Imagine the scene: It’s 1989 in Kuusamo, Finland. A who’s who of competitive fly-fishing has assembled for the World Fly-Fishing Championships. While many of the anglers competing look exactly like you’d expect—dressed head-to-toe in the newest 1980s fishing garb, wielding the best rods and the finest reels—one individual stands out from the rest. His vest is not the style typically worn by competition anglers. He has green rainboots over trousers while othes are wearing waders and wading boots, and his fly rod…let’s just say it’s not in pristine condition.
But Wladyslaw “Vladi” Trzebunia, a member of the Polish fly-fishing team, has drawn a crowd for more than his appearance. He has just won first place in the World Championships by bringing 60 fish to the net, more than the second-, third- and fourth-place finishers combined. His win not only lands him on the first-place platform, it also solidifies the team title for Poland. The technique
