The basics of fishing
There are places that mark our childhood. Among these, I count one whose memory still evokes my first halieutic and sentimental emotions.
This place is called "Le Prège". Situated on the banks of the Semène, a lovely Velay river with easily accessible courses, it offers a restful, welcoming landscape, surrounded by beautiful meadows abundant with flowers.
During the summer vacations, when the door to freedom was wide open, this was my parents' favorite picnic spot. The whole family would arrive here, on the right bank of the Semène. They'd set up around the "Simca Aronde Grand Large" and in the blink of an eye, arrange tables and folding chairs. While my aunts and mother prepared the picnic, my father taught my brother and me the rudiments of river fishing. I was about ten years old, the age of carefree, unadulterated happiness.
A delicate approach
Three or four years later, the place had become a bathing and meeting place for the neighborhood's teenagers. Coming here with Mom and Dad was out of the question. I'd leave the fishing rods behind and drown in the gaze of a sweet brunette who was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl in the world. The approach was delicate. Like a discreet fisherman, each day I moved my towel a few meters closer to hers. On the last day of the vacation, we were side by side and I was finally able to touch her hand. When I caressed her fingers, she didn't resist. I took that as a sign of consent. From the height of my three apples, I thought: "Soon, I'll kiss her".
The following summer, when she returned for a swim, she was in the company of a tall escogriffe whose hand she was lovingly holding. The guy, his hair slicked back and combed through his swimming trunks, was diligently mimicking the playboys of the time. A way to throw down, what?
It was too much! I picked up the rod again and tried to forget the beautiful hazel eyes of my departed sweetheart. I took my revenge by catching as many trout as I could, even though they had nothing to do with it.
I'd been told: "When fishing, to succeed, you have to be discreet and patient! That year, I realized that with women, this motto was out of place, and that to seduce them, it was better to be a show-off, arrogant or scatterbrained.
It's been a long time since I last fished this area. I want to believe that you can still find pretty black-haired girls and golden trout along the banks of the Semène. Au Prège...
