Off The Cuff

I was speaking to a Swedish bloke who was telling me his favourite parts of the country.

Great if you like the outdoors he said, camping, hiking, fishing.

"Do you fish" I said

"Oh yes, all the time"

Within two minutes we were on Google maps and he was showing me the exact spot for some grayling fishing. Half hour later we were en route to this new destination which was 250 miles north of where I thought I was heading. 

We found the spot easy enough, below a hydro electric dam, but they were carrying out new work and making a right racket. If I'm driving hundreds of miles I can't put up with that ! However, I did have a fish and caught grayling and perch but after that we jumped in the van and headed down river looking for THE spot.

You see, THE spot for me must be.....

Right beside river, lake or sea 

Have a few fish

Great scenery and totally quiet

No other people

It's not usually easy to find in a world with six or it it seven billion people ? After driving for maybe half hour, I turned off and drove along the rough track for three or four miles and then down an even smaller one for several hundred yards, I knew I'd found it.

Although it was in a remote spot, it being Sweden, there was a wooden shelter and a fire pit overlooking the river. Oh yes and a compost bog in the wood which I used with the door open so I could do some fish spotting whilst parking my breakfast. Multi tasking you see.

We spent two days there interrupted just once by a nice Swedish angler who again gave me some other spots to fish.

That evening it was a grayling and perch feast on the fire, wrapped in foil with olive oil, black pepper and lemon. You won't be surprised to find out they tasted bloody lovely.

I was fishing on and off throughtout the day, trotting a big four swan loafer down the crystal clear river. There were grayling and trout in most swims, some nice ones too. I had a problem keeping them on the hook though, I was fishing worm and had a constant issue with the worm double hooking itself, thereby covering the hook point. It was an absolute joy standing in the chesties in that cold, clear water catching beautiful wild fish.

In the evening I was thigh high in water easing the float through the swim when I heard a crash behind me. Fifty yards away, a moose crossing the river ! It didn't spot me until it reached the opposite bank. Wow, what an end to the day, we'd been hoping to see one since we arrived.

We sat round the fire all evening, having a drink, eating, staring at the flames and the river. What more could you want ?

We dragged ourselves away the following morning, after two days of bliss. That other Swedish bloke had told me about a smaller mountain stream where he'd caught arctic char and I wanted to catch one.