The farther you travel to fish the more pressure you feel. That\u2019s human nature. When you fly all the way down to Patagonia and it\u2019s only natural to expect good things to happen. If the wind comes up, the water\u2019s low, the trout are particular or you lose your dream trout then it\u2019s a long flight home, no matter how much Malbec you drink. The trick is to escape the burden of high expectations, while still fishing in stunning surroundings. You could return to the same water\u2014 it helps if you live in Montana \u2014 and you budget in angling success and a few requisite disasters. Or you could go to Spain.<\/p>\n
Now you might ask, Are there trout in Spain? There are indeed trout in Spain, if fact it\u2019s one of angling\u2019s great unknown destinations. The Pyrenees has superb fishing, though the locals prefer to keep a low profile. You may recall that Jake Barnes goes fishing in “The Sun Also Rises” as did the author, Hemingway himself. Jake actually fishes worms (blasphemy!) while his more patrician friend Bill casts a McGinty fly. In the book they fish on the Irati river, which is closer to San Sebastian \u2014 we\u2019re focusing our attention on the Aragon region, a two-hour drive north of Barcelona, not far from French border.<\/p>\n
Fishing in Spain turns out to be a civilized affair. Away from the city, mountain towns give way to gorgeous river valleys. The best way to enjoy the area is to contact Salvelinus, an outfitter founded 25 years ago by Iv\u00e1n Tarin. Iv\u00e1n is a charismatic figure, with a nose, slightly turned, that invites speculation that he boxed in his youth. He\u2019s good company in a tavern and, crucially, a superb guide on the water.
\nHis project, refined over decades, has been to find public water that holds good size brown trout. He seeks out rivers across a vast region and determines when they\u2019re in season. And, like all good anglers, he appreciates secrecy \u2014 he may have been involved in espionage in a previous life. To ensure good fishing he maintains an information blackout with the stealth of a John le Carr\u00e9 hero. After all, if the masses descend on the rivers the fishing will suffer.<\/p>\n
Salvelinus has no Instagram account, unlike every nearly every other outfitter. Iv\u00e1n doesn\u2019t even want you taking iPhone photos on the water with their revealing geotags, so keen is he to maintain his locations. In a world of ridiculous angling self-promoters fighting fish in slow motion along with rock soundtracks, Tarin is partying like it\u2019s 1959. Unlike everybody else in the industry, he makes no false promises.<\/p>\n
I visited him last fall and the balance of culture and food, angling and scenery, was an delight. Iv\u00e1n and his team can tailor trips for couples, depending on your priorities. You can stay at lodges or rustic inns. The day starts with a leisurely breakfast. You may not have ordered any Manchego or one of the superb dry sausages of the region, but they will be on a cutting board on the table and it would be incurious not to try.<\/p>\n
After a short drive you arrive at a stone medieval mountain town, Roda de Is\u00e1bena, which dates for the 10th Century. A wonderful guide, Maria Jos\u00e9, takes you around the town and the local church and you enjoy the views across the immense river valleys. The cultural side of the trip can be seasoned to your taste and Maria Jos\u00e9 is with you at every stop. On my trip, we visited a local vineyard, where we enjoyed an ambitious lunch followed by local folk music. Another morning we went on a nature walk along a reservoir in the valley, and more ambitious mountain hikes can also be arranged.<\/p>\n
Now it\u2019s time to fish. One on day, we parked near a field, though there was no sign of water. We walked along walnut trees before bushwacking through some dense paths. This is clearly not widely visited and Iv\u00e1n brandishes a machete to make room for us to pass. This is far from the mowed banks of the Test, (though there are plenty of options for the more reluctant hiker).
\nWe hear the river before we see it and suddenly the bushes give way to a small river flowing beneath a canopy of trees. Casting is a bit tricky \u2014 we\u2019re using a tungsten head nymph. As the line drifts along the current it stops abruptly: a fish. I raise the rod to set the line and see a flash of gold, the instantly recognizable flank of a brown trout. The first good fish in a new river always manage to surprise me. We land a real fish, approaching eighteen inches.
\nOver the course of a week we went to a different river each day and we did manage to cast dry flies (if that\u2019s a priority for you then consider visiting early in summer). We caught fish regularly, some in the coveted twenty inch zone. Every trout felt like a gift, something that doesn\u2019t happen as often as it should. Reflecting on the day over a glass of wine in the evening, I smiled realizing Iv\u00e1n\u2019s secret expertise had worked to perfection.<\/p>\n