Early winter tackle

Leaving behind a cold autumn characterized by premature snowfalls, weeks of rain and overcast skies; winter begins with a warm atmosphere. Because of this good-condition window my father and I decide to take a day of fishing. We are at the tail of the great Yesa reservoir (the Pyrenees’ sea) where the Aragón river welcomes the Esca and their confluence forms an environment like no other.

The Esca river in turquoise tones due to the current melted snow.

We hope to find some trout among the pebbles and backwaters of the river but only Pyrenean barbels come out to meet us. With hard scales and great weight, these friendly fish put up a tough but brief resistance we appreciate to release back into the water.

Our steps follow the treeline made up by willows and elms that now await in dry silence until the arrival of spring. We turn East and move away from the Esca river to go up the currents of the placid Aragón. The flow of this river contrasts by its dirty color, muddied as a consequence of the rains far in the high valleys of Huesca.

Not much rod movement can be done here. We just contemplate the area and explore future strategic fishing spots.

A meander of the Aragón river under walls of marl rock.

It is in moments like these when I realise more and more that fishing has become a main excuse to connect with the land. We give hundreds of casts and spend hours reading the river, fulfilling our contemplative study on the changes of the natural world.

Thanks for reading.