Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 19 July 2019
Last week was busy one, not because of fishing but because hay making. Beginning of July we had rain almost two weeks and temperature was around + 10 celsius. Then last week it warmed and dried so we need to make hay for wintertime. Last Thursday we started to work on 9 am and we were ready on Friday morning at 4 am. Just few hours before next rain. During the weekend we had ladies’ and master’s national finals in flyfishing in Kuusinki river. Satu took part for that. Same water will be on August when men have their finals and next year World Championship final will be held in Kuusamo.
Saturday: They had 3 beats each last 1 hour and 15 minutes. Finalist were fishing as pairs and monitor each other on their turn. Satu had nice start and she got 36 cm grayling + 2 others. Second beat was even better when she got 38 cm + 4 others. Satu informed about fishing via whatsapp because I was working at farm. Last beat was familiar to Satu and I think we both had high hopes about that. Like often in situations like that you got difficulties. She couldn’t land any fish even she had some action. The one she was that she had nice over 35 grayling and just before landing it it took off. Someone had cut lines earlier with that fish and Satu only got one more fly.
Sunday: 3 beats but this time only 1 hours each. I went to along to see friends but also help her between beats. This year it was not allowed to help during the session. First beat was zero, well she got some small trouts but they were not competition fishes. I could see that Saturday was taking also it’s share. 2 beat, we made plan and she started to fish. Unfortunally she got stuck in one spot for too long time as she had bites all time. I have never seen her wading like that and she worked hard to get that one fish at least but no succues this time. Last beat, we got news that it has been difficult one for others.
When we came to beat Satu was delighted, we went training one week earlier and she fished that area so she had good feeling. Again we made plan and she started to work. Again great wading (even little bit too much because current was really heavy one but she made it). She got again stuck in one spot but not too long. She got closer to our hotspot which we thougth would be the one. And it was she got two fishes, one 34,5 cm which was good one. It was nice finishing for her weekend. Satu’s pair got only one really small grayling from that beat and she was last years champion.
There was 13 ladies and 15 men on the finals. Grayling was only allowed fish on competition and min size was 35 cm to get basic points and points from cm. If fish were under 35 cm you got basic points 100/fish. During the weekend competitors got almost 900 graylings + lot of small trouts (which were not registered). Biggest grayling caught was 40 cm. Champions got 67(lady) and 65 (master) grayling during weekend. I think that because high water and cold north wind the bigger ones we missing but it is also that in competitions you don’t really concetrate on big ones but get amount. Coming big finals willl be interesting because there will be lot of fish.
Weekend also showed how much Satu has been getting better as fisherwoman. She has never really liked to wade so much but now she was doing great wading to get on spots and she got also rewards from that. I think biggest improment has been how she reads the water. Saturday showed that when she had succesfull fishing by herself. Last year when we were basicly fishing two weeks in row, made good for her. It is everyones thing, when you fish more you learn more and you get better what you do. And again everything is coming to same issue which I always try to point out to beginners….. reading the water.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing
Mika from Finland