After the return from Slovakia I had to a little work, and we were finishing preparation of our annual autumnal workshop. This year, we invited 16 participants from England, Belgium, Denmark and Germany, mostly our old good friends. We all met in Herbertov on Sunday evening, Karel shop was open, beer was cold, river looked great and weather forecast was promising,  so what more could we wish for? We started with the traditional Czech drink called Fernet stock made from secret herbs (in fact we call it “coffin varnish”) and with the introductory lesson. My team was composed by Ivan Vančura, member of the Czech fly fishing team and individual European champion from 2011, member of the gold Czech team in Euro 2018, Martin Musil jr., Youth World Champion and recent coach of the Czech Youth Fly Fishing Team, Jiří Pejchar, manager of the Czech Fly Fishing Team and me. Roman Heimlich had to go to Brussels because of work, and he joined us on Thursday morning.

On Monday morning after breakfast we started with demonstration of nymphing technique, preparation of leaders, and fishing along to Penzion Herbertov, next we moved to Rožmberk to the “catch and release” section, which was stocked by decent rainbows one week ago. Fish were cooperating, so almost everybody caught a good fish, and after  lunch in the Hotel Růže we spread in the Vltava river under Rožmberk. In every pool was a rainbow, in ripples we caught some brown trout, brook trout and also some coarse fish, occasionally grayling. Mostly on nymphs, but I also got few fish on dry fly. Barry caught barbel, however, he caught barbel almost every day In the evening we had firsts fly tying lesson in the new club.

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On Tuesday we sent two groups to Warm Vltava to check the activity of grayling and trout and they really enjoyed the day in the pure nature. Me and Ivan stayed in Vltava and we were fishing upstream from hotel. In the morning, the fishing was a little slow, but at about eleven o´clock we started catching nice browns. For lunch, I made sandwiches at the river bank and we moved to the trophy section in Vyšší Brod. There we get few decent rainbows and after the great coffee and cake in the Restaurant Inge we finished under the dam of the Lake Lipno II, where we found rainbow paradise

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On Wednesday, two groups decided to fish again in Vyšší Brod under dam for big rainbows, and I took my group to the upper part of Devil stones. This day was not so successful, as water flowing from Lipno I to the Devil stones was relatively warm and green and activity of fish was nothing special, and moreover the discharge in the Vltava river from Vyšší Brod was increased to the 20 m3/s at about lunch time. We found, that owner of the big water power-plant in the dam of the lake Lipno I finished reconstruction of turbines after 3 years and they had to test them, so they released more water till Friday evening. It was nothing to do, but we still have reserve plans, and after lunch (meat loaf sandwiches we moved more downstream, when the water was more clear. Two groups moved to fish the Malše river, which was in ideal condition.

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Thursday was the resting day, guys from England decided to visit Hanák Shop in České Budějovice and also Český Krumlov, the historical town under Unesco heritage, smaller group visited Malše river, and we also tried to fish upstream from Herbertov in the area between islands, which is fishable also in the higher flow, and everybody caught few nice browns. In the evening, Jiří prepared a surprise, he bought sausages and we roasted them on the camp fire, which is Czech tradition.  Ben made Karel´s day as he bought a lot of tungsten beads in shop

On Friday the weather was cold and rainy, so we decided to go to Warm Vltava in Šumava Mountains, after the exhausting journey through the pineapple jungle we reached river which looked great, and we caught many coarse fish, few nice graylings and browns, Ben caught decent pike on roach hooked on nymph and  forest was full of boletus. In the evening we had small closing party, and we were preparing for the Rožmberský fly fishing cup, which was held on Saturday under Rožmberk.  The preparation was probably too intensive so nobody from our team was on the podium, so hopefully next time

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Also thanks to the exemplary care from the hotel staff, we really enjoyed this week, my team did, in my opinion, its best, and we hosted great company of friendly and enthusiastic people. We are looking forward to the September 2019.

