I had the pleasure of meeting up with Johan (Lhomme) yesterday at Sommedieue near Verdun and I am in AWE!

Not only is Johan a great guy but watching him in action is pure pleasure! Freezing cold day with a ton of wind, everyone else is trying to fish with the wind at their back and there is Johan facing into the wind and with a beautiful bamboo rod punching out fifty to sixty feet of line with unerring accuracy. We were both sight nymphing and I'm missing take after take within ten to twenty feet because I can only see a vague shape through the waves but Johan is nailing them left, right and center and he's out fifty feet with a leader and tippet which are as long as a bus! I strongly suspect this guy did a stint with Yoda and was using the force because there's no other way I can explain his timing on lifting into the fish in those conditions!

I'll add that his flies are something else. He passed me one of his little white nymphs and until a large trout in a stream broke me off I was in heaven. Cast it in front of your chosen target and three other fish were swimming over to fight for it as well. Johan is suppose to PM me how to tie this fly and I'ld say it should be on the fly tieing thread except for the fact that you guys will be emptying all the rivers and streams if you use it!

Overall a fantastic day with a great guy and I even managed to get three or four fish to the net despite the weather conditions and my lack of internship with Yoda! I'm looking forward to meeting up with Johan again when the weather is slightly more clement and the wind isn't trying to blow us all away!

For those of you who are interested this is the place we were fishing at:

Fly In Sommedieue: pêche et bonne table à Sommedieue

Take care

Terry

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"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

There are times, when you watch somebody like that when you think "I'll never, ever even approach that level of skill" and you begin to wonder if taking up home brewing instead, might be an idea.

Anyway, Mrs B was asking me where we would be making a break on our annual jollies to the Dordogne. Problem solved. Not exactly the most direct route but..........

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

Terry,

That's a cracking report you've posted. I've looked at the Hotel and fishing link you posted, what a beautiful place! Do you have any photos of your day out with Johan?

M

That looks like a smashing place. Next time I holiday in France I must try to include a trip there.

Nice report, Terry.

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Cheers
Don

Home brewing is a possibilty but with Belgium right next door it's a case of coals to Newcastle however the idea of building a still in the garage is a possibilty! I do recommend staying at the B&B that Bruno is running a few km away as the food is great and the place is beautifully decorated. Tell him that Terry and Johan sent you at which point he'll hide the booze and count the silverware after every meal! Lunch on Sunday was a starter of salad with duck confit, main dish was Dorade with scallops, then cheese and dessert was a tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream. All meals include wine and our table of five finished off two bottles of a very nice bordeau. On the fishing this is really a stalker's paradise except for the pond by the lodge which is very deep. Bruno is also very strict about the rules he will reimburse and expel anyone fishing lures or streamers along with using indicators or more than one fly. Anything over a 9" 6 weight is really overgunning it and I often use a 6' 3 weight so that I can fish the streams and river more easily. This place is a sight nymphers paradise due to clear waters but that also means spending a lot of time on your knees to minimize your silhouette.

Mostyn;

I had the camera in my jacket but was so caught up in the fishing that I completely forgot about taking any pictures which is a shame as the light was perfect for it but I'm sure there will be other opportunities.

Take care

Terry

__________________
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

[QUOTE=Vermontdrifter;919522 Lunch on Sunday was a starter of salad with duck confit, main dish was Dorade with scallops, then cheese and dessert was a tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream. All meals include wine and our table of five finished off two bottles of a very nice bordeau.
Terry[/QUOTE]

Now you're adding insult to injury.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

Hello Terry,

sorry but I missed your thread somehow and thanks for throwing all these flowers at me. It was great meeting you and personally I enjoyed my first day fishing as much as you did, although the wind played the partypooper. As Terry I can recommend the place to anyone fancying a couple of nice rainbows or brook trout on sight in calm and park like surroundings. For those interested my gear used was a homemade 7' #4 fast bamboo rod, Cortland silk DT#4 and a 6 meter leader terminating in 12,5 °/00 fluorocarbon. After playing 14 fish and a nice dinner I changed my tired cane for a Pezon&Michel 9' #5 and caught 18 more. Next time Terry will beat me...

Cheers,
Johan

PS See you soon Terry, PM sent.

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Johan Janssens