Ron Taylor

First published in Total Flyfisher Magazine November 2016

I had never owned a dog until my wife, Pauline, bought me a yellow Labrador for my birthday and immediately the puppy arrived I was making plans to take him fly fishing. He would sit quietly by my side or on the bank as I waded chest deep in a salmon river, or at least that was the plan. I read all the books I could lay my hands on teaching me how to train him and for that matter train myself, no such thing as a bad dog just bad handling. The day of the first trip to Scotland arrived and Ally Shrimp, as I had christened him, was fully prepared for a boys trip to the Annan.

All went well as we arrived at the water that morning, much admiration at the fishing hut for my companion and off we went to our allocated beat, Pat's Bridge as I recall. Ally sat patiently as I tackled up and in his honour the obvious fly was selected and I waded out leaving him settled opposite me on the bank. All went perfectly in the early stages as I cast and stepped down the beat, Ally dutifully moving down the river to keep as close as he could. No salmon showed any interest in my fly or for that matter in showing themselves above the surface but the two of us were enjoying ourselves, Ally sniffing at the odd dog that walked past and me observing the wild life, including the heron that had joined us.

On reaching the fast water at the tail of the pool a salmon moved as my fly passed over it, a couple more casts but no further reaction till he swirled a second time. Climbing out of the water I sat with Ally waiting to see if the fish moved again, and he did. I decided to change  fly and cover him once more, I tied on a Garry dog to involve my pal in the hunt and as I turned to cast, this time from the bank, Ally grabbed the fly and the hook got him straight through his nose. All hell broke loose as I am sure you can imagine, he pulled the rod out of my hand and set off up the bank with me in pursuit, trying to pacify him and see what could be done. Fortunately he stopped as he realised it didn't hurt if he was still and he responded to the hours of recall instruction, I cut the line.

A vet was needed to remove the hook as unfortunately I had forgotten to flatten the barbs and my efforts to remove them made matters worse. I returned to the Fishing hut with a remarkably quiet dog looking like a punk rocker but relatively pain free if he left it alone. The ghillie made a phone call and a vet agreed to meet me at his surgery even though it was Saturday. A very quick assessment showed Ally would need to be put out as if he wasn't put out enough. After the necessary surgery to rectify matters we appeared from the vets with me, significantly poorer, carrying a sleeping dog to my vehicle where he slept for hours as we made our way home.

Ally has never forgotten his first trip salmon fishing, every time he sees me with a rod any longer than 9 foot he is off and I suspect it will be difficult to get him sitting quietly on the bank again no matter how much I try to coax him. As he sits at my feet while I write, I have no idea why he went for that fly but there are two things I am sure of I will always fish with barbless or debarbed hooks and I won't let it happen again.

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Technique in dry fly fishing is all in the observation and presentation, observe the naturals, note the size, colour, wing and leg structure, identify the insect if you can. Search your fly boxes and find an imitation of the little blighter, tie it on a tapered leader and drop it  delicately in the right place and wait for the action. How many times have we all followed these rules and waited cast after cast with not a jot of interest from a trout, what is the matter with them you think as they devour naturals all around your offering. Change the fly, I can hear you all advising, but to what? your fly already looks so convincing a natural tries to mate with it but still no trout, maybe a bigger one or a smaller one.

Well I recall fishing a stocked water many moons ago and on arrival  keenly observed the water was pop marked with the bulls eyes caused by rising fish. The air around the bank was thick with hawthorn fly struggling against the breeze which helpfully deposited them repeatedly on the surface, gratefully received by the fish and spoiling them for choice . Applying finely honed angling skills and incisive decision making I tied on a perfect replica of a jet black hawthorn fly and felt very self satisfied as exhibition cast after exhibition cast landed in the perfect spot right in the middle of rising trout. Bring on the slaughter and the main course for that evenings barbeque, half an hour later nothing.

The trout, however, were continuing to fatten themselves up on naturals all over the place and  with increasing frustration I changed up in size, down in size and presented perfect copies to be completely ignored. An hour later, with no improvement in fortune it became very obvious that matching that hatch was a misguided approach in competition with so many tasty little black delicacies skittering about on the lunch table.