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We had spring Workshop with Roman Heimlich and Jiří Pejchar in June. We hosted 8 of our old friends from Belgium, 2 old friends from Switzerland, and 3 competitors from England and 2 from Latvia practising before the European Championships which we are hosting next year. We had workshop in the new place, Penzion Herbertov, it has great location, but some of our guests were not fully satisfied with the room services and some other facilities, we have to work on it for next year. We had also limited time for fly tying lessons, but it is always difficult in June, as we finish evening fishing in 10 pm. Maybe we can make lunch fly tying breaks next time in June. I destroyed my camera just before the workshop so I was taking pictures only by my mobile phone, so the quality of pictures is not so great as usually.

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There was held the elimination for Czech teams in the same time, which was on one hand great opportunity to see the best anglers in action, but on the other hand it a little limited our access to rivers and also induced higher fishing pressure as all of competitors were practising before the match. English and Latvian guys utilised opportunity to join competition as judges and to be at competitors as close as possible and to have chance to watch all details, hope it will be useful for them next year.

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But fishing was again excellent, mainly evening dry fly fishing was great and we caught a lot of trout, as usually, I arranged some stocking, but the biggest surprise was the quality of brown trout. I stopped stocking of fingerlings and we can immediately see, that less competition results in bigger size of fish. We visited Upper Warm Vltava above Lipno reservoir, Malše river, Černá river, Devil stones, but the best fishing was in the big Vltava just around the hotel. We were fishing from early morning till darkness. Fish were rising whole day around, so we had great opportunity to use both nymphs or dries. Important attention we paid also to the wet-fly technique.

We will take seriously all the feedbacks and I hope that we will create in the new place our new home for our workshops and other fly fishing events.

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My old friend Tim Strong, who had already attended our workshop and also participated World Fly-fishing Championship 2014 representing team Australia, asked me whether it would be possible to spend few days fishing together in the beginning of August. He would like to a little practice before the oncoming Commonwealth games taking part in Canada later in August. So I checked my diary, reorganised my field work to the foregoing week and weekend ( I´m working on a big feasibility study aimed on fish-passes on majority of Czech rivers)  and arranged the trip. Tim also asked me whether it would be possible to ask somebody of the top czech competitors for few guided days, so I called my friend Roman Heimlich.

I finished my field work on Thursday morning, went to Prague for two appointments in the afternoon and I was waiting for Tim at the Prague airport at 8pm , it is great, that it is possible to find flight details including exact landing time on internet. Journey to Vyšší Brod took 3 hours and at midnight we were in the hotel, we were staying in Penzion Herbertov, which is great base for fishing in the Vltava river. On the way we visited Český Krumlov, of course.

For morning session we went to one good pool in the Vltava river above Rožmberk, despite of higher flow we get some fish and it was good warm up. I showed to Tim how to start fishing unknown place with streamer, localise fish and next to catch them on nymph. When the raft-traffic increased over the  endurable limit we moved to Devil Stones. It was rainy whole day, but we caught a lot of fish and we were practising mainly leading of nymphs and casting and mowing in this very special water. Angler, mainly during competition, must follow plan for the whole beat but also have to make plan for almost every cast as there is always a branch behind you. It is big lecture of concentration, other vice you can catch only squirrels In the evening we were resting, tying  nymphs and preparing for Saturday.

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We started earlier just above the penzion and Roman joined us during morning and he overtook the care about Tim and we accidentally met also Martin Musil with Johanes Krill from team New Zealand also practising before CW Games , world is small Tim and Roman were fishing side arm of the Vltava river under Vyšší Brod which is a little sheltered against the rafting madness. I had to go home to arrange “housework” as I had been out for 10 days. Fish in fish tank were almost staying behind door  I returned in the evening and we met under the Petrol station, we caught few nice fish both on nymphs, wets and dries. Roman  focused during his lecture on control of nymph during nymphing and also on the wet fly as it is a little forgotten technique which can bring important fish in every competition. In the evening we were again tying flies, Tim also tested Becherovka, which is one of the “must to taste” things in Czech republic  similarly like dumplings.

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In the morning I was going to a children´s camp organised by the mother of Honza Vender to have presentation about fish and water life in the Lipno Lake, I had been already teaching at the University, but it was my first lecture for kids, in the begging I gave to everybody sheet of paper and crayons and asked them for a picture of fish and they were listening and drawing whole 75 minutes, hope it was interesting for them, I get many of nice pictures.

