On a moonless night in August when the sea trout are ready to run, the Man brings his new girlfriend to the remote family cabin where he has come to fish since he was a boy. However, she is not remotely interested in the sport and would rather stay in with her book. When she finally agrees, the next time we see the Man he is reporting his girlfriend as missing, lost in the darkness. But it soon becomes clear that she is not the only woman he has brought here – or indeed the last. Weaving between girlfriends at different times, the Man’s self-destructive pattern of behavior becomes evident. A solitary loner at heart, he is seeking love but is always ultimately disappointed. While the women may come and go, the trout will never leave him.
The River guide sections
