Fly-fishing in Barasjåckå 2001

It was in the end of July when I am my friend Michael went to the Arjeplog Mountains to fly-fish for big trout. This part of Sweden is famous for the big brown trout that habitats this waters. We arrived to the lovely village of Adolfström to take a helicopter to the small Aha lakes. The Aha-lakes was a bit of a disappointment, the trout was small, although plentiful. The Beautiful valley with its flowers and with the mighty mountains in the background was worth the walk through it to reach the bigger lakes where the valley ended.

  ^{Mikael at the Aha-lakes}

Michael and I reached the big lakes where the Same-people fish and where fishing is forbidden for everybody else. Above this lakes where a lovely little lake that seemed to be promising, big trout where cruising the surface of the lake and we decided to put up camp. This evenings fishing was the best we had yet experienced on this trip. The trout was shy, very easy to scare away. One evenings fly-fishing resulted in eight trout. Not bad for so weary trout.

The next day we went to the big river Barasjåckå where the really big trout where to be find. It was raining when we arrived so after a quick evening meal, we hit the sack. In the morning was the rain gone and the sun was shining down from a cloud free sky. It was a perfect day to try to catch the famous big trout of Barrasjåckå River. I Walker upstream without catching even the smallest of trout. The river was dead.

I went back to the tent where Michael was sleeping and after making a fire. I'd put on the coffeepot on the fire. When the coffee was made, Michael put out his head from the tent. He wanted to know what the time it was. After a cup of hot coffee, we decided to try to catch one or more of the big trout's. Michael and I walked downstream but all the trout where small, to small. After some thinking we decided to go upstream and after walking pass a small waterfall we found a good place to start our exploration to find out if they're where any big trout's in this stream.

  ^{Barrasjåkkå}

I put out the fly on the stream. A little wake when the fish took the fly. I thought that it was a little trout again. But hell no this is a big one, the reel is almost breaking into pieces when the big trout tries to get of the hook. I fight with the big trout that is almost one meter in length for about 20 minutes. The trout manages to get into the rapids and is gone. I look at hook and it is broken. The monster trout have managed to break the hook.

I don't feel disappointed; I have fought with one of the biggest brown trout's in this world and I feel a bit proud to be one of the few to have fought with the monster trout's of Barrasjåckå.

The next day we walked down to the island Bäverholmen, where a boat where awaiting us. After a coffee and a sandwich, we went out on the big lake to get back to the car. The drive down to Luleå and my own bed was a pleasant one. Driving through the big forests with its rivers, streams and lakes.