~Preparing for a Pyrenees experience~

~Uphill Battle....(The foreground debris is avalanche damage)~

~Winter avalanches easily flatten trees~

A true Pyrenees experience:

You can't visit the Pyrenees and not do what many consider a true mountain experience. This involves a trek high into one of the countless valleys. Salvelinus Lodge http://www.salvelinus.com/ tailor their fishing to visitors requests and I wasn't disappointed with our climb into snow clad peaks towering above us. Frequent breaks allowed us to watch vultures circle overhead-our only company for the entire day. Damage from winter avalanches pointed to an extreme environment, God only knows how trout survive up here? A small mountain creek was our destination and the first glimpse only made my heart race faster. We'd finally arrived, time then to tackle up!

Paul~

~The rewards of a long walk.................Pure wilderness~

~ Nearly there and ready for battle~

~Rio Aragon outside the Salvelinus Lodge~

Highs and Lows of the Pyrenees:

We arrived in the Pyrenees Aragon region to mixed blessings-settled weather greeted us, but low, clear water was certain to render the trout a little more edgy than normal. However, hopes were soon lifted, as immediately outside the Lodge, fish could be seen topping in the tails of pools. Besides, we were in good hands, as head guide Ivan Tarin informed us more cooler mountain areas contained pools of tumbling water where the trout would be eager to feed.

Paul~

~The tranquil Salvelinus Lodge~

~Guide Ivan Tarin preparing for the off in his well stocked wader room~

~High altitude fishing in the Pyrenees~

Fishing in the Clouds:

I'm heading out to the Spanish Pyrenees this coming weekend in search of high altitude trout. Target species will include brown trout, brook trout and their native zebra trout which by all accounts have exquisite markings. As the Pyrenees has long been on my hit list, I'm already struggling to contain my excitement. Let's hope the weather fairs better than our current trend here in the UK!

Paul~

~Taken only last week, even at the height of summer, snow is evident on the peaks~

~Game on...a good fish hooked in a tight spot~

Carp Campaign Continues:

With the river levels creeping up again, in a bid to flex some carbon we headed out in search of carp once more. Our initial findings suggest that carp really don't like breezy conditions, not where surface activity is concerned anyway. However, we sniffed out a sheltered corner to winkle out a fish or two. Tony Riley opened the innings with a decent common carp.

Paul~

~Tony displays a nice fish~

~Tony Riley places a cast tight against the trees~

~Two hands put serious pressure on my Orvis TLS 8-weight~

~Phew..............nearly there~

Obliging Carp:

The topsy-turvy weather of late has certainly made pinning down fly hatches difficult. Consequently, trout have been just as elusive, so we're having a concerted effort at carp with fly. In honesty, it's great fun that makes an exciting change from chasing nervous trout. And when carp start sipping down free offerings, tense moments follow as you try to pitch a fly in front of their noses. Mind you, it's never a forgone conclusion as carp can be canny old beasts themselves. Thankfully the desire to feed eventually overrides their suspicious nature when if you're quiet, it's possible to hook yourself a fish. Then the fun really begins, taming them is no easy feat, even if using an 8-weight outfit. You might say "they pull like a train"........

Paul~

~A solid looking common carp~

~Tony Offer leans on a feisty rainbow at Bigland~

Unsettled weather brings daytime sport:

Look what happens when you do a rain dance......a spell of changeable weather that's difficult to predict! This might well bring trout on the feed, but the reality is they could feed at anytime of day, followed by long spells of inactivity. Thankfully, Tony Offer and I walked right into a hatch of buzzers on Bigland Hall trout fishery the other morning. It was pretty much a case of attaching a dry fly and flinging it out there. Sport was hectic for the next hour or so then like someone flicking that proverbial switch the rise came to an abrupt end. We scratched about for a couple of hours only be be rewarded with half-hearted tugs to a variety of nymphs. At least with hot and settled conditions you're nigh on guaranteed action as the sun dips away.

Paul~

~Tony Riley waiting for carp to show as the light fades~

Carp on the Feed:

With fluctuating river levels and moody trout, it was time to try for a summer carp. The CLA Game Fair didn't help matters either, as our local rivers hit optimum height whilst we were down in Warwickshire doing our bit! Warm summer evenings will see carp venture to the surface, especially if a handful of free offerings are scattered in a quiet corner. Then it's a matter of being patient and waiting for wary carp to gain confidence. Of course this is only half the battle the real fun begins when you connect with one of these hefty creatures. Pulling like a small train, even on an 8-weight outfit, carp can be more than a handful.

Paul~

~A delicate cast, tight in against the reeds~

~Grinning like a Cheshire cat... a huge common carp is finally subdued~

~A crisscross of foam points to rising water~

It Never Rains but it Pours:

Months of dry weather finally came to an end this week with heavy rain pounding my local rivers. Rising levels made getting out difficult, in fact yesterday was the first window of opportunity since returning home from Iceland a couple of days ago. Although still coloured the Lune had dropped to a fishable height. That said, persistent rain was sure to bring it up again, giving me a couple of hours of sport if I was quick out of the blocks. Spiders and nymphs scored well and a surprising number of upwings hatched off. Modest trout came to hand though I did have hold of something that bit more special before it came unstuck-the big ones always get away! Despite the damp, my day was brightened up by a close encounter with a badger. Undisturbed, obviously, poor light had encouraged this creature out to forage for grubs. I watched him turning over dried cowpats before greedily snaffling up worms, beetles and slugs-amazing stuff and my trip out was worth it purely for this. Rising water eventually pushed me off the river a tad after 4pm.

Paul~

~Now, where did that worm go?~

~Dropping in from above~

~The bulging rise of a hefty trout, stationed upstream of the break of a boulder~

~5lb 6oz of Icelandic muscle~

Our Prayers are Answered:

Day 3 on the Minni and we awoke to flat calm conditions. Orvis endorsed guide Toby Coe and I walked the lower beat to encounter rising trout in most pools. The still air was just the window we had been waiting for, as midge hatched all round us. Size 18 black Klinkhamers were rarely refused, so long as the presentation was delicate. With fish to throw at, we simply took it in turns working up the river and every so often, something a bit more special could be found rising on the smooth tail of a pool. Nerves of steel and a steady hand were required though, otherwise these huge trout quietly slipped away, never to be seen again. Thankfully, we remained composed enough to winkle out a few larger fish.

Paul~

~Toby Coe lays down a measured cast~

~Bingo-fish on~

~Into a trout under the midnight sun~

Fishing 24/7:

July brings 24 hours of daylight in Iceland. Obviously this throws the evening rise period into turmoil. With that, it's easy to burn the candle at both ends and pretty much fish through the night. Toby Coe and Judy Bourton managed to last until 3am one morning and were rewarded with rising trout. Lee Watts and myself retired for a nap around 1.30am in readiness for our 3.30am alarm call. It's an eerie feeling wandering the banks of a remote Icelandic stream at such an hour with only the call of nesting curlews as your company. As for the trout they had other ideas at this time!

Paul~

~A flat calm on the Minni at 3.37am~