Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 22 July 2022
One of the first FP for me was "dream come true". It was about Varzina. It was a great trip and fishing was awesome. So little I knew on that time. People seems to have these bucket list also, so little they know.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with bucket list if you have one. It just might hold you back from your deepest desires. Just doing things because those are on bucket list and it is popular, it is not maybe the thing.
Varzina was kind of on my bucket list for years, when meeting Paul, it jumped to the top fast. It almost ruined my marriage before sanity returned. There are FP about that also. Year 2018 we were finally able to do Varzina, fishing was great etc. Nothing wrong really about anything and still something was missing, maybe more and bigger trouts, maybe better views or atmosphere. We decided to go back, plan was 2020. Now it has been postponed to 2023 and not sure if going back even we have paid half trip allready.
Our original plan to Visit Paul and Ashly was 2020 and when we had chance to go back to Varzina, our Malaysia moved 2021. We all know why that was postponed, and it was finally in May 2022. I have been following few past week how Paul and guests are doing there and it really hit me. Visiting Paul was also on the bucket list.
Fishing has been great in Malaysia as far what I can see from photos and FP's. I have been stalking also one other fisherman from Sweden, I highly appreciate his fishing and casting skills. He is one of the top fisherman in Sweden, I would say. I know waters where he is fishing and those are also awesome, nice trout and grayling fishing. He is mostly doing trout I think. Shit, I miss that area also.
So what was missing in Varzina and was it missing also in Malaysia? I only caught one fish from Malaysia so it could be not enough fish. I was struggling with fishing in Malaysia so it could be that also. You have seen FP about those also. I just saw photo that Paul's guest caught amazing 6,5 kg freerising snakehead, mine was just about 3kg, so maybe fish was not big enough. I did see some 5 kg do there are bigger ones and now I have seen that 6,5. Envy, no fucking way, those guys had done their homework before going better than me. So what is an answer?
It is so obvious that it makes me smile. There was nothing missing in Malaysia, it is same thing in Sweden where Stefan is fishing. So what was missing in Varzina? And now people who were with us, please don't get offended, it is not about you.
Two things:
First it was bucket list trip or dream come true trip. Varzina was like my "to do -list". You know you have maintain or fix something during the holiday etc.
Secondly and most importantly, it didn't have those passionate fisherman around and if so we didn't talk much about flyfishing outside fishing time.
Malaysia was perfect fishing trip. Fishing is really something, you get world class guiding and casting lessons. You spent time with one of the most passionate flyfishing mate in the world. He is eating flyfishing for breakfast, breathing it, living it, even farts are flyfishing. It is same in Sweden. It is same probably with Ronan in New Zealand. I'm sure that is same with everyone who are doing FPs. And there are lot of other guides who are the same, just find them.
So forget bucket lists, go fishing with same minded people, even difficult fishing will turn great fishing trip. If Paul let us we are going back no later than 2024 May. We really try to catch up Sweden this year also, might be time issue.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing
Mika the Legend