Last Thursday, the trout season opening day in Switzerland took place. Due to a rather slow start at the first river, it was time for plan B: a bivouac next to a small mountain stream.
With high spirits and well-prepared, I ventured at 6 am to my river of choice to celebrate the opening of the trout season. After countless casts, several of them into trees, I already called it a day at midday. Disillusioned I went home. The weather was perfect, the water level was superb and insects were flying. “What’s wrong?” I asked myself.
I worried for a while until I decided to head to a small mountain stream, which I had never fished that early in the season before. However, the stream is quite a distance away. Given that I had only time in the morning and no car at hands, I went the evening before. I packed my sleeping mattress, the bivouac sac and when I hold my sleeping bag in my hands, I realised that I probably should check the temperature rating and the forecast.
Both showed the very same temperature: 2 degrees Celsius (35 Fahrenheit). Hesitating for a moment, I thought about additional layers and put the sleeping bag into the backpack.
Arriving at the small stream nestled in a small overgrown valley, I found my camping spot for the night in the light beam of my head torch. I gathered some wood to start a fire. Yet, the wood was wet and my only fire starter was a lighter and 2 tissues. Still, I managed to dry some wood next to the small flame, which I cared like a baby for at least an hour. While I was occupied with my fire my camera took images for a timelapse:
The next morning I finally saw the beauty of the place I had decided to stay. Hastily, I boilt some water for breakfast on the LACD Ultralight Gas Stove. While the water, which was filtered with the Sawyer Mini Waterfilter started to warm up, I could not wait any longer to cast a fly into the beautiful pool nearby. On the second cast the indicator dropper and a few jumps later this gorgeous fish visited me for a short while.
After a porridge as breakfast, I packed my camp and ventured along the river.
Gallery Extended Opening Day
Another Bivouacking Fishing Trip in Switzerland - ExpediTom
[…] contrast to my previous bivouacking trip where it was 2 degrees Celsius (35F), this time it was 7 degree Celsius (45F). Nevertheless, I wore […]
Trout Diversity in Switzerland and Thoughts on Stocking Fish - ExpediTom
[…] me the most was that in another river nearby the trout look absolutely different. It was on my extended opening day expedition that I realised this. The trout in this system have white spines in their pectoral and after fin […]
Wild Camping in a White Out - ExpediTom
[…] some overnight trips check out my post about the Bernese alps or the extended opening day, and the two days fly fishing […]