I’ve had a lot of big travel the last six months and I can’t tell you how good it feels.  I’m not sure the pace I was moving before Covid would be welcome, but a big trip every four months or so fits the bill.  And keep mixing in the speaking gig travel once a month like last weeks to present at the Long Beach Casting Club in CA, and that would be perfect!

Myself, Fly Fishing Masters Team Manager Jerry Arnold and Team Captain Pete Erickson arrived in Milan, Italy this afternoon.  We are here for the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships.  We three are here a week early to get a feel and scope things out for the rest of the team.  They arrive on the 14^th.

Once we arrived we rented a car and drove what we thought would be about three hours north.  Well, it didn’t exactly go that smooth.  First the rental car paperwork took nearly an hour.  Then our car was too small.  We made it work but I was a little squinched in the back.  Then, I kid you not, but we got 30 minutes up the road and Jerry suddenly realized he left his most important wheely bag in the rental car parking lot at the airport.  We headed back and lucky for us, it was there.  But another 90 minutes lost.

It ended up taking us about six hours before we arrived at the competition hotel at the village of Madonna di Campiglio.  That did include stopping for a fantastic meal along the way at Il Tagliere.  The restaurant owner loved having Americans in his place and he kept us there longer as he kept bringing out food.  It’s all the awesome part about traveling.  But it helps to be flexible in your schedule.

Madonna di Campiglio is a spectacular location.  In the winter its and incredible ski resort village but in summer its paradise for hiking, biking, fishing and you name it.  This gorgeous town is on the edge of the Brenta Dolomites Mountain Range.  They are a sight to behold, even to a guy that lived in the Tetons for 34 years!

Jerry generously sponsors Team USA Fly Fishing and does his best to get us good guide/hosts on these trips.  This year we have Stefano Sabbatelli.  Though Stefano has never competed on Team Italy, he’s a legendary angler for this area and we are lucky to have him.  Tomorrow he will begin to show us around the waters we will compete on.

Its an amazing privilege to fish for Team USA Fly Fishing.  Not only is it great to compete and fish against some of the best anglers in the world, but each competition takes us to the best most unique and beautiful parts of the host country.  I’d say after just a few short hours here, Italy won’t disappoint!

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing