A wild fishery

The headwaters are the part of the river that is most likely to be preserved in a somewhat wild state. As a modest watercourse that flows down steep valleys, it escapes the deadly human traffic to some extent. Even if we now have to deal with competition from canyoning enthusiasts who confuse torrents and toboggans, those who accept the demands of the steep slope, the scabrous passages on the rocks or in the dense vegetation, make their way to places of incredible beauty, magical jewels under the trees, in the folds of the ground.
And there are often trout. Small, lively and fearful. Demanding, like the mountain. You don't fish streams when you're looking for yield. But it is such a joy to feel between one's frozen fingers the gleaming body of a small snarling trout that escapes in a splash... And to make the happiness complete, one can fish them with a dry fly, and experience the wonderful pleasure of the surface touch. Very often the palmer disappears in a brutal explosion, and no matter how big the fish is, it is a great adrenaline rush at that moment.

The two schools

This fishery is essentially a game of precision. The pockets of water you are looking for are generally very small, surrounded by violent and contradictory currents. You have to master the landing, both of the fly and the leader, to gain a second or maybe two of natural drift. Micro-stations are fished very closely, usually hidden by the rocks and the noise of the water. For this fishery, distance considerations do not exist. In any case, you should look for a rod that can work with a very short line, and that offers enough flexibility to keep the fight with a palm-long trout interesting.
For the length, on the other hand, there are at least two schools of thought. You may like a very short rod, which will be at ease in complex environments where overhanging branches and rocks limit your movements. Or you may prefer to go the other way and choose a long rod, which you will use in a tenkara spirit: with a short rod, you will fish almost under the tip of the rod, or at short distance with crossbow casts.

  1. Rainshadow REVF 662-4 : This is the finesse approach. An extremely light and thin carbon blank with a nice mid-flex action that rounds out easily when called upon. The 662 has a remarkable tip liveliness that is easily controlled and allows you to give a wf2 or 3 line a nice speed, and to remain accurate even when it's a bit windy. In combat, its finesse is a delight. With 4 strands for 1m98, it is very discreet in the bag, perfect for long approach walks.
  2. Rodbuilders' Republic Fly Patrol 763 : The balanced approach. A very light blank, with a fairly smooth action that easily allows for tricky landings. The softness of the blank protects the fine tips and allows you to enjoy the lively fight with the trout. The 2.5m length is ideal for passing through relatively crowded areas, while allowing perfect control of the landing and mendings at 8-12m, a frequent distance when the stream opens up into a meadow. It is also a format that allows for very effective rolling/speying.
  3. Rodbuilders' Republic LightHouse 10' #2 : This long blank will make a great choice for tenkara inspired tactics. The advantage of the length is that it allows you to remove the line from the action of the current. Despite its length, the 1002 is very light and easy to handle, with a nice sound when you need to detect a hit. The blank is equally good for dry fly and nymph fishing, both on sight and on target.

REVF 662-4 SB Blank

6'6"  4 pcs  #2

Lightness
Vivacity
Mending
Réserve de puissance
Progressivity
Handyable
107,60 € Including taxes
FP763-4 Blank

7'6 4pc  Line #3

Lightness
Vivacity
Mending
Réserve de puissance
Progressivity
Handyable
97,30 € Including taxes
LightHouse 10'#2 Blank

10'0" #2

Lightness
Vivacity
Mending
Réserve de puissance
Progressivity
Handyable
161,70 € Including taxes