This article was taken from the June 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired’s articles in print before they’re posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
You don’t need elaborate equipment to catch this river-dweller, just a pair of hands. Mike Daunt, coauthor of *Endangered Species:
The Bart and the Bounder’s Countryside Year (*John Murray), rolls up his sleeves and shows us how.
- Befriend someone who owns a river
Trout tickling is illegal in public places, so make sure you get permission from whoever owns your chosen stretch of river. Look out for specific rules: “If it’s ‘dry-fly fishing only’ and you’re found wading about tickling trout, all hell will break loose,” says Daunt.
- Start downstream, walk upstream
“Fish always face upstream,” Daunt explains. “If their heads don’t face the current, water enters their gills the wrong way and drowns them.” Start downstream and wade up the river. As you walk, feel for trout underneath overhanging riverbanks.
- Perfect your tickling technique
Using one hand, work your fingers from the fish’s tail upwards, gently using the tips of your fingers to rub its belly. Once you reach the head, grip hard and lift the fish out of the water. “Hold on tight,” Daunt advises. “If it’s a big fish, it’ll start fighting.”
- Kill it, cook it, THEN eat it
You can’t return the trout because your grip would have destroyed its gills. “The most humane thing to do is to whack it on the head, then cook it,” Daunt says. Be careful when it’s on the bank — it can flap into the water before you launch your killer blow.
