Headed for the North Pole?

July 12, 2010  I signed off yesterday just before  boarding a plane from Amsterdam to  Oslo. The flight went just fine but when  I got to Oslo Vladi Trzebunia wasn’t quite there  yet. Unlike me, Vladi did not fly for this  adventure but rather drove all the way from his home in Zakopane, Poland. This involved traveling 1400 kilometers by driving through Poland and Germany, then across the Baltic Sea by ferry boat, and once again driving, this time through southern Sweden and finally into Oslo, Norway. We both knew the schedule of the ferry may cause him to be late picking me up so when I couldn’t find him I wasn’t worried. Sure enough he arrived within the hour. The other slowing factor was that Vladi actually towed along his camping trailer. Yes, all the way from Poland. The reason being is that Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world. With his camper we can sleep anywhere and prepare all our own meals. Not only will we prepare out own food, but most of what we eat Vladi brought from Poland. It’s a heck of a deal and what makes this entire trip possible. So there we were in Oslo, I flew twenty hours and Vladi drove forty. We were exhausted. Nonetheless, like you’d expect we were so excited we brushed sleep aside and headed north. That brings me to another detail of the trip. We are going Atlantic salmon fishing. Tell anyone that knows much about Atlantic salmon fishing and inform them you are headed to Norway to do it and you are automatically assumed rich. Atlantic salmon fishing is truly one of the most expensive fly fishing habits there is and to do it in Norway is unimaginable for a couple of fishing bums like us. Nevertheless, once again, Vladi makes it possible - he guided here for six years! However, that was not since 1991 which is why we are here. He misses it tremendously and needs to visit some of his old friends. We drove about five hours into the night before pulling over to sleep. As normal with me when I cross oceans, I could only sleep about three hours so at 3 am I had us up and continuing north (remember its light at 3 am). There was some absolutely gorgeous scenery along the way. At about 9 am we arrived in the town of Stören on the banks of one of Norway’s most famous salmon rivers, the Gaula. Vladi may have been more excited then me. We can all relate to returning to a place or time in our lives that we enjoyed so much. That’s what it was for Vladi. We travelled along the river stopping at nearly every pool. Not only did Vladi remember the fish either he or his clients caught over the years but he had a story for each. It was an unbelievable treat and soon became a day I will never forget. We had every intention to fish today but I let the time go by without mentioning it. Vladi's stories of Atlantic salmon were fantastic. In a way I was fishing by listening, studying the water and observing other anglers as we went. After two hours and 100 kilometer meander upstream we came to a roaring canyon fed by a waterfall. Vladi parked and we walked as close to the falls as we could. “Watch my friend”, is all Vladi said. I probably don’t need to tell you the rest but I will. I sat and watched one of the worlds greatest game fish leap the falls. There weren’t many of them, a sad reality, but there were enough that two hours later Vladi had to drag me away. We are presently camped on the outskirts of Stören on the banks of the Gaula River. We just feasted on a spaghetti dinner mixed with half the countryside of Poland. It was delicious. I will now attempt to sleep a whole night and in the morning try for a Norwegian Atlantic salmon. Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing web site

Vladi Trzebunia

July 11, 2010

I became a member of the Team USA Fly Fishing Team in 1997. That was back when you didn’t compete to be on the team. It was what was considered a “Gentleman’s Team”. If you were a decent angler and had the connections you could be on. I made my connections in 1996 when the World Championships of Fly Fishing were held in Jackson, Wyoming. I didn't fish on the team that year, but like many Jackson Hole fishing folks of the valley, I gave hours of my time to help the foreign contestants learn the water and techniques to catch cutthroat trout. I also ran a fly shop right in the lobby of the hotel where all the international teams and contestants stayed during the competition. I sold flies and leaders and offered advice to contestants every morning as they set out on my home waters. (You should have seen their faces when they saw their first Chernobyl Ants!) I met many of the worlds greatest fly fisherman (even though I didn’t’ know it at the time) from the Czechs to the Japanese to the Irish and the Kiwis. There were twenty-two teams from around the world in total. It was an awesome experience and I made a lot of great international friends.

I guess it pays to be a nice friendly hard working guy, because during the winter of 1996-97 I got asked to be on Team USA for the World Champs to be held in Zakaopane, Poland. It was under one condition; I had to go two weeks before the competition and fish and learn the Polish waters from our host, Vladi Trzebunia.

Although I should have, I didn’t know of Vladi Trzebunia. Vladi didn’t fish the Jackson Championships. He was a long retired competitor of Team Poland. I should be known that when he competed for Poland, he became a worldwide legend. It was Vladi that introduced what is now referred to as “Polish”, “Czech” or “European Nymphing”. A method of nymphing designed specifically for catching European grayling that just so happens to also work superb on trout, whitefish, yellowfish, chubs and you name it. In 1989, with his (at the time) “secret” method, he carried Team Poland to a Gold Medal on the waters of Finland and also won the individual Gold Medal. Vladi was a World Champion and continues to be one of the best fly fishermen on the planet.

All this greatness under his belt, and Vladi Trzebunia generously offered to be the host of Team USA for the 1997 Fly Fishing World Champs. Why? Simple, because he wanted to improve his English.

I spent two incredible weeks learning from one the worlds greatest and in fact I still learn from him today. Vladi is one of those rare folks you meet and two minutes into the experience you know you’ve met a friend for life. Since that trip to Poland in 1997 Vladi and I have fished and traveled together throughout Europe and the USA. I have a long list of entertaining fishing stories and experiences with Vladi. Someday have me tell the story of the first time Vladi set eyes on the Madison River or when I caught the huchen while with Vladi in Slovakia.

I thought it was a good idea to introduce Vladi to start this blog chapter because in two hours I will be meeting up with him in Oslo, Norway. Vladi used to guide Atlantic salmon in Norway and now he is taking me to camp, fish and visit many of his old friends during the next ten days. I’m presently sitting at the Amsterdam Airport awaiting my flight to Norway. It is absolutely nuts here, more so than normal. Everything is decked out in orange for the World Cup Soccer Game that the Netherlands hopes to win today. It should be a very exciting day for all of Europe. It’s all real cool but I just hope Vladi's travels have served him well and he will be there waiting and for me in Oslo.

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing web site

And We're Off

July 10, 2010

I’ve been traveling all day but sure haven’t gone far. That’s due to a seven hour layover at the airport here in Minneapolis. I was hoping to visit a college pal that lives here but he is tied up with a softball tournament. All we could do was chat briefly on the phone.

It actually works out good as I was behind on emails and retuning some calls the past few days. Now that’s all done and I am truly ready to rock. Tonight I fly to Amsterdam and then tomorrow afternoon I’ll fly up to Oslo, Norway where Vladi Trzebunia should be waiting. Actually, he may be late because as we speak he and his camper are on a ferry from Poland to Sweden. He gets to Sweden at 6 am Sweden time then has about an 8 to 10 hour drive to Oslo. We will both be exhausted before the trip starts – NOT! We will be so pumped we will roll north into the midnight sun without any problem. I can’t wait!

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing web site