Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 2 August 2024
Let's be honest. Friday we had barbeque evening and it is totally possible that last gintonic was spoiled, like Seine river in Paris now. That is the only possible conclusion because I had kind of hangover on Saturday. There is no way that I had too many beers during the evening.
Anyway Sunday was also slow motion down day when we still had heatwave going. There was thunder and rain on Saturday but it didn't really cool the air. Sunday evening we tested our belly boats, as we need them in Sweden when going there. Mine had leaking pontoon so I couldn't use that, and it was not fixeable so I had to order new pontoon. Satu's was otherwise okay but her flippers need some fixing.
I had three guiding days this week. Every day was heavy rain in the morning and afternoon basic grey. Basically 3 sets of beginners flyfishing. First some basics at field, roll cast, basic backcast and some drills around those. Always hoop to aim and hit. After those short coffee and snack break and then some more drills before going to fish.
Before fishing, information about wading, small reminder about roll cast, as that is what we use mostly with beginners. Then teaching fishing techniques and then fishing. If casting start to go together also we will use dries and some aeriel casts which have been trained on field in the beginning.
Today (Thursday) I had a couple and man had problems with backcast, either stop was too short or rod turned too much down and back. I told him to watch line and every possible trick to get it right. Somehow he just couldn't get stop long enough and even we got trajectory in order, he was rushing with stroke all the time.
Finally I decided to try something different with him. I asked if he feels tension in the rod, no as it never got to that point. I told him to close eyes and do the cast, feel it. And finally he got it, as he had to turn off some senses, the other one came stronger and even he failed first with few, eventually he got it. Now he have a decent start to continue with casting, when we finished the day.
He told that they will return next summer with own gears, time will show if that's the case.
It has been good week and fishing has been okay. Next week some farm work and own fishing and casting practise. Week after that fully booked and from guiding we head straight to Sweden where I have guiding day before tv shooting.
Have a nice weekend
Mika the Legend