MORE THAN A PLAY

Fly fishing is basically the combination of a special way of casting an extremely light “object”, a dry fly, which in turn is built in such a way that it tends to float in the air like a parachute, giving it an almost weightless effect . To this we must add that this “object” has the appearance of a living being and as such, must be managed to convince another living being to be eaten or opportunely attacked-devoured. To this we must add again that the action unfolds in a natural and aquatic environment, an ecosystem, which has been operating for millions of years and constantly evolving. In short, fly fishing is a man-made fishing system in which the bait that is commonly used is an entirely artificial invertebrate animal to catch another vertebrate animal that lives in the water and that its appearance on Earth It dates back 60 million years.

Fly casting such as tennis, football or rugby is an English game, and although some ancient civilizations practiced fly fishing, the concepts fly fishing and fly casting are something typically Anglo-Saxon, like it or not.

The fly casting technique is indispensable for fly fishing. If it is dominated enough, it can casting for hours at different points in the river without getting bored at all. Throwing with a fly rod is a pleasure and wonderful entertainment, hence the best launch is always the last one that never ends. One feels, throws and lives … and that’s it. The concept space-time is reduced to the terms, happiness-illusion.

Fishing a fish with a fly rod is an experience with capital letters for anyone who loves nature and fishing. One thing is to catch fish and another very different is to fish with fly rod. This special experience has given rise to catch & release and nowadays fly fishing is directly associated with fishing with return.

In short the fly casting and fly fishing, are two worlds directly intertwined, or rather one world inside another.

But in reality, what do we know of all the environment around it? What evolution are our salmonic populations following? Why does a river have a higher productivity of fish and insects than one that apparently should be better? What is the eye of a trout or a salmon? How do you see it and what does it matter to the fish? And even more simple questions: How many fish can a river harbor and what sizes? How is it possible to reliably breed native Mediterranean trout in closed aquatic environments?

For me the answer is also simple: we know almost nothing or know little. The constant decline in Atlantic salmon and sea trout is an unresolved problem, but not only that, we also do not know exactly the behavior and development of these two species of fish in two different ecosystems such as the seas and rivers. Something very similar happens also with the snook. We do not know either, because salmon marked in Spain appear on the coast of Newfoundland, when popular belief says that the salmon go up the same river that saw them born. In short we are guided by customs and dogmas, legends and ancient laws believing that we dominate the course of nature when the reality and interactions of this are very different and complex. We now associate any change or variation of nature and its complex ecosystems, with a simple answer and that to me seems the most absurd and stupid: global warming or climate change. Like so many times man is the culprit of everything. And if all this is just a small adjustment of all natural systems in constant evolution with the solar star ?, is CO2 the main culprit or simply one of the variables in a million? How many similar episodes has the Earth lived?

There are numerous studies on the evolution of solar rays and their incidence on Earth. It is easy to feel that these solar rays reach us with more heat and strength than before, although once again we do not know the extent of this incidence in our natural ecosystems. Finally, we have millions of questions about the evolution of natural systems and ecosystems and their species and, on the other hand, very few answers. It is for this reason and for the millions of questions that constantly appear without answers and without apparent solutions, that the man who interacts with the natural environment is the first to try to solve these enigmas while evolving with nature in favour with it.

Fly fishing opens an infinite range of possibilities for anyone who is curious by nature and loves in depth. From the study of insect hatcheries and all forms of underwater life, to the recovery and conservation of river ecosystems, as well as the improvement of launching and fishing techniques, and finally the observation, improvement and evolution of our salmonic populations. Fly fishing opens a huge window to study, observation and passion for nature and self-recognition as a human being and their interaction with the environment.

~ Carles V.