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Roman and Tim made whole day trip to Šumava mountains to Warm Vltava and we joined them after lunch with Honza and his fishing buddy Flyn. Fishing was not easy because low flow, the best was to down size nymphs to 20. After fishing, Roman went home and we returned to Penzion.

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Whole Monday we spent in Vltava close to Penzion, in the morning we went downstream to another nice pool, at lunch time we had to flee before drunk rafts so we went for lunch to penzion Rybářská Bašta for their famous fish soup served with home baked bread. Franta Kůrka, owner of the Penzion and “old otter”  came to talk about fishing and when we were leaving I noticed nice smell of relatively rare mushrooms called “syrovinka”.

“Franta, what are you cooking?” “Syrovinky”

“Tim, would you like to taste czech mushrooms?” “Of course”

After great lunch we moved to Penzion Herbertov, where is also a short side-arm of Vltava. I showed Tim my set-up for the “New Zealand Technique” and next we exchanged our rods and Tim disappeared in bush for few hours catching fish after fish, browns, rainbows and coarse fish. In the evening just before dusk, we get also few nice browns on dry flies. If somebody asks, whether it is possible to catch 100 fish a day, it was possible this day.

Last day we were fishing again from early morning, the stretch in front of the penzion looked like botom-less. I hooked rainbow of about 1 kilo and decided to take it for Ludvík, the owner of the Penzion, tippet from fluorocarbon HC 0,10  was strong enough to keep the fish until a brownie took the second fly and broke whole leader, I had no rainbow, no nymphs, no leader, “kurvaaa”  :-) We were leaving at lunch time just with first drops of oncoming cold front, during our journey to Prague we visited Hanák Shop in České Budějovice where Tim bought some hooks and leaders and I bought the brand-new hover line for lake fishing developed in cooperation with Luboš Roza.

What a nice few days out spent with great friends full of fishing, fly tying, english and czech language mini-lectures, enjoying scenic toilets, exploring czech design from 60ties, talking jokes (Jesus smoking grass in a mountains cottage, The oldest man in a village, etc.), one of them I can write. The joke originates from an old czech TV show:

An old man is explaining to his friends what is his key for the successful marriage.”Well, immediately after our wedding day, I clarified with my wife that I would decide all important things and she can decide only les important things. And since this day, we have had no any problem. However, nothing important had happened yet ….”

Good luck in Canada

Because of the coincidence of dates and availability of holidays of our clients, we were not able to organise whole workshop, and our activities were spread to several weeks. Rob, Ludwig and Richard arrived already in the last week of May and we spend together two evening sessions and enjoyed dinner in hotel Růže.

Main group from Belgium came in the first week of June and we managed two days of fishing, Jiří joined us as second guide. Finally, two old friends from Switzerland joined the Belgium group, we had in fact small workshop. Flow was higher in the Vtava river under Vyšší Brod, so we spent this two days in Černá river, Devil stones and also in Warm Vltava in Šumava Mountains, beautiful days with a lot of fish caught.

Černá river (Black river) got name thanks to its brown peaty water, in the past time, world “black” was in the old czech language used also in the meaning “dark”, old German name is similar “Schwarzaubach”. Small river hosts good native population of brown trout and grayling and also rainbow trout or brook trout occasionally escaping our hatchery located upstream. Best conditions are during a higher flow as fish are not too shy. It is not far from civilisation, but fishing there is really  nice as you can spend all day in pure nature. Best section is between Benešov nad Černou and Ličov.

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Second day we headed to Warm Vltava in Šumava mountains, water flow after rain decreases always faster in the upper part close to Horní Vltavice and water is usually clear as there are only forests and meadows in the catchment area. We were parking in the camp in Horní Vltavice and we were fishing in the adjacent part of river. We caught a lot of browns and graylings, occasionally also dace and bleak migrating from Lipno lake located downstream. Biggest fish I get on dry fly.

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Then me and Jiří  moved to the south-east part of our country to river Svratka for spring session of the First Czech Fly Fishing League, but it is another story

Our friend Ben Bangham wrote an article about our workshop to the Total Fly fisher in the September 2015 issue, there are some nice pictures and also two secret flies. Mainly Michal and Jiří look skillful

See you next year Ben and English gang

total flyfisher ben cnfw

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I finally found time to make report from our autumnal workshop.  It was again one of the best courses, September is simply great time for fly-fishing, mild weather, fish take and very often rise whole day, almost no canoes on river, and at 8 p.m is dark so we have a lot of time for fly-tying and talking with glass of good beer in hand.

