After a busy weekend and a long day at work, I decided to wind down with a short evening fishing session at my local river, targeting brown trout. I arrived just after 6 p.m., got into my waders, rigged up my rod, and packed a small selection of lures before heading down to the water.
As I carefully approached the river, I already spotted a few fish rising to the surface, snapping at flies, a promising sign that trout were not only present but actively feeding. I entered the river at my first chosen spot and made a few casts, but couldn’t tempt any of the visible fish to strike. So I moved on rather quickly to the next spot, one that had produced a trout or two in the past, and it didn’t disappoint this time either. On my second cast, I launched my 5g spoon far upstream, and moments later I noticed a small wake behind the lure, followed by a solid take and the unmistakable sound of the drag kicking in. A short fight later, a beautiful brown trout, well over 35 cm and possibly into the low 40s, was in the net.
After carefully dealing with the fish, I headed toward another promising stretch, only to find two fellow anglers fly fishing that section. We exchanged a few words, agreed on which part they would cover, and I made sure to give them plenty of space before re-entering the river upstream. Unfortunately, I didn’t see or feel any more signs of fish for the next hour and a half, and there were no more rises either.
Later, one of the fly fishermen called me to let me know they were done for the day and that I was welcome to fish the stretch they had just covered. I finished up the section I was on and returned to that earlier area. As luck would have it, a swan family had settled in that exact spot, slowly making their way upstream. The cygnets were clearly still learning to swim, so I didn’t want to disturb them or try to pass. I exited the river and walked back to my car.
Before calling it a day, I decided to cast once more at the first spot where I had seen trout rising earlier. Surprisingly, the next hit didn’t come from a long-distance cast, but from a casual underhand flick across to the far bank. Twice, a trout chased the lure, creating clear wakes behind it, but both times it missed the hook. My next cast wasn’t quite on target, but the one after was spot-on, and this time the fish connected. It put up a great fight, jumping multiple times, but I couldn’t steer it into the net quickly enough. It jumped clear over the mesh and threw the hook with a final headshake. A fantastic fight, a shame about the outcome.
For my final spot of the day, I returned to where I had landed the first fish. After just two casts, the rod bent again. This trout also put on a real show, leaping repeatedly in its attempt to throw the lure, but this time I had learned from my earlier mistake. I guided it straight into the net without giving it the chance to get away.
All in all, it was a rewarding evening session and the perfect way to unwind after a demanding day at work.
| Type | Gear | Shopping-Link |
|---|---|---|
| Rod | Savage Gear SG4 Ultra Light 1,98m 2-8g | https://amzn.to/4bgig12 |
| Reel | Savage Gear SG4AG 1000 FD | https://amzn.to/3Ojjgr6 |
| Lure |