Give them something different and make it completely different so long as it looks like food and ought to be there. On went a size 10 olive stimulator which plopped down a little clumsily right in the middle of the banquet, the result being immediate as a nice 3lb rainbow hit the fly hard. The fish hooked itself firmly in the scissors and after a good struggle presented for the charcoal grill. My  entertainment, as you will have anticipated, took a deserved turn for the better as a procession of duped stockies found their way to the net and a couple into the freezer.

The Hawthorn Fly and a Stimulator

The Scottish government regulations ( The Conservation of Salmon ( Scotland) Regulations 2016) to protect salmon stocks come into force on 31st March and all of us connected with salmon fishing in Scotland will be affected by them. The fact that Government measures are being introduced to address this very real problem should be welcomed and supported.  Whether one agrees or not with the substance of the regulations, we should be optimistic that improvements in salmon stocks will be seen. The objective to stop the taking of fish where the stocks do not sustain the practice has to be the sensible approach.

The intention to review the conservation affects on an annual basis is also the correct approach as all interested parties will have the opportunity to accumulate information, assess local needs and make representations. Rivers in Scotland are all being graded one, two and three with differing standards applying to each, with little practical change occurring on grade 1 rivers and mandatory catch and release applying to grade 3. These classifications will be reconsidered year on year giving scope for upgrade as well as the opposite where effective conservation measures are not being evidenced.

One thing is absolutely clear and that is all salmon fishers will need to be familiar with the classification of the river they are fishing and abide by the appropriate catch and release policy. There are sanctions which the Scottish Courts can impose for a failure to comply. The Scottish government web site (www.gov.scot/Topics/marine/salmon) sets out the regulations and lists all the Scottish rivers in their current positions and of course the river boards and the individual riparian owners will be all too familiar with where they stand. These regulations place an obligation on them all to have effective conservation plans in place which they will be called upon to demonstrate to support their classifications. For the future of salmon stocks that fact in itself is encouraging for the species and ought to promote fresh thinking and investment in their well being. Where funds are available and fish counters are not already in place, river boards will soon realize how useful the statistics will be in balancing sustainability and are likely to investigate the feasibility of fish counter installation. The current reliance on catch records cannot be as accurate for a number of reasons as actual knowledge of the number of fish passing a counter. The information and the statistics which will accumulate under the regulations will be invaluable in the future in assessing sustainability of the game fishers desire to take one for the pot.

The new regulations are only the beginning of the matter as research is continuing into the effect of the use of baits and lures, which will including hook size and types on catch and release and the damage done to fish by the experience of being caught. The Flyfisher has little to fear from the results of these enquiries other than a possible restriction on the use of trebles and barbs, both of which have inconsistencies with catch and release in any event. Future research is including an assessment of sea trout stocks to inform a decision on whether conservation measures to protect them may be necessary in 2017 as well as the effects of predation of salmon in coastal areas, both actions to be applauded.

Article first published in Total Flyfisher magazine April edition, author Ron Taylor photography Pauline Taylor

How many times have we heard the cliche', you will never catch a fish if your fly is not in the water. Loads I guess, but it is as true now as the first time we heard it. Everybody gets their flies on the water in the same way, or do they? The cast has got more variations imaginable but all for the same purpose to put a fly in front of a fish in the hope that it will grab it, in other words to start fishing. Fly fishing, as most of you reading this will agree, is a wonderful pastime providing participants with so many different reasons for doing it, all life improving in varying degrees. In this crazy digital age more and more people, as most of us enthusiasts are aware,  would benefit from watching a dry fly intently or varying a retrieve through a likely spot. The problem is casting can be difficult to get right and can deter young and old from having a go, because it can seem daunting. Fish however are not like a Strictly Come Dancing jury, they don't have numbered cards to mark the technical presentation of your fly, they will devour anything that resembles food if they are hungry or will wallop a lure if it sparks aggression.