We hosted 11 participants, it was nice to meet as every year Marc Sonc from Belgium, Rudi brought his team from Germany – Switzerland borders (Rudi, Andreas, David, Jvo, Andy and Volker), South Hemisphere was represented by three guys from South Africa (Andre, Gavin and Robert) and overseas fly-fishing school was represented by Jim White. Ben could not come with his English friends as he was representing England in the European Fly Fishing Championship in Italy in the same time. Organisational team was created by Karel, Jiří, Martin Musil jr. and me. We started on Sunday evening by the opening of keg of beer and Karel´s shop and by dinner in Hotel Růže, steak from fresh Šumava Mountains beef has became a tradition, and we had as usually short lecture. I upgraded a little our handbook, prepared new wooden fly boxes and new polo – shirts. It is still what to improve

On Monday morning we started fishing in Rožmberk to check activity of rainbows stocked one week ago in whole Vltava river and to a little warm up. Robert from SA had some problems with his back, so we went to hospital in Český Krumlov, I was absolutely ashamed by the situation in the state hospital where in the emergency room was waiting about 20 injured people and there was no any doctor, people say that in this hospital only the strongest individuals survive. So we moved and I was positively surprised by the professional approach of the doctor in the private hospital. Before the lunch we were back and I jumped to water. We had traditional Monday lunch – break in “Rybářská bašta” in Rožmberk and next we moved a little downstream. We spread from parking place and I was slowly going downstream, I always spent some time with all clients but it was not necessary to talk to much as fishing worked well and almost continuously was a rod in action. I found out that the two new members of German team Andy and Volker were experienced fishermen, but it was necessary to explain them a little the recent nymphing technique and also the reading of the water, which is during nymphing essential. I was fishing after Walker and he caught few fish, but I caught maybe twenty fish in a half hour, rainbows, browns, white fishes. Volker came and asked: “Milan, you are crazy, why did you got so many fish behind me? I have same rod, leader and flies. I get some of them, but not so many.” I recognised, that this week would be good, as fishermen ask good questions already on Monday “Volker, problem is, that you are staying just between fish and you are fishing less productive areas. In this size of river you have to start from one bank and slowly cross the river to explore it. By every cast make one step like during dancing. And after you find fish, slow down and concentrate to similar spots. Fish are in this time of the year in the deeper so the darker parts, along and behind stones and along edges. And you was stomping just in the best groove in this spot”. Volker was observing river a little, next moved few steps to the side and he hooked immediately a good rainbow … good pupil.
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On Tuesday we mowed to Warm Vltava to Dobrá. I was fishing with Mark and Africans. Mark is self-sufficient, for him is enough to say where to fish, what technique and what flies could work and what time is meeting at the car . I recommended small nymphs size 16-18, tipped 0,10, and dry fly – CDC olive size 18. As the flow was very low and the water still relatively warm, I awaited graylings in rifles and just under the rifles. Andre moved upstream and I was alone with Gavin. He was beginner, so I lent him my Hanák nymhing rod size 3 and reel with special nymphing leader. But I probably not fixed the spool with the nymphing line well and Gavin lost it somewhere during our journey through meadows (who knows this place understand that in those “meadows” is possible to loose anything:-). But I had reserve reel with floating line in pocket, so it was no problem. We started in a nice place, I saw few fish rising, but I presented nymhing technique and got a grayling and a dace. Gavin started fishing and after few corrections he was able to cast properly and he get first fish – dace. After some time of practice he also got first grayling and also nice brown. We were going together upstream, Gavin was fishing with nymhps and when we saw a raising fish, I got it on the dry fly. We met Andre and he also caught his first grayling. Time was running and it was time to go back. We met Mark and he was amassed, he caught many nice graylings on small nymphs just in rapids. On the way back we found the lost spool, so it was nice day with happy end.

