Italian Belly Boat Championship 2025: From Disaster to Big Trout (and a back to competition)

The Italian Belly Boat Fly Fishing Championship is one of those competitions I look forward to with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning.
This time, it was held at Lake Bellaria, near Milan—a beautiful and fitting location... but not too generous with me in the morning.

Tough Morning: When the Fish Won’t Cooperate (Or You Just Don’t Get It)

The competition was split into two sessions, morning and afternoon. Well, the morning can easily be filed under “learning experiences.” I just couldn’t get into the groove: the fish were out there… somewhere, but I couldn’t figure out what depth to target. Plus, fly fishing from a belly boat is fun, sure—but it’s also a bit of a physical torture: constantly kicking around always ends up giving me leg cramps and moments where I seriously consider quitting everything and opening an ice cream shop.

The result of the morning? Two fish and dead last in the rankings.
 Hey, someone’s gotta do it, right?

Lunch Break, Gear Change… and a Whole New Game

After a nice break with good company and a much-needed sandwich, I completely changed my setup: new line, new fly, and back in the water.

Afternoon kicks off and… they’re biting! Within minutes I’m back in the game: I find the right depth and start reeling them in. The adrenaline’s back, along with that feeling of being “in the zone.”

In the end, I land 18 fish, including a beautiful rainbow trout around 70 cm! Sure, it only counts as one, but come on—what a thrill!
(Side note: no photo of the big trout. Everyone was too busy with the competition… but she’s forever burned into my memory!)

The afternoon ends with 6th place in the session and 13th overall—which, considering how the day started… feels almost like a medal!

The lesson? Never give up. Change your approach, read the water, trust your instincts and… do some stretching before getting in the belly boat.

The Magic of the Belly Boat

If you’ve never fished from a belly boat, you might not fully get it: you’re literally in the water, almost like a fish among fish. Your movement is quiet, natural. You don’t spook the wildlife and in return, you get intense, fun, and fully immersive fishing moments—in the truest sense of the word.

Is it exhausting? Yes.

Uncomfortable? After a while.


But when you hit the right day, the belly boat gives you unforgettable thrills.

Have you ever turned a competition around after a disastrous start?


Tell me in the comments, or drop me a message—belly-nauts get each other instantly!

Fabio