www.kensawada.com
Big Trout with Small Fly  --Vol.8--

A Tug-of-War

No sooner had Mary Anne recognized her fish than the line was drawn out of her hand briskly. As I was looking sideways at her line I checked the course she should take to the bank. I had already searched for the safe course since I made up my mind to be her ghillie. If she hooks a big fish and it runs downstream at full speed like my first day's one, what course will be safe to take?

Fortunately, the wading staff was unfolded to its full size and the course to the bank had not many ups and downs.
ff-8-1
The worst condition, only one fighting, Size 6 single hook, a thunderstorm in the dry weather.
What do we call her catch except for a miracle?

The fish ran to the centre of the pool without stopping and began to swim throughout the pool slowly. First it swam down along the right bank, then swam up along the left bank into the inlet. It seemed to swim around the pool along the bank.
ff-8-2
An article of the next morning newspaper. It reported excitedly that a female angler caught a monster in the River Em.

After coming out of the inlet, it jumped high, splitting the heart of the stream in front of us only 10m away. With an incredible noise a water column stood as if a swimmer plunged into the water. The water colour turned into brown. The fish could not be seen clearly but looked very thick like a log. Surely, ultra big one bit the fly.

After that jump the fish moved violently. It swam underwater up the heart of the stream. The line stuck into the water swung violently and moved splitting the stream.

I advised her repeatedly only to keep the rod high and not to try too hard. Probably 10 minutes later, the fish headed downstream slowly and clung to the river bed in the centre of the pool. It won't move an inch, no matter what. I felt so.

The Gallery

"It's all up with me! I can't hold the rod any more."
Mary Anne screamed. Keeping the normally heavy rod high made her arms exhausted and numb.

"That fish has no stamina left, either. Stick with it only for a while!"
I had no other words to say.

"No, I can't!"
She turned back to me, with her rod holding tightly in her arms.
ff-8-3
What a big fish! Of course, it's impossible to lift it alone.

"Only one more minute! That fish comes to the surface quite soon."
Saying so, I found her face suddenly changed. Somehow she was watching behind me. I also turned back.

Oh, what a surprise! I did not know when such a large number of anglers had gathered on the bank behind us. They said nothing but just watched her fighting with bated breath.

Unexpectedly I smiled. She found herself surrounded by the gallery of many anglers. That happening gave her extra fighting spirit. She had no way to go except for fighting it out.

The fish must have been exhausted. It had no sign of running but moved slowly around the river bed. It was just the matter of time until it would come up to the surface. All I thought was how Mary Anne could regain her stamina and how she could make Size 6 hook last to the end of the fighting.

Another several minutes passed. Clearly the fish moved more calmly than before and suddenly came up to the surface. It was just like groper that is pulled up from the sea bed. It opened its big mouth calmly on the surface. I guided her near to the bank, giving my hand to help her. We waited for it to come near.
ff-8-4
The storm passed and Em became quiet again. This monster was what the storm left behind?

"Don't try too much. Do quietly and calmly!" I cried repeatedly. We usually think nothing during fighting but I could not help praying to God when the giant fish came to the bank quietly. It is only a tiny Size 6 hook that was put on the edge of that big mouth!

Incredibly long time passed before that fish was pulled to my feet. I felt dizzy to see it so close up. I walked around to its back and pushed it to the bank quietly. I felt that the last 2 metres would never come to an end.

Finally I pushed the fish against the bank where waterweed densely grew. I grabbed its tail and held it firmly in my arms. Then I came up the bank without stopping.

A great cheer arose from the gallery altogether. They gathered around the fish, saying "World record!" unanimously.

I watched the mouth of the giant fish that lay at my feet. Size 6 Bob Cat was put on its bold lip. The hook penetrated its upper lip but only by a piece of skin.

A Record Fish

It weighed 39lb and was 115cm long. It broke the world record by more than 4.5lb. That happening was written up big in the next day's newspaper and the news caused great excitement in the town.

However, there was a doubt that the fish was too big to be a sea trout. Then it was decided that Mary Anne's fish should be examined by a biologist together with my previous day's one. According to the test, it was possible that two sea trout had some salmon's blood. But they say even if that is true, her fish is still the world biggest in that field.
ff-8-5
The Baltic Sea rears the monster in only a few years.

What made me more surprised was how quickly two fish had grown up. The test taught us that both fish were only five and a half years old. My 30lb sea trout stayed in the sea only for four and a half years and her 39lb for three and a half years. The Baltic Sea contains less salt and a lot of good food like herring. It is sure that a good environment of the Baltic Sea rears the monster in Em.

In autumn in 1996, 24 sea trout in total were caught in the River Em. Considering that number, what a lucky experience we had!

Soon after we came back to Japan, I received a letter from Manfred Raguse in Norway. He congratulated me on my fishing results in Em and Norway in that year. He concluded his letter as follows;

"Ken, I advise you not to compete with Mary Anne for a bigger fish any more. I am afraid that you have no chance of winning."

The Baltic Sea rears the monster in only a few years.

-- To be continued --
2002/07/28  KEN SAWADA
Tranlated into English by Miyoko Ohtake