That brings me back to getting your fly on the water and of course a lesson with one of the various qualified coaches available will benefit all of us no matter how experienced. The simple basics of getting the fly out there are not that arduous and once it is on the water we are in with a chance. I recall giving a roll casting lesson with the usual piece of red wool tied on the end of the leader and as the line rested on the water, ten feet out, a voracious rainbow snatched it and refused to let go despite my undignified pulling. Of course the fish gave up relatively quickly but it just shows what you can achieve if your fly is on the water. Salmon fishing with a novice I made the mistake of offering advice as his line and fly landed in a heap on a pool of still water not favourable to fly fishing.' May I help Andrew? You will never catch a salmon like that', the second that sentence had been uttered the line started to move off upstream and a 6 pound hen fish was eventually brought to my net. That incident endorsed my view that a fly in the water gives us a chance of a fish and the excellence of a cast and perfect presentation can develop over many relaxing and happy hours fishing. That incident also taught me to chose my words more carefully as one can never predict with complete accuracy when a fish will or won't take. Of course the better at casting and the more experienced we get the greater the chance of fish being caught.

Article first appeared in Total Flyfisher magazine April 2016 edition, author Ron Taylor photography Pauline Taylor. To mark the thirtieth anniversary of Ghillie Lionel Main commencing his employment at Castle Grant, Strathspey Estate.

In 1986 carbon fibre fly rods were still in the early years of development and the gaff and the tailer remained familiar pieces of equipment on the salmon rivers of Scotland. Catch and release was a concept infrequently practiced with the majority of Salmon caught finding their way to the dinner table. Margaret Thatcher was prime minister, email and mobile phones were yet to develop as a new ghillie took up his post on the world renowned River Spey at Castle Grant. On the 14th April, recently married and with ten years previous experience on the Spey at Delfur, serving the Mountain family, Lionel Main took up his post where he still works today thirty years later.

Lionel is head ghillie at Castle Grant responsible for the three beats as well as Kinchurdy and overseeing the association water at Grantown. He is a true professional dedicated to providing Castle Grant guests with a salmon fishing holiday of top quality leaving nothing to chance other than the number of takes they experience. Lionel's attention to detail is almost an obsession ensuring that his high standards are echoed by the three ghillies that work for the Estate and the seasonal assistance that is sometimes required. The Estate vehicles are washed every Sunday to ensure that they are spotless on Monday morning when new guests arrive and they are cleaned out every day. The Seafield family tweed, immaculately pressed is essential attire, accompanied by a neat collar and tie displaying one of Lionel's collection of one hundred and fifty silk fishing ties which are changed daily. The routine for the weeks fishing has been developed over the years and adds to the pleasure for those fortunate enough to fish Castle Grant 2 and stay at Inverallan House where our party stays each year.

Wash Pot in the early hours a superb piece of flywater

The river here boasts some superb fly water rejoicing under names as well known as the river itself, Manse, Wash Pot, The Cut, Croy Race and Polchraine being only half of them. The Spey cast was of course developed on this River and the worldwide awareness of that cast is sometimes not accompanied by the knowledge that it is named after this stretch of water. Lionel has seen that cast performed, or attempts made at performing it, everyday of his working life apart from the occasions when the water is high and his consent to the production of the spinning rod is graciously given.

A Perfect D

 Numerous variations and refinements have been made over the years to the cast, some performed to impress fellow anglers and some to improve the chance of placing the fly in front of a fish. Lionel can and will demonstrate them all if an angler needs the help that is constantly on offer but his single Spey cast will probably leave you quiet in admiration of how a relatively simple action can be executed with such excellence.

The Manse is one of the most productive pools on the beat

All the party arrive on Sunday in time to settle in and for an excellent dinner followed by a browse through the returns book in preparation for the next day's endeavours on the River. Lionel meets us at the hut with the usual cheery " How ya doin?" and a cup of coffee while the rods are put up and the sink rate of the tips and flies are selected, all under Lionel's watchful eye.

Lionel advises Len Morris on fly selection and a size 8 Cascade is tied on.

