Curves and Contours with Kapok and Soft-Hackles

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…

Continue ReadingCurves and Contours with Kapok and Soft-Hackles

Fly Culture Podcast – Life, Trout and Fishing with Gareth Lewis (September 2020)

What an absolute blast! A real privilege to have been invited back onto the Fly Culture Podcast in September to talk about our respective fishing seasons, as well as to talk about another love in our lives - fishing books. With more potential/impending COVID-19 lockdowns heading our way this winter…

Continue ReadingFly Culture Podcast – Life, Trout and Fishing with Gareth Lewis (September 2020)

Atherton No.5

Today we discussed (amongst other things) Atherton's, The Fly and the Fish. A beautiful book. I spent the rest of the day thinking about Cree hackle and hare's ear dubbing. Atherton's No.5, a beautiful UK March Brown (Rhithrogena germanica) imitation. This pattern is ( in John's own words) 'the most…

Continue ReadingAtherton No.5

Trout & Salmon Magazine – October 2020

It was a real pleasure to work with Trout & Salmon Magazine recently, where myself and regular fishing buddy, Liam Walsh, chatted with Peter Gathercole and discussed our fishing lives, backgrounds, and six flies which visit quite often. The October edition is on sale from Monday 7th September.

Continue ReadingTrout & Salmon Magazine – October 2020

Keeping Things Simple – A Guide to Fishing Small Streams (Fishing in Wales Blog – September 2020)

I wrote the original content for this guide over a decade ago for Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Magazine. Much of the information is still very relevant for those anglers wanting to explore trout fishing on the smaller and wilder streams of the UK and beyond, however, I've updated the…

Continue ReadingKeeping Things Simple – A Guide to Fishing Small Streams (Fishing in Wales Blog – September 2020)

Fly Culture – Summer 2020

It was an absolute privilege to be able to contribute to the latest edition of the Fly Culture Magazine. Truly one of, if not the best magazines dedicated to fly fishing. If you're yet to subscribe, you won't be disappointed. 'This is our life. This is Fly Culture'. A very…

Continue ReadingFly Culture – Summer 2020

Concerning Mayflies (Ephemera danica) and Other Such Things…

It is late May 2020, and we are entering the ninth week of the COVID-19 lockdown here in Wales, UK. Fishing 'within your locality' is still the message advertised by the Welsh Government; however, my favourite waters are a 30-minute drive away. As fishing clubs throughout Wales scramble to deal…

Continue ReadingConcerning Mayflies (Ephemera danica) and Other Such Things…

Fly Culture Podcast – Blogs, Production Tying and the Streams of South Wales with Gareth Lewis (April 2020)

I was recently invited to join Pete Tyjas, Editor-in-Chief of Fly Culture Magazine, to chat all things fly fishing on the brilliant Fly Culture Podcast. We had a load of fun chatting fishing and fly tying, our passion for rivers and small streams, as well as my early days growing…

Continue ReadingFly Culture Podcast – Blogs, Production Tying and the Streams of South Wales with Gareth Lewis (April 2020)

Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Magazine – March 2020

It's been ten years since my last article in Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Magazine, and it was an absolute pleasure to provide this write-up concerning March Browns for the April edition. All the step by step shots were taken during this year's British Fly Fair International, and my thanks…

Continue ReadingFly Fishing & Fly Tying Magazine – March 2020