The Dutch Four go for gold (or at least loads of pike...): Losing your virginity in (training) camp

It sounds like a regular phrase in the Boy Scout handbook and I never would have dreamt that something like that could happen to me. But it did. And not somewhere in the late eighties, beginning nineties when I was a teen. No, as a matter of fact, it just happened a few days ago.

And it was a big turn on, since the partner in crime was someone I had my mind set on for quite some time already. For years we had been flirting. Well flirting....maybe just a small blink, some flashing to each other and some serious denials on my advances were the biggest achievements up until yesterday.

I took the Echo 2 SW 9 weight out for a hike on the flats. It was not as early as I wanted and the sun was high enough to seriously emphasize local warming. Steam coming out of the armpits as it burned right on top of my head. And as I wandered on my flat I was thinking about the moon phases. Full moon at the moment… It means tides are almost dead. It had been low tide since I was out on the flat (and probably hours before) and still no sign of tide going to rise. And that’s just what every saltwater junky searches on the flats. A rising tide.

So I did not see Bonefish yet and was wondering if I should stay (or should I go now). And all of a sudden she was there, like a mirage, for a very short moment I could see a stiletto shaped black tip. Just peeking out of the water at maybe 45 meters distance from where I stood. I looked better and harder, did not see much more and the water was just rippled by the wind. So I continued to walk. Once more I thought I saw something, just so elegantly waving towards me. It had moved from when I first saw it and I knew right now that this was one of those confrontations with that hard to get bitch that you just would love to nail, to make all your wildest dreams and fantasies come true.

But well, I won’t make a long novel out of it. I chased her for more then one hour, noticed at a certain time that she was not alone. They were about 10 smaller sized fish and 2 bigger ones in the back of the school.

At first you try to go for the biggest ones, but that sort of spooked the little ones two times, so I decided I wouldn’t mind letting one of the smaller sisters taking the premiere. And at a certain point I felt a yank on the line, I set the hook and a strong rush, something silvery flashing away from me. Oh my… it is on!

Luckily I had 16lbs test tippet on the rod and the Vosseler S3 set tight enough. The flat is way too rocky to give the fish any space and why would I do so if not necessary? With the right gear, there's no need to let the fish run whereever he wants; it only increases the chance of a break-off.

Still it took me over 3 minutes to get the fish to hand. And I felt amazed when I landed her. Weeeeeeehaaaaaaa! I rushed to a rock nearby for some shots with the timer and took some of the fish next to the rod. It might not be the biggest most beautiful one, but here is my first ever Permit!!