 This was mid July and the water height was good so small flies with an intermediate were most popular, the beat is divided into three sections and allocated in pairs among the six rods changing at lunchtime and at the end of the day so everyone gets the opportunity to fish the whole of the beat. The sea trout anglers, that return after dark, go to the section of the beat that they will fish the next day or with Lionel's agreement any where he thinks is most likely to hold fish. The first day yields a nineteen pounder taken in Number one burn to the rod of syndicate organiser Len Morris and the week starts on a high with Lionel's selection of fly proving decisive, a size 8 cascade.

The fast water can often be well worth a cast

When the water is this height the fishing is perfect with the fly working superbly in the flow on all the pools, no need to retrieve but additional life in the fly adds variety and interest for the angler as well as the fish. Salmon fishing is no longer an easy enterprise even in such a Mecca of the sport and one can slide into automatism all too easily as a pool is fished down. A break at 1pm is taken in the hut each day where a gourmet lunch is served by Lionel prepared by the chef at Inverallan, followed by fresh coffee and a home baked cake which has become a particular personal favourite. Lionel's superstitions are apparent throughout the hut as everything is always tidy and in the same place, rearrange something and see how quickly he spots it, returning it to the original position, this is his domain and it is organised as he prefers. Completely for the benefit of the guests as Lionel will know where his equipment can be found, from spare studs for your wading boots to a cork screw for the Sauvignon Blanc, nothing is too much trouble.

My fishing partner on day two was Eileen Ainscough who has fished for many years but only one week each year and would still regard herself as inexperienced, even with the frequent advice and assistance from Lionel. I am fishing down Polchraine behind her and the overhead casting she favours  causes  trouble behind her and in the wild flowers in the margins. Most of her time seems to be occupied in resolving these hook ups as I get closer, until her fly hits the water and there is a swirl as her Kinermony Killer, prescribed by Lionel, is swallowed by a fresh run fish which makes off with a scream of the reel towards the opposite bank. By the time I am out of the water and at her side the fish has been partially quietened but far from subdued. Gratefully accepting advice, the fish is reasonably quickly brought to the weigh net and presents as pure silver and eleven and a half pounds. As if by magic Lionel appears to witness the occasion and help with the return of the fish unharmed by the experience.

Eileen Ainscough with her eleven and half pounder

Back it goes

Fishing hard has become part of Salmon fishing expeditions these days if the chance of success is to be increased, the conduct of our party, including me, fits the description. My reward comes on the fourth morning as Polchraine is again the location and a Cascade Waddington is the third fly I have tried, taken confidently in mid stream, accompanied by that adrenalin rush with which all captors of Salmo salar are familiar. A brisk fight ensued but as the hook was well in the scissors there was only one outcome and miraculously Lionel appears again to slide the net under the fish and take the photograph. A lovely grilse of 6 pounds, still carrying sea lice, full of energy and ready to continue its journey which happens within seconds. Lionel's sense of humour, never far away, makes an appearance, as with a wry smile he tells me the fly was too big, realising it was larger than the one he had recommended for that day.

Six days fishing yield five Salmon, the other two caught by Marybeth Morris both from Manse Pool using a small cascade and a Stoats Tail.  Five sea trout are also taken from the most productive pools Manse and Polchraine. The fishing is, despite the catch return, a joy as the scenery is breathtaking and the river banks are festooned with wild flowers, nurtured by Lionel and left uncut for the pleasure of his guests or others who may pass that way either walker or canoeist. The wild life on the River is prolific including deer, hares and a vast array of birds including Lionel's favourite, the oyster catcher. Folk law has it that when the oyster catchers come in land the salmon will be coming with them, long may that prove to be accurate. I was delighted to see a reminder of my youth, back home in Cheshire, when a deceit of Lapwings soared across the fields probably three hundred or more of them. This is a sight that has been denied us for too many years and gladly there are signs of it returning.

The Cut nestling in wonderful countryside.

