European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Above an artificial Fly is attached to the Leader. At left an Angler tries his Luck above a Section of rapids on the Wisent near Doos West Germany. By no Mzeigler staff writer the Sun had disappeared behind the Green Ridge of mountains rising precipitously from the Valley floor. With dusk coming the temperature was dropping. As it got cooler the mayfly Hatch that had filled the air earlier in the Day diminished. A few stray insects fell with spent wings on the water or Clung to the grass along the Banks of the Stream. With the decline of the mayfly Hatch the fish had nearly stopped rising. Only an occasional splash or noiseless dimpling disturbed the surface. I made a couple of false casts and dropped a yellow Wulff diagonally upstream across a Riffle where a Small fish had leaped Clear of the water to snatch a faltering mayfly. Behind me i heard a deep gurgling slosh and looked Over my shoulder to see the humped Back of a Large Trout slip beneath the surface. It would be somewhat unconventional to cast a dry Fly downstream but it could work because the Rise was in a Little Backwater where the River widened into the Bank and the current Eddie slightly Back upstream. I picked up the line from the surface of the water in front of me made a couple of false casts while turning around and Laid out a perfect cast letting the Fly Settle to the surface upstream from the partially submerged log where the fish had risen. It was Only a split second before it hit not the feeble stuttering tug of a Small fish but a powerful pull that stripped line out of my hand and made the drag sing. I knew it was the biggest fish of the trip. I put a Little pressure on the line to turn the fish slowing its run. I could see it was headed for the log and it kept taking line but More slowly. Then it was under the log and before i could try to Force it Back out the Leader broke snapping Back at me like an elastic to land on the Grassy Bank. I reeled in the line and looked at the two Pound Tippet broken cleanly above the knot. It was an uncharacteristic ending to the Day but it was time to quit and head Back to the hotel. We had arrived Early in the afternoon the previous Day keyed up Over the Chance to fish the Wisent River an ancient Pristine Trout Stream winding through one of the loveliest areas in Europe. The Wisent tumbles out of the Limestone Hills of the Franzische Schweiz an area of West Germany filled with High rolling Hills dense forests and narrow Cliff bordered valleys. The Region is East of Bamberg and Northeast of Niernberg near the Borders of East Germany and Czechoslovakia. For most of its 45-mile length All the Way to its Confluence with the Regnitz the River is a smooth flowing deep Sandy Limestone Stream its bed Only occasionally punctuated by watercress waving grass or Moss covered boulders. Although it is too deep for wading Grassy Meadows along one or both Banks in Many sections make it Ideal for Fly fishing. After checking in at Gasthoff Heinlein in Doos the first thing we did was talk with Georg Ritter son in Law of the owner and an avid Fisherman. Ritter advised us to try Large Light coloured flies such As the Sedge Gray Witch and mayfly. In the True camaraderie of fishermen he even gave us two of his own mayflies tied on no. 10 Hooks. The drive Down autobahn 3 from Frankfurt had been Cool and Cloudy but by the time we arrived at the River s Edge the weather had turned partly sunny and the East wind had died out bringing out the swarms of mayflies. As far As we could see up and Down the Stream Trout were rising in a feeding frenzy gorging themselves on the delicate ephemeral insects. It was t necessary to cast to rises because they were rising All Over. Within five minutes i had landed the first fish a beautifully speckled 12-Inch Brown Trout that could t resist one of the gift mayflies. The fish scooted for the Depths unharmed after the Fly was removed from its lip. For the next couple of hours we worked our Way upstream taking pleasure in exploring the new water As Well As in the fishing itself. In this area the River varies in Width from about 25 to 40 feet and though mostly smooth flowing and deep there Are a few areas of last Rushing rattles where a speedy line retrieve is a must. The North Bank afforded easy walking in a Clamp Meadow that had been newly mown for Hay. Only an occasional Thicket or draping Willow necessitated a Detour from Stream Side. On the opposite Bank overhanging Trees and branches made intriguing spots of concealment for Trout and provided casting challenges. Being a Little Rusty with a Fly Rod i missed Many strikes either trying to set the Hook too Early or waiting a millisecond too Long until the fish had discovered that the Fly was a hair and feathers fraud and spat it out. But before going Back to the hotel for dinner i lie land two More fish a 10-Incher that fell for a Mosquito and a Chunky 15-Incher that attacked a Grasshopper. I released them As Well. Later after a delicious meal of smoked filet of Trout followed by Venison strips in a wild mushroom Cream sauce with cranberries and topped off by fresh strawberries with whipped Cream we were fortified for More fishing. But in the hour and a half we had taken to eat the fish had nearly stopped feeding. The Sun had disappeared behind the mountains and the temperature had fallen six or eight degrees. A few stray mayflies fluttered Here and there but the drop in temperature had nearly stopped the Hatch. With the disappearance of the insects the Trout feeding frenzy was Over also. I Chi ugh one 10 inches on a Royal Coachman and saw a halt a do in rises but raised no others. With Blue sky showing Over the ridges and a Crescent Moon rising in the Twilight sky we headed Bac k to the hotel to dream about tomorrow s fish. The next Day dawned Cool and Gray with a bask East wind so we decided to forgo the Lishing Lor the morning and explore the i Rankis he Silvei. The first  we visited am a my i Stop Lor anglers fishing the Wisent was Ivr Wiesen Trisi her a Fly fishing shop in  run by Maria in Linn a on / july 14, 1988 stripes Magazine