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Wednesday we spent in the trophy water Vltava 29 under the dam of the Lipno reservoir. We started from downstream end of water and I demonstrated fishing technique in this special water and I was very lucky as I got nice brook trout in five minutes. Volker and Andy caught another lumps immediately, fish were in the end of a big pool along big stones. Walker get also many perch, but we could not catch a brown trout. We found them more upstream in fast rapids. Jiří was fishing with Africans in the upper part and they caught many browns, maybe they already mowed before spawning. After great traditional lunch in Lesanka we exchanged spots, most effective was dry fly in the afternoon. On the way to the hotel we visited Rožmberk castle, what a nice view In the evening, Jim White from USA joined our group.

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On Thursday we returned to Vltava under Rožmberk. I started with Jvo, fishing was again great, we caught dace, chub, roach, brown trout, grayling, rainbow trout, perch and also brown trout. Martin told us a story during lunch, that he hooked rainbow of about 30 cm and just he saw a big shadow casing after the hooked fish, he thought that it was pike, but it was rainbow of about 70 cm. In the afternoon, we were fishing a little downstream and Andy got the fish on nymph in a big pool. We did not stocked rainbows of this size this year and the fish survived probably from last year. Volker again got nice fish, this time nice barbel and brown trout. Brown had a poachers line with worm in the throat, hook had barb so I decided to cut the leader and let it swim, hope it survived. In the evening we went for dinner to Gipsy pub in Český Krumlov.

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On Friday I paid attention to Jim. The enthusiastic pensioner visited with his wife their friends in Prague and he asked me to join the course for few days “to soak up” the atmosphere of the course and to practice a little nymphing techniques to try it later in his home rivers in Colorado. He had problems with eyes, if I understood properly, he could not see sharply just in the middle of the field of vision. On Thursday he was fishing with Jiří and Martin and he caught few fish. I decided to make for him “standard hardcore nymphing set-up” composed by floating line and 1,5 long leader and two nymphs. Fluorescent floating line was more visible then strike indicator and he could also easily feel take in hand. I was demonstrating technique in a nice pool, first cast, I was keeping rod high that just the end of the line was creating small curve on the surface of river, I remembered the good old days, Jiří Klíma would appreciate it, and suddenly the curve straightened, I lifted rod and a good rainbow was fighting on the hook.  Jim learned it quickly and he got few another fish from the same pool. I moved to David and Adnreas who were a little struggling, they could not find fish, so I took them a little downstream to another nice pool and they caught few fish immediately. After lunch we moved to Vyšší Brod, Walker gave Jim his own 50 cm long strike indicator made from fluo-orange and flou-green backing. So I made for Jim nymphing leader and we went under pump station. We found out, that the best for him way is to cast to the opposite bank and let flies drift a little actively and Jim could easily feel take in hand, he was absolutely happy with first nice brown in hand.

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We finished the course by roasted dug, dumplings and red cabbage in the Hotel Růže. The atmosphere in the course was again fantastic, I brought as usually keg of beer from small brewery Malt, we were tying flies and talking every evening, we found out, that the name “workshop” represents two more important evening activities – you could work at vice or shop in Karel´s shop

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It is time to look ahead, after 10 years of our cooperation, Mrs Vavrekova decided to close the hotel and to retire. We have to make important decision where to move, but we already have few possibilities and all are not bad, so let me surprise you. We can look forward to next courses, dates are  June 5th – 11th 2016 and September 11th – 17th 2016.

Workshop is over and I can say that it was one of the best event in memory. We had no any problem and we really enjoyed the week, we caught many many fish. After development taking few years we get to the almost ideal schedule, moreover I prepared few improvements for this year.

At first, we worked a little with Chef of the Hotel Růže on the evening menu and it was great. We decided to present local food, and it is definitely not rice, pasta or chicken. In the Czech Republic, we produce beef, pork, potatoes, ducks and some vegetable and we love soups and beer ….  we started with steak from honest beef from Šumava mountains followed by schnitzel on Monday, pork chop on onion sauce on Tuesday, pork steak on mushroom sauce on Wednesday, and the menu was crowned on Friday evening by roast duck with dumplings and red cabbage. For Thursday evening, I prepared small surprise, when we came from fishing, we were awaited by grilled pig. During lunches, we as usually visited Rybářská bašta, Lesanka in Vyšší Brod , Pizzeria in Kaplice, and during whole day trips we simply bought lunch packets. I thing that is enough about meal as introduction.

