WFS 443 - Fly Fishing Europe with Bas Van Dam - Sea Run Brown Trout, Van Life, Italy

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/443 Presented by: Dalton - Country Financial , Drifthook Fly Fishing , Mavrk Fly Fishing , Chota Outdoor Gear Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Bas Van Dam is here to take us around fishing Europe and how he has done this living out of his van. We dig into the different parts of Europe that allow this. We get a bunch of huge tips like how to find cheap houses that you can stay at that are under the radar, what the Dolomites, Italy is like, and some of the other resources that you should check out when you're planning your next trip to Europe. Fishing Europe Show Notes with Bas Van Dam 3:01 - Bas has been fly tying for almost 40 years now. 3:50 - He takes us back to how he got into fly fishing. He grew up in the Netherlands. 5:22 - He talks a bit about fishing in the remote spots he has been to. 7:37 - We dig into how his van life started and how it has been since then. He's currently in Leonidio, Greece where there's a lot of climbing. 8:24 - He talks about the challenges of living out in a van and camping in Greece and other parts of Europe. 9:49 - He gives some tips on camping in Europe. He recommends the Park4Night app. 10:52 - Their camper van is a Ford Transit. 11:41 - We dig into fishing in Europe. He says that one of the best places to fish is in Fyn, an island in Denmark. 14:08 - I ask him why Denmark is a hotspot for fishing. 16:28 - He talks about the best times to hit sea-run browns in Denmark and also do some traveling with the family. 19:17 - He recommends Go-Fishing, a fly shop in Odense, Denmark. The shop is owned by Claus Eriksen whom Bas says is one of the best fly fishermen in Denmark. 22:28 - We dig into his fishing gear and techniques. Pattegrisen or the pink pig is a famous fly from Denmark. 26:53 - He recommends some video resources on sea trout fishing in Europe such as the tourist information from Fyn and @kanalgratisdotse, a Swedish fly fishing channel. 27:50 - We further talk about sea trout fishing in Europe. 29:19 - He recommends the sea trout guidebook with the title "117 Fine Funen Fishing Grounds". 29:31 - Bas gives some tips on traveling around Denmark including holiday houses that you can stay at. 31:50 - He talks about what activities can tourists do in Denmark aside from fishing. 33:39 - We talk about the places he's been to since he started his van life and his next destination. 35:20 - He talks about why he loves the Dolomites in Italy, the best times to visit, and the species you can fish there. 37:08 - He tells about the best thing you can do when you're planning a trip to Europe and the best times to visit. 39:12 - I ask him the best places to fly into when you're coming to and going around Europe. 40:17 - He recommends some online resources on fishing in the Dolomites such as Trentino Fishing. 41:14 - He talks about getting a license or ticket that will allow you to fish in certain sections of the river in Trentino, Italy. 42:11 - He compares trout fishing in Denmark vs in Italy. 42:28 - He shares when he's going to start his trip back up north and the next destinations he's planning to visit. 44:30 - I ask him about how he plans and sets up his trips. 45:05 - Arco is the best place in Italy for sport climbing while Sarca is good for fly fishing. 45:54 - I ask him about the fly fishing niche in Europe. 46:41 - He shares his dream destination outside Europe through his camper van. 47:16 - He hiked the whole Appalachian trail with a fly rod in his backpack for six months. 47:49 - We talk about his background that allows him to live the van life. At the moment, he's a professional fly tyer. 48:18 - He used to sell his flies through Etsy. Starting May 1st, you can purchase his products at the-fly-tying-guy.com . 50:23 - Their van uses solar panels as an energy source. I also ask about the mileage and setup of his van. 53:16 - We go back to fishing in Italy and what gear to prepare for trout fishing in that area. He says Italy is an amazing place for euro nymphing. 54:51 - He tells the dry flies you should prepare for your fishing trip. 55:46 - I mention our episode with Martin Joergensen. He's the man behind GlobalFlyFisher.com which is also a good resource. 56:09 - He mentions the people that have helped him in his journey, such as John Roberts who wrote a book about grayling fishing in Europe. 56:33 - He also mentions Hans van Klinken, the man behind the Klinkhamer Special dry fly. 56:46 - He recommends Matteo Lavezzini's fly shop in Italy called Lavezzinifly and his YouTube channel @Lavezzinifly as a good resource for fishing. 57:54 - Other than browns, there are also a lot of graylings in Europe. He mentions other species you can fish in Europe. 59:14 - We talk about traveling to Netherlands and Amsterdam. 1:04:30 - He mentions the places in the US and Canada he wants to visit for fishing. 1:05:13 - I ask him where he discovered the Wet Fly Swing podcast. We also talk about euro nymphing. 1:08:16 - We do the two-minute drill where I ask him about his rod, fly, and dream destination, and some fishing tips in Italy. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/443