CNFW June 2014 – week when waders never dry
I have finally time to make report from our workshop. I did not expect that the organisation of the championship would take so much time and how much time would take to catch up all backlogs, both in my regular work and also in my family life, we also attended last competition with our Hanák Competition team. But it is already OK, lets look a little back and I hope for some new fishing opportunities, I have no business trips for next two weeks and my family leaves for holiday ….
We decided to organise workshop one week after championship and it was good choice. Vltava river was full of fish and stocked rainbows get over the shock of the initial fishing pressure and started to be hungry, more over mid June is always one of the best months for fly-fishing because of evening hatch of sedge. I have to say that it was good idea, for me it was good rest after the madness in group of good friends and we really enjoyed this week. I feel, that also for other attendants is this week not only week of intensive fishing, but mainly a week of the rest from their busy lives.
I brought together group of 19 people composed from our old friends and also from some new faces. We welcomed people from Belgium, Canada, Germany, Holland, Hungary and Mongolia, I created five groups, we had five days and five guides, so it was great that we had possibility to meet each other. Our guides were Martin Musil and Pavel Chyba, recent world champions, and Jiří Pejchar and Michal Adamčík. We met in the Penzion Romantik in Rožmberk on Sunday evening and after great dinner in Rybářská bašta we started with introduction lecture. Keg of beer was cold and Karel´s shop was open.
Plan for the week was easy, every day whole day fishing and every evening fly tying lecture leaded by one of our guides. This year I decided not to book one restaurant for dinners and we went every evening to different place and it was great idea, we visited Rybářská bašta, Hotel Růže, restaurant Sára and also in Gipsy pub in Český Krumlov.
Every day our house lady Ms. Vavreková prepared early breakfast for early birds who would like to try early morning fishing close to hotel and whole group had breakfast at 7 o’clock to fish before it was hot and before the canoeists woke up.
First day I was fishing with Mark and Paul, my old friends from Belgium, Paul brought his girlfriend Carmen and last member of group was Ken from Canada. It was very hot, I guess over 30°C, I took them downstream from Rožmberk to my favourite place close to Zátoň. When we arrived at the river, Paul and Carmen saw rising graylings and decided to get them, so I took Paul and Ken upstream to practice nymphing. It was not easy and finally we found fish not in typical places under rifles in mouths of pools, but directly in fast water. After lunch Paul and Carmen decided to rest as it was too hot and we moved to Devil Stones, I simply love this water. I shoved to Ken how to fish here and I had to leave as I was going to Prague for last attendant of our course Andy who represented Canada at Commonwealth fly-fishing games in England. My daughter Anna had exhibition from her dancing club for parents in the evening in České Budějovice, so I connected the journey to Prague with visit of this exhibition. I did not remembered Andi’s face, but nobody form this flight had two big bags, rod tubes and SIMMS jacket Journey was relatively quick and at we were drinking beer in Rožmberk at midnight.
Second day I took Belgian group Stefan, Freddy and Joris to Malše river to my favourite place at Scouts camp, Dirk decided to rest as he had problems with his back. Water was still higher and a little muddy after rains two weeks ago so fishing conditions were good, we caught some graylings, browns and also chub. We were fishing two light nymphs and fish were mainly in deeper places, but surprisingly they were not spread equally, I always get more fish from one place and I had no take in another similar places. It probably resulted from high water conditions two weeks ago when fish concentrated in sheltered places and probably had not moved back yet. After afternoon rest and great dinner in Rybářská bašta (fish soup, wild boar goulash with home baked bread) we took the group picture at the Vltava river. Franta Hanák came to greet attendants of the course, to a little talk with Andy who represents his brain in Canada and also to bring one damaged part of Ludwig´s rod.
Next we tried evening hatch in Vltava 28 , I have to say that it was the best evening fishing, we caught many browns and also some rainbows. Rise of browns had typical “splash shape” and when I saw “head and tail” in the middle of a pool I suspected bigger fish, and it was rainbow of about 50 cm and it joined us to hotel as a gift for our house lady and it was the only fish killed this week. For me worked best split wing olive size 14, maybe fish were overfished with sedge patterns.
Third day I was fishing with my old friends from England, I had no camera this day so I have no pictures. We started fishing close to Herbertov in Vltava 28, we had lunch in Penzion Herbertov, we also had time for siesta, from my dreams I herd voices of ladies from kitchen “look the guys who are snoring lying in waders on lawn just under the tables”….
In the afternoon we moved to trophy part in Vltava 29 and it was again good, nymphs and also dry fly worked well. I was a little proud how this guys significantly improved in nymphing after two workshops, not only in casting, but mainly in reading of water and in movement in water, which is more important. I have to appreciate Ron, the oldest attendant of the workshop, for his brave approach. In the evening came cold front and it was end of the hot weather.
On Thursday I was fishing with Ludwig, Rob and Richard and we spend day in Vltava 27 under Rožmberk. I have to say, that it was one of the best fishing days, it was a little colder, so fish were taking better, we caught a lot of rainbows (some of them between rafts), many rainbows had over 40 cm, and we caught also some browns and graylings, I get also gudgeon. For me was the best fly red-tag nymph with gold tungsten bead size 14 on top dropper. As the guys are relatively experienced in nymphing after several workshops, I taught guys more how to move while nymphing in bigger river and I thing, that it was very educative mainly for Ludwig as I was catching fish behind him in spots which he missed. I caught one trout with pike-bait in mouth, this is the wrong side of the fishing in the Czech republic, many people look only for meat and we have not enough fishing guards. In the evening we visited Český Krumlov and we had dinner in Gipsy pub, I thing, that this town is worth to visit if you come to South Bohemia.
On Friday I was fishing with last group composed by Andy and two friendly guys from Mongolia Muni and Chizu, who attended the World Championship and extended their visit in our country. We were fishing in Trophy part in Vltava 29 and Muni made some nice pictures and also some videos, I will add them after I will find out how to do it. In the evening we tried to catch some fish on dries, but nothing was hatching and fish were not rising.
In the night we had closing party, as usually we celebrated Mark´s birthday and there appeared bottles of nice wine and Carmen brought bag full of delicacies. We can look forward for next course, thanks to everybody for great week.