A cold start followed by warmth, but several stalling hatches of Brook Duns, Large Dark Olives, Chironomids and Alderflies (likely due to the cold north-easterly gusts) failed to elicit any significant surface activity throughout the day. Luckily, we did find one consistently surface-feeding trout, creating the type of rise which…
It's that time of year! Yes folks, prepare to feast your eyes on a host of amazing fly fishing goodies. From hosted fly fishing days on a selection of rivers to rods and reels, and a range of custom-tied flies you'll not find in the shops. First though, a little…
It is the end of February, and the start of the new trout season in Wales is just six days away. Focus from most of the fishing community is currently on the upcoming voluminous hatches of the March Brown (Rhithrogena germanica) and Grannom (Brachycentrus subnubilis), however, there is one invertebrate…
Initially developed by Bob Wyatt as a follow-up to his Deer Hair Emerger (DHE), the Snowshoe Hair Emerger (SHE) is a fantastic pattern that imitates a vast range of invertebrates and caddis and, at a push, I don't see why it wouldn't feel comfortable imitating midge. Its messy, noisy, buggy…
Overjoyed and honoured to be included in another awesome edition of the Fly Culture Magazine. A huge thanks to Pete and the FC team for allowing me to contribute to such an awesome lineup and an amazing magazine. The article focussed on a number of items close to my heart,…
Late Spring is always a perfect time to stop and watch, and after a stunning 35cm trout, my day is complete. It couldn't get any better anyway. So now I sit and listen to the rumble of this small Welsh stream while watching trout feed on Olive Uprights and caddis…
Last year I was invited by Christopher Rownes to contribute to The Floating Fly, a collection of thoughts on dry fly fishing from an amazing and venerable group of dry fly anglers from across the globe. An absolute privilege to be asked to contribute, however, I have a lifetime of…
Grannom (Brachycentrus subnubilis) are a member of the Caddis family (Trichoptera order) and are among the first of the UK's major hatches in Spring. Hatches can be huge, and I mean massive, to the point where every Grannom seemingly tries to crawl up your waders, under your glasses, down your…
Summer. The days we dream of. The days that will not be rushed and neither will the trout, who rise when they're gaddamned ready. Late evenings are good but, better yet, are the early mornings; those times of utter silence, when the entire universe seems asleep. But not the trout.…
In October 2020, Semperfli released a range of awesome new products, one of which is their fantastic Kapok Dubbing. Kapok, so I read, is a cotton-like material found in the seed pods of the Ceiba pentandra tree. This fluff-like material absorbs water very slowly and as such, lends itself perfectly…