Caddis Magic

The river Ohře has special meaning to Czech fly fishermen. Ours is a small country, and this river has a big reputation. Most of us have fished it, and formed a relationship with the stream. It is a typical love / hate relationship.

Old Ohře hands gladly tell stories of the times when Ohře fish were bigger and more numerous - and they themselves younger and fuller of life. Ohře is a moody river, and although its best days might be over it holds many a quality fish still. The river however does not yield easily to human understanding. Many fishermen try their luck once or twice and refuse to suffer another humiliating blank day a third time.

I have to confess that I have fallen into the spell of this magical river. It is at its best at the time of early summer, at the time of the so called dusk caddis. This rather large caddis fly hatches from June till late July. Its enormous numbers bring to surface even the huge lunkers who rarely leave the darkness of the deep pools.

And even if the evening does not always lead to a spectacular success one cannot but feel enlightened by the whirl of the caddis flies in the setting sun, far from the maddening crowds of our capital.