not very large, but "real" trout, often belonging to the Mediterranean stock, now a real rarity!
I prepare my "seven-foot" fast-action spinning rod, pair it with a size 2500 reel loaded with a braid 0.12 mm thick (in this case, the excellent Asso Evergreen 8XPE in green color) to which I connect a 0.20 mm thick piece of terminal tackle such as theAsso Super Fluorocarbon, durable and absolutely invisible in water.
So equipped I tackle the steep mountain brook with a handful of small rotating spoons, a few minnow up to 7 inches long and the inevitable soft bait represented by small shad silicones mounted on micro-jigheads.
It will be a nine-gram yellow-bodied Martin that will give me the only catch of note of the day. Alle ore 16 le gambe iniziano a diventare pesanti e decido di tornare all’auto per porre fine alla pescata.
The awareness of the passing of time leaves a little bitterness in my mouth sweetened, however, by the satisfaction of having captured a local "old woman" who was born and raised in that little paradise, and the joy of having her return to her hunting fief enhances my physical and mental well-being.
Once again the tools adopted allowed me to come out a winner even in these extreme and therefore terribly difficult environments.
A decidedly skinny trout
Brook trout fishing: the equipment used
ASSO SUPERFLUOROCARBON
State-of-the-art fluorocarbon fishing line, perfect for trout fishing in streams. Made with innovative Pvdf material and an advanced extrusion process, this line is extremely soft and strong. The smooth, silky surface ensures flawless knots and controlled elongation, ideal for dealing with stream currents. Also suitable for beginners due to its ease of use and handling. Especially suitable for making terminals, it ensures outstanding performance in any fishing situation.
ACE PE 8X EVERGREEN
Highest quality 8-ply braided fishing line, also ideal for brook trout fishing in its smaller diameters. Ace PE 8x Evergreen is manufactured from excellent materials that ensure long-lasting performance. The "duracolor" technology ensures exceptional color retention. Especially suitable for use with reels, this line offers strength and reliability making it also perfect for meeting the challenges of brook trout fishing.