I also prepared nice present, wooden fly box with logo of workshop and map of warm Vltava in the second side. I brought two kegs of non-filtered lager made by my good friend in his small bravery, which was also very appreciated.

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We hosted 15 attendants from Belgium, England, Germany, South Africa and USA, team was composed by Jiří Pejchar, Martin Musil, Roman Heimlich and Karel Křivanec, on Sunday came also Michal to meet old friends and fish one day together. Few people arrived already sooner, but we officially started on Sunday evening by opening of Karel´s  shop and keg of beer. After dinner we had  short introduction lecture and we started with some fly tying and as majority of attendants were our long-term friends we had a lot to talk. I divided people to the two groups (UK + SA and Belg + Ger + USA) always with two guides and we changed groups and guides after two days.

Monday we spent in Rožmberk, for Hendrik and Iwan from South Africa was also interesting experience to help with stocking of rainbows. Fishing was not bad, but fresh fish a little improved catching rate and tested quality of tipped materials. Under weir we caught some marked graylings which had been stocked 3 km downstream one month ago.

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On Monday evening came heavy storm and therefore we spent Tuesday in Vyšší Brod and Devil stones, where the water was relatively clear. I thing, that mainly for newcomers was demonstration and practising of nymphing technique very useful, not only casting technique, but also reading of water and movement in water during fishing in different types of river. I was lucky that I got few nice fish during demonstration. Trophy part in Devil stones is annually stocked by nice brook trout and for some people was it the first possibility to meet this interesting fish. This is the only fishery in South Bohemia, where brook trout remains after stocking and moreover is able to reproduce.

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From Wednesday, the flow in rivers was gradually decreasing and we visited also Malše and Černá rivers, relatively small streams with wild brown trout and grayling. Nice tactic used Ben and Mark, they were fishing one rod with dry fly and they were changing by every fish. I joined the party with my rod with dry fly/nymph set-up and we were rotating Mark managed fishing and smoking together. In Malše, we make some small competition, Ben was fishing nymphs and I was fishing wets and we found out, that we are not able to catch anything one after another As the water was a little muddy, the wet fly worked well.

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We were also fishing during evening hatch in Vyšší Brod and it was superb. There is a lot of small browns, but it was possible to catch fish of about 30 cm. I started with green sedge, next fish preferred Yellow Sally and finally big brown sedge with orange tag.

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We also visited Warm Vltava, we were in Horní Vltavice, the water was clear but still red as it flows from peat-bogs in mountains. It was nice day in pure nature and we caught also few nice fish, I found good graylings in the most steep currents, I was fishing with czech nymph on the point and small pheasant tail nymph on dropper. Big surprise was shoal of bleak which migrated from Lipno lake. Thousands and thousands of different cyprinid fish migrating annually from Lipno lake became big problem for pristine salmonid fish stock, I´m leader of a big scientific project aimed on evaluation of this affect.

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UK team was leaving on Saturday early morning at 5 a.m., so I also got up to say them goodbye (and to see red lights and Stefan also woke up to go fishing with me. Out of the blue, in front of the hotel stopped Taxi with Martin and Roman returning from a Disco in Vyšší Brod, Martin a little staggering and Roman with a nice black eye  So we were transporting them to beds and went fishing. I promised to our kind house-lady a fish for lunch. I got one chance, as I hooked rainbow of about 1 kg, but I had chance only during first 2 seconds where the fish was surprised, next I was only  spectator, at first the angry fish flew past Stefan and jumped in rifles 20 metres upstream from me, next returned back to the pool and next headed to opposite bank and snapped my leader between stones …

Thanks to all attendants for nice and friendly atmosphere and hope to see you next time.

The autumnal workshop was again unforgettable. My friend Ben brought 9 of his friends from England and the English, we again welcomed our old friends Chandra and Robert Brown. Rudi again attended with his Germany – Switzerland group and gang was completed by two Scandinavian fishermen, our friend Kai from Finland and newcomer Alex who qualified to Team Sweden and would like to  learn as much as possible from the top world anglers. The team of guides was again perfect, we welcomed Pavel Chyba, recent World Champion, Roman Heimlich, recent European Champion, and as usually the team was created also by Michal, Jiří, Karel and me. We helped a little with transport of our attendants from Prague and at 18:00 on Wednesday September 17th was Karel´s shop open and keg of Budweiser beer was chilled. We had five guides, five groups and five days, so everybody has possibility to fish with all guides.

