Ever since I could barely hold a fishing rod without tipping over—must’ve been nine or ten—I’ve been hooked on the waters of the Vallée de Joux. You know those hidden bends in the Vaud Jura streams where the mist hangs just right at dawn? Yeah, I’ve lost count of the hours spent there. But after a while, even home waters start feeling like your own backyard, so I packed my gear and chased rivers all the way to Slovenia’s marble trout havens and France’s tricky currents. Funny how new water teaches you old tricks, isn’t it?

Somewhere along the way, I snagged an FSP instructor badge—mostly so I could nerd out about fly patterns without people rolling their eyes. Now, if you’re up for it, I’d love to show you my favorite spots. Not the postcard ones everyone crowds, but the undercut banks where the big browns lurk, or that one stretch of the Orbe where grayling rise like they’ve got a dinner reservation. Half-day, full-day—doesn’t matter to me. Just bring decent boots; last guy slipped on moss and baptized himself in the river before we’d even cast.

Speaking of fish, there’s nothing quite like the fight of a marble trout. Those Slovenian beauties? Pure muscle. But don’t sleep on our local browns—they’ve got PhDs in ignoring bad drifts. Honestly, half the fun’s figuring out what’ll tempt them each day: nymphs the size of rice grains, or maybe a dry fly that looks like it partied too hard.

Anyway, if that sounds better than staring at another YouTube tutorial, shoot me a line. Just don’t blame me if you end up canceling plans to chase evening hatches.

—Claude
(FSP instructor, grayling whisperer, and unapologetic trout addict)