The pleasure of salmon fishing on the Spey has so much more to offer than yesteryear’s large numbers of fish taken and killed as Lionel will be happy to explain. He is a firm supporter of catch and release as he realises only too well how reliant his chosen vocation is on the fish returning to run in sustainable numbers. The Castle Grant Estate has been encouraging the practice for many years giving two sides of Spey Side smoked salmon to every guest who returns a fish to the River unharmed. Lionel's probably only regret with his life style by the banks of the river, where he lives over looking Manse, is the lack of time to fish himself, a passion which has remained with him since boyhood. The owner of over fifty fly rods many of them his favoured Hardy brand and more reels than he can remember, he will never dispose of a rod but it will not be used it if it is blemished in any way, tackle must be perfect. The fly he would use above others is a thunder and Lightning tied with more yellow for Spring, black for summer and orange for autumn, but as he says so often, always have confidence in the fly you are using and if not change it. During the thirty years at Castle Grant Lionel has netted for guests many fish over thirty pounds and numerous over twenty, the biggest registering thirty seven pounds and the largest that has fallen to his own rod being twenty four pounds. However, as Lionel will tell you the important thing is catching a salmon not the size of it and if there is a priority for salmon anglers on every river it is conservation. If the advances made in fishing tackle technology had been made thirty years earlier, Lionel believes anglers are likely to have wiped out the available salmon stocks. Fortunately  our attitude to killing fish has changed dramatically with the increased ability we have developed to catch them.

Angler and Photographer enjoy the fun of Salmon fishing the Spey at the end of another day

With the thirty year milestone passed, retirement will soon appear on Lionel's horizon and where he and his wife will be spending their time. He recognises that staying locally would prove very difficult for whoever takes up the baton, he is certainly a hard act to follow. He will remain a man with a lifetime of experience which hopefully will not be lost to the Estate owners as well as the guests who at present continue to benefit from it. Whatever the future holds for him there is one certainty, it will involve salmon fishing in some form or another.

A trip out to the Amazon to sample the power

and beauty of the Peacock Bass

Article first published in Total Flyfisher magazine February 2016 all photographs copyright Pauline Taylor

Peacock Bass are reputed to be the hardest fighting game fish on the planet to take a fly , demonstrating  when hooked the power of a runaway train and Olympian athleticism. That is the motivation for fly fishermen  to travel across the world to the depths of the Rain Forest in Northern Brazil to attempt to hook a specimen. Manaus is the staging post to open up the region and in particular the Agua Boa Amazon Lodge, our chosen destination, situated on the River of the same name, 80 kilometres north of the equator . Peacock Bass are not actually a Bass at all but a Cichla and there are approximately fifteen varieties of this species, all of them of interest to the fly fisherman. Cichla are more familiar in the U.K. seen swimming around in the tropical fish tank with their iridescent colours and characteristic markings. In the Amazon region they thrive and grow to specimens of over 20 pounds with double figure fish being common place.

The Amazon is after all one huge tropical fish tank with the residents either eating or waiting to be eaten. This provides a superb, yet extreme, environment for the fly fisherman endeavouring to imitate a small fish to induce the aggressive takes typical of Peacocks.

The initial challenge to overcome after the journey is the searing heat and constant humidity which dictates the fisherman's apparel and influences the choice of tackle. Exposed skin will not survive without being burned after very short periods no matter what factor of sun cream is applied. Fly fisherman must wear stripping gloves to protect the hands both from the UV rays and from the friction caused by the line from stripping fast and from a fish running after the take. These gloves have long fingers to cover the index and second finger while covering the rest of the hand to the knuckle. My own preference, after some experience, was for more modest protection for my rod hand allowing me to retain better feel for the rod and line while offering cover to my index finger and a small tube of lycra safeguarding my second finger.

The face needs to be covered throughout the heat of the day with a Buff rated high UV protection and of course a suitable hat and Polaroid sunglasses must be worn at all times to stop the risk of damage from the sun and the very large lures which will be continually passing in close proximity. To combat the  inevitable insect bites it is advisable to wear clothing impregnated with repellent or apply copious amounts of deet to keep them at bay especially for the early morning starts and evening conclusions. Footwear needs to be comfortable in the boat and water tolerant as the wading, which is part of the day, is in the same shoes as the river is warm and crystal clear during the Brazilian autumn when we were there.

There are some particularly unsavoury characters swimming about in the Agua