Sunday—our third expedition day—starts off rather quietly. Anik, faithful to her habits, is the first to come and sit around the fire pit. Mario joins her a few moments later and shows her how to make a bouquet made up of small dry branches and a good quantity of birch bark in order to restart last night’s fire. Once that is done, the fire greets each of us with its warmth as we cluster around it.
This morning’s conversations, accompanying our delicious berry coulis-covered waffles, strangely revolve a lot more around the future fish that we’ll be teasing in a few hours. Today will be our first “real” day of fishing and it shows.
The small trout had better watch out
Before dividing us into fishing groups, André warns us that we will no longer see rivers in the same way. He even predicts that we will stop on the bridges to analyze the different rivers that come our way. Other road users are now warned.
By going to the water’s edge equipped with our waders, we look like real fishing professionals. Everything suggests that Isabelle will have to work hard to keep her newly acquired title of best flyfisher in the world.
In fact, as soon as the lines are in the water, the fly fishers get to work. On two occasions, Sophie even comes close to catching a trout using the fly she made at the start of the adventure.
However, one must be admitted that for other participants, the first few minutes of fishing are a little more chaotic. Julie seems to have forgotten everything while Catherine B scares herself by losing sight of her own fly in the air.
A little higher up the river, Catherine takes her courage with both hands and walks perilously on the rocks with the objective of reaching a promising pool according to Isabelle’s words.
A few minutes later, Annik thinks she has chosen the right time and the right place to take a short break to relieve a nature’s call, but Pascale’s hook, yet a seasoned fly fisher, gets caught in the branches next to her just a few seconds before I arrive with my camera without seeing her.
It’s not always easy to relieve oneself when on an expedition.
Also worth mentioning is the Monica’s temerity; after walking across the river, she keeps wandering through the slippery rocks, forcing me to chase her for long minutes to get a satisfying shot.
In short, a good trout-fishing morning which finally allowed everyone to feel the vibrations of a trout biting the hook.
An afternoon of swimming
We take a short break from fishing in the afternoon to take advantage of the beautiful weather to take a forest bath, a Japanese practice linked to mindfulness consisting of walking in the woods without a real destination while being very attentive to the different stimuli interacting with our senses.
Roberto, a great fly fisher who self-defines as a failed artist, takes the opportunity to draw a little and encourages the group to pay particular attention to the surrounding colours.
Another short fishing period follows during which Julie, against all expectations, catches a nice little trout.
For her part, Sophie continues her momentum and succeeded in catching a fish of 12 inches or rather 12 centimetres depending on your sources. Special mention here to Mylène who had to lend a hand to an overexcited Julie to save the fish in question and in distress to put it back in the water. Great teamwork.
We end this other dreamy afternoon with a swim in the river to cool off and reduce potential smells that might start to develop.
A classic and comforting end of day
Back at the camp, we end this day as the way we now do so well. That is, eating a delicious meal and chatting for hours around the fire.
As the fire decreases in intensity, our expert fly fishers go to bed one by one and enjoy this enchanting place for one last night.
Jean-Mathieu, who is off to bed as of now
Blogger and Photographer for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation.
In pictures
