I made a quick solo trip up to the valley over the weekend to start on our summer project. The goal is to pour the foundation for the ‘new’ Brautarlækur, which is scheduled to be built in August if everything goes according to plan. We’ll certainly have to keep our noses to the grindstone if we want to avoid a time crunch. Still, one must make time for fishing, and naturally, I brought my new rod along.
This new rod replaces the one I broke at Lake Selvatn last July. That was a Sage rod under warranty. However, as month after month passed and the rod never returned from the repair shop, I finally gave up on waiting and bought an Orvis Helios 3F for an 8-weight line. A fantastic rod. Naturally, the very day after that purchase, the Sage dealer called to tell me I could get a brand-new Sage at a significant discount, as the materials for my old model were no longer available. The offer was too good to pass up. So now, I find myself the owner of two top-tier 8-weight rods.
Late Saturday afternoon, I dashed over to Lake Hreðavatn with the new rod. I tied on a small bead-head Killer, and a fish took it on the very first cast—a good omen indeed! The trout was about a pound. What was also pleasing was how well I could feel the fish, despite its small size. My choice had been between the 3F and the 3D model. The 3F is slightly softer, while the 3D (D for Distance) allows for longer casts, which is usually an advantage in lake fishing. I chose the 3F anyway, and I believe it was the right call because of that extra sensitivity. The trip yielded four one-pounders: three brown trout and one arctic char.
