EIKE SCHAARSCHMIDT

Years Fishing?
I encountered fly fishing by accident. I started conventional fishing when I was thirteen. One year later a families’ friend sent me magazines for christmas, “unfortunately” they were fly fishing magazines. I was hooked from there on. So you can say I’m into it for 16 years now.

Can you tell us a little about your home waters and the fish you pursue there?
Coming from the Harz region in northern Germany I don’t have the possibility to fish pristine trout streams all the time. There are streams in the Harz region which inhabit an amazing native strain of brownies. I fish these the majority of my trips, but due to the lack of classic trout fishing my scope ranges from the small streams to pike, trout and carp in lakes, both from shore or belly boat.

What’s the height of the season for you? What time of year is your personal favorite?
There is no favorite season. Fly fishing always means fishing in different places for me. Within a radius of a three hour drive I fish for pike in winter, baltic seatrout and trout in spring, trout and carp in summer (Slovenia is an anual treat), grayling and baltic seatrout again in fall.
If you are open to take a look at more than just trout in rivers, there is always a possibility near you.

What are your favorite travel destinations? What’s on the bucket list?
I’m really into alpine trout streams. So I frequently fish in Austria, Slovenia and Bavaria.
What I also need my weekends for is driving up to Denmark for seatrout fishing on the coast.
Unfortunately my bucket list is quite long:

Patagonia and Kamchatka for trout
Norway and Ireland for salmon
Los Roques for bonefish

What you like most about Thomas and Thomas rods? Which rods do you fish?
That is really hard to tell. I think it’s the combination of qualities that comes in the rod.
During my time as a student, nearly ten years ago, I had the chance to buy three blanks. Two Horizon II and one Helix. I’ve built them for me and a friend of mine and we fished them hard ever since. These technical qualities that make a rod your rod, combined with the absolutely immaculate craftsmanship of the rods are second to none, in my opinion. They build every graphite rod with the same dedication as they do with bamboo.
Today I also fish an Avantt. The evolution done in materials is remarkable. Light, lively, strong and accurate.
Does a nicely built rod catch any more fish than any other? Probably not. But hell it’s amazing when pulling a great tool out of the tube brings a smile on my face.

What’s your current go-to fly?
As I have lots of species I’m after and I’m an avid fly tyier this is a tough one.
But it would probably be an egg sucking leech in various sizes. There are very few fish that can resist one.