Trout 

 

There's two different types of trout fishing in our areas: hunting native,100% wild trout in tiny creeks or fish the controlled sections of larger streams where the targets are bigger (and more educated) brown and rainbows.

 

In the small creeks, fishing is mostly dry fly using attractor patterns, occasionally switching to weighted nymphs in the deeper pools.  A 6 or 7ft, #3 road with floating line is the optimum outfit. The fishing technique is simple  and success largely depends on stealth approach to the banks and ability to land a fly in small pockets of water. Since banks are overgrown and space for back cast is often non-existent, bow-and-arrow and roll casts are essential; although the fishing can look challenging fpr anglers not familiar with small trout waters, it's far less complex than what it would look like at first glance. Wild trout are not very selective and if  not spooked during the approach, they will react to a well presented fly regardless of dressing so with a bit of patience and a few tips, even a beginner can catch fish

 

Larger river sections are fished using a more conventional approach and all techniques can be used depending on season and fish activity. In Winter and early Spring, streamer or euro-nimphing are the most productive choices whilst in the warmer months dry fly becomes the predominant method. Each river would have its own characteristics in terms of size and frequency of hatches, with some waters providing more consistent dry fly opportunities across the fishing season. Rivers staying open all year round, such as the Stura at Masone, can provide exciting dry fly moments even in full Winter.

 

Shad

 

 Shad are migratory fish of the Clupeidae family that run into rivers to spawn and drift back to sea once they have accomplished their mission. The fishing season is short but very intense, starting at the beginning of April and ending typically in Mid May. Shad are gregarious fish and although they stop feeding once they have reached fresh water, they are highly competitive and will react fast and aggressively to anything that resembles their natural food in the sea. Fishing takes place in the mid and lower sections of Vara and Magra, two of  the best preserved rivers in NW Italy and consists in blind casting using sinking lines and small streamers, scanning pools and runs until shad are located. Once you find water holding active fish, action is guaranteed with one hard strike after the other; shad are strong fish and they fight hard with powerful short runs and acrobatic jumps. The fishing requires throwing heavy sinking lines at some distance using 8 or 9 weight rods so a minimum casting ability is required, however banks are free offering lot of of space for back cast so even less experienced anglers can catch fish. When fishing for shad i normally bring along a #4 or 5 wt rod rigged with floating line since in many cases there will be opportunity to sight cast to big rising chubs.

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Seasons

Trout season opens between end of February and mid April depending on river. Most waters close at the end of September but there are river sections open until end of November. The Stura river north of Genova is open all year round

 

Shad season typically runs from beginning of April to Mid May