Surfcasting: towards the 2024 world championships – with Gianluca Lenzi
June 17, 2024
Trout fishing in small streams: the "real" trout
Text and photos by Marco Altamura
After the opening of salmonid fishing in running waters and with a newfound calm, I promised myself to plan a nostalgic trip, so to speak, to return to those places I frequented as a boy in search of the colorful brown trout in a " fairytale environment".
Unfortunately a lot has changed since then and, probably, I have changed too or at least my approach to fishing has changed and is no longer as magical as it was at the end of the 70s.
But that's the way it is, so I'm content to still rejoice at the dawn of 63 years of age for just one hard-earned and desired capture with great determination, like once upon a time.
The scenario is represented by the tributary of the stream at the bottom of the valley where the spawners go up to lay their eggs and then linger until spring.
Not many fishermen come here because the catches, in addition to being small, have to be sweated 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, today a real rarity!
I prepare my "seven foot" fast action spinning rod, I combine it with a 2500 size reel loaded with a braid 0.12 mm thick (in this case the excellent Asso Evergreen 8XPE green in colour) to which I connect a piece of terminal 0 mm thick, 20 like the Asso Super Fluorocarbon, resistant and absolutely invisible in water.
Thus equipped I face the steep mountain stream with a handful of small rotating spoons, a few minnow up to 7 centimeters in length and the inevitable soft bait represented by small silicone shads mounted on micro-jigheads.
It'll be a nine-gram Martin with a yellow body to give me the only notable catch of the day. At 4pm my legs start to feel heavy and I decide to go back to the car to put an end to the fishing.
The awareness of time passing leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, however sweetened by the satisfaction of having captured a local "old woman", born and raised in that little paradise and the joy of having her return to her hunting fiefdom increases my physical and mental well-being.
Once again the tools adopted allowed me to emerge victorious even in these extreme and therefore terribly difficult environments.
A decidedly lean trout
Trout fishing in small streams: the equipment
ASSP SUPERFLUOROCARBON
Latest generation fluorocarbon fishing line, perfect for trout fishing in small streams. Made with the innovative Pvdf material and an advanced extrusion process, this thread is extremely soft and durable. The smooth and silky surface ensures flawless knots and controlled stretch, ideal for tackling stream currents. Also suitable for beginners thanks to its ease of use and handling. Particularly suitable for creating terminals, it guarantees exceptional performance in every fishing situation.
ASSO PE 8X EVERGREEN
High quality 8-strand braided fishing line, also ideal for trout fishing in small streams in its smaller diameters. Asso PE 8x Evergreen is produced with excellent materials that ensure long-lasting performance over time. The "duracolor" technology guarantees exceptional color fastness. Particularly suitable for use with reels, this line offers resistance and reliability, also making it perfect for tackling the challenges of trout fishing in small streams.