Aaroy river
4th September 2023

Low water, late season – Aaroy River

I arrived at the pool late in the afternoon. The sun had already passed the ridge and was beginning to drop behind the mountain. The light was soft, and the shadows from the far bank were starting to stretch across the surface. The flow was measured at 14.9 m³/s, low even for this time of year, and the river was running with that pale, clear colour it gets when the glacier melt slows down. I checked the temperature. 13.41°C.

I moved slowly along the bank, watching my steps. In low water, even a small mistake carries far. Every sound, every vibration, is amplified in a quiet river. The stones along the edge were dry, and the deeper channel was easy to read. I paused a moment before stepping in. The pool looked empty, but I knew better.

I brought a single-handed rod. Nine-foot, class #9. Enough backbone to hold a fish, but still delicate in the hand. I rigged it with a short floating head and a sixteen-foot nylon leader. No sink tips, no gadgets. The weight of the leader alone would be enough to get the fly down. There was barely any current, and anything heavier would have ruined the presentation.

I tied on a small brass tube. Black floss body, sparse wing of goat hair, and a chartreuse head sealed with lacquer. It looked loud in the box, but underwater it turned soft, just a faint signal against the muted green. I'd fished this fly before in similar conditions. It wasn't a sure thing, but nothing is in low water.

The cast went out under low branches. Birch leaves drifted along the surface, some catching the edge of the current and spinning gently before collecting on the far side. I waited until everything settled. No rush. Then two mends to adjust the angle, just enough to let the fly start sinking before the swing began.

I followed the line with my eyes as it came across the channel. About halfway through, there was a brief flash where the fly should have been. It disappeared just as quickly, and for a moment, the line hovered. Then it tightened. No pull, no crash, just the sudden weight that tells you everything. I lifted the rod and felt the connection.

The fish didn't run. There wasn't enough current to give it momentum. Instead, it stayed deep and heavy. The pressure came in pulses through the rod. Slow head shakes. I let the fish lead, but stayed with it, holding side pressure to keep it from sliding down into the tail. It turned once, twice. I didn't give line unless I had to.

It wasn't a long fight, but it was tense. In shallow water, the fish can't use the river, so it uses its weight. I saw its back once near the surface bright chrome with a few faint marks near the dorsal. Probably lice scars, not recent. The third time it turned, I gained ground, inch by inch. I drew in the line carefully, no sudden movements. Eventually the leader knots clicked through the top guide.

I dropped to one knee and slipped my hand under its belly. A strong male, thick in the shoulders. He didn't struggle, just held himself in the current while I supported him. The water was clear enough to see every detail, his fins flexing against my palm, the slow flare of the gills. When he was ready, he gave one firm push and moved off without hesitation. No drama. Just gone.

I stayed there for a while with my hands in the water. Not because I needed to, but because I wanted to. The river was quiet again. A few leaves drifted past. The wind had dropped completely, and the only sound was the slow pace of water over stone.

Low water forces you to do less, and to do it better. There's no room for force, no time for mistakes. But if you wait, if you move carefully, and if you let the river decide the pace, it sometimes gives you one chance. That was mine.