Winter evaluation - April 1, 2025
In the summer of 2024 Thijs vd Acker from float plus called me, he was going to chase catfish with the fly. In all the years fly fishing for pike I had caught one by-catch catfish on the fly so I wished him good luck. A couple hours later he called me and said; it went well, I caught 5. FIVE!!!! 🤩 Let's go next week he said. A week later we were on the water and I fished in his fully rigged Float Plus belly boat. I caught three! 🔥🔥🔥 I need a fully rigged boat like this Thijs. 😅
So in September 2024 I bought my complete fully rigged new Foat Plus belly boat.
In the fall I fished a few sessions in our local polder. The fishing was tough this year but we managed to get some nice pike.
Late Fall I went back to Rügen with my buddy Ad Hulshoff. The fly fishing for pike was tough. Not the big numbers we're used to but wading the flats was super special again.
Also spent some time with Bernd. He proved himselve as he Rügen guide once again!
Unfortunately running the Elberse International wholesale company, Elbi fly shop and Pike fly shop took so much time that I didn't get out in the new boat until the end of February. It was Thijs from Float Plus that finally got me into the boat. That day Thijs caught a wonderful pike just over a meter.
Then Bernd Ziesche came for a visit. First day we fished with René van Heezik from Weevz that is a new fly shop in the Netherlands and a dealer for Elberse International.
No big ones in the net that day but it was great fun!
Some more days on the water with Bernd and Thijs in March. We caught several big perch. Not by-catch but targeted with a 7-weight and Airflo Sixth Sense fly lines.
The zander fishing was insane! Some targeted with the 7-weight and some by-catch on the pike fly rod.
Somehow the big pike didn't work for me. Although I did catch a nice one as a by-catch when fly fishing for perch and zander. 🍀
End of March I finally found some time to go out with John Uilenberg. He proved his deadly technique once again and caught a huge, stunningly beautiful, fat pike on the punk streamer!
Later that day I caugh a huge zander. A by-catch on the pike fly rod.
Now the Dutch predators get a rest. For us that means we can start prepping for season opening last weekend of May. Personally I'm prepping for another adventure chasing tiger muskie on the fly from the bank, sightfishing and blindcasting. Looking forward to chase the fish of 10.000 casts. Not even close to a guarantee that I will even see one but after the short Pineview reservoir adventure in 2023 I simply have to give it another go. Six full fishing days in May 2025🤞🏻🍀
Whatever your next adventure is, be it homewaters or a destination, enjoy your time on the water chasing predators!
Tight lines,
Peter Elberse