First day we had as usually demonstration of techniques in front of the hotel and after the lunch in Rybářská bašta we spread along the Vltava 27 which was full of brownies, stocked rainbows and coarse fish. I was fishing with Chandra and Rob, they still compete to each other

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The schedule of the course was a little adapted this autumn as majority of attendants took part in the local competition Rožmberský cup on Saturday and rest of people was this day fishing the trophy part in Vltava 29. So we spent first two days practising fishing in Vltava river despite of higher flow. I hope it was useful for everybody, we caught some fish and were also practising reading of water and movement in the current. On Friday I had to bring another keg of beer ….

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Competition was nice and after my third place last year we again gained a trophy as Roman won this year. Everybody enjoyed it, where you have possibility to be controller of the top world anglers and watch them during competition in their home water? It was useful also for me as I was controlling Roman in the last round and I saw how much fish I left in water (we have system, that everybody judges next round in the same peg when he has just fishing) , I caught 13 fish and Roman after me 28 …. Everybody was talking about his day till night and on Sunday I have to go for another keg

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On Monday morning I took Ben, Andy, Alex and Kai to Warm Vltava. Water was higher after rain but fishable, Ben caught first grayling on very first cast. Fishing was not easy, but later in the afternoon some fish were rising. We enjoyed nice day in pure nature, however we had to finish a little earlier due to the coming storm.  Before the end of fishing Alex asked me how to fish with nymphs in concrete conditions in mouth of a pool and I presented how to cast and lead nymphs on the edge between main stream and backwater … and fish was on and next I shoved how to cast to the backwater and change a little angle of leader to get flies down and … fish was on guide most be sometimes lucky and most have good friends under the surface of river In the evening we visited Český Krumlov and we had dinner in the Gipsy pub.

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Last day I returned to Warm Vltava with German-Switzerland group, i took them higher as water was there more clear. Bernd had never fish with nymphs our style and have never caught grayling. I made for him classical say “hard core” Czech nymph set-up. To the end of floating line I  attached 150 cm of mono 0,12 mm and 50 cm from end I made one dropper. I used two of my favourite nymphs and shoved to Bernd, how to cast to a nice pool and how to lead nymphs. On the second cast the end of line disappeared under surface and on the hook was first nice trout. Bernd took the rod and after one minute he caught another one. “So Bernd” I said ” you know how to do it, in this pool could be another 15 fish, so you have 1 hour to clean it” and I moved upstream to find Andreas. We enjoyed fishing and when we returned back to car for lunch, Bernd was smiling from ear to ear as he got there ten fish including his first grayling. In the afternoon we caught also few fish on dry, so it was nice day. On the way to hotel I shoved to my friends my favourite viewpoint at Lipno lake and a shortcut from Frymburk to Rožmberk, which is even longer, but worse road

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On Wednesday morning Jiří helped with transport of whole group to Prague and I took Ben and Andy to raft and we marked pegs for Hanák Open competition, Ben and Andy attended the competition, but it is another story coming soon I hope that everybody enjoyed the week and I´m looking forward to next year.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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September course was one of the best in memory. Newcomers perfectly fit into a team consisting of good old friends and more over fishing conditions were fantastic. Typical autumnal changeable and relative cold weather caused intensive rise of olives in all waters every day. Brown trout was feeding before spawning time and 200 kg of rainbows which we stocked to Vltava 27 before the course spread along the whole fishery, we found few strongly fighting fish in every suitable deeper place. Within our project aimed on reintroduction of grayling to Vltava river,  we stocked about 50 000 of one-year-old fish and 500 of older in May. After flood in June, they dispersed from places of stocking along all weed-beds from Vyšší Brod to Český Krumlov, they doubled their weight and it was possible to catch them both on nymphs and dries. The course was finished by competition called Rožmberský cup on Saturday and four attendants tried to face Czech anglers including our guides and me. As guides we invited Pavel Chyba, Jiří Pejchar, Michal Adamčík and Karel Křivanec.

First people came already on Friday, the only problem was to arrange transport for Nick from England who landed in Prague at 7 p.m., but I found an evening  coach from Prague to Český Krumlov and asked owner of the hotel Romantik to pick him up there and he was at 1 a.m. in bed. I only followed his journey by text messages from hotel in Slovakia.
Rob, Ludwik and Richard came also on Friday and they took Nick to Vltava 29 Trophy on Saturday and they caught a lot of nice trout and some brook trout. Marc arrived on Saturday evening and all group decided to go to Vltava 33 on Sunday. Other people arrived during Sunday Septemeber 15th, Karel brought his shop, I brought cask of beer, Eirik and Glen from Norway brought Jeremiah from Canada, Rudi brought German/Switzerland group and also Robert and Chandra from England arrived all right and we all 14 attendants and our staff met in Restaurant Adler at dinner. After short introduction lecture we agreed plan for the week: whole day fishing and every evening fly-tying lesson.

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On Monday 16th we were fishing in Vltava 27 under hotel, we always start there as there is a lot of fish, if somebody needs, can go back to Hotel, we can prepare leaders and other things, and first day is always a lot of things to arrange, so it is a little free programme. We could check fishing skills of our new friends and our guides showed to everybody new composition of our nymphing leaders and proper nymphing technique. In the afternoon I took Chandra, Robert, Jeremiah and Norwegian guys to Vltava 28. Trouts stayed mainly along the banks and edges and we found out that they took all patterns of nymphs, but key factor was the size of the fly, the best size was 16. In the evening we had first fly-tying lesson, this day by Jiří.

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From Tuesday 17th we spread to all waters, I prepared schedule, that I made groups by 3-4 people and all groups could fish all waters and meet all guides. I started with Robert, Chandra and Marc in Malše, this small stream requires fishing upstream with two nymphs only, 0,10 tippet and keeping lower silhouette, our reward were abundant wild browns and graylings. Two groups which had whole day trip to Šumava National Park were also satisfied. Fly-tying lesson by Michael finished almost at midnight.

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On Wednesday 18th I was fishing Vltava 27 with Ludwig, Rob, Richard and Nick, we moved a little downstream from Rožmberk, brown trout, grayling, rainbow, chub and dice were in every suitable place of water, we caught fish both in shallows and deeper pools, but the best were edges of weed-beds because it is more easy to read water in shallows and to cast to the best places and to effectively cover water. Fish were also in depth and there were bigger fish, but it required more patience. Fish were rising in waves, so we caught some fish also on dries, Nick found a nice pool full of rainbows later in the afternoon and we enjoyed also screaming reels. It is necessary to mention great lunch in Rybářská bašta. Heavy rain during Wednesday evening increased flow upper Vltava and this water was unfishable for rest of the week. Fly tying lesson by Pavel was again interesting, world champion is world champion.

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Thursday morning I spent with Jeremiah, Eirik and Glen again in Vltava 27, all three guys planed to attend competition on Saturday and to practice Vltava 27, so I taught them planing of the beat, reading of water and also fishing with dry fly, both down and upstream. After great lunch in Lesanka pub in Vyšší Brod we moved to upper part of Malše, a little higher water after rain causes great fishing conditions, we caught nice graylings.  I was fishing after guys and I caught a lot of fish which they did not like We also enjoyed a littler mushrooming, but I´m afraid, that the most unforgettable experience were prostitutes catching clients along the main road from Czech to Austria. I had to refuse the Eirik´s request to stop and ask one of them for group picture, I liked my health and car and did not risk incident with her “manager”  On Thursday evening I came out with an innovation, I took our group for an evening visit of Český Krumlov and I ordered dinner in Gipsy pub which is owned by my friend Milan. I spent there a lot of nights when I was young as I´m from Č. Krumlov. Eirik thanks for the authentic picture

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On Friday I returned with the old friends group to Vltava 27, we moved again a little far downstream, we caught a lot of rainbows, graylings and coarse fish, brown is rear in this stretch. Very effective was downstream fishing with small gold-heads and wet flies, mainly in slowly flowing water. In the evening we had small celebration and I had to thank all attendants for their great approach and for nice fishing week, we prepared for everybody “participation diplomas”. Next we started preparation for competition including some tying of effective patterns, I presented my favourite nymphs and dry olives size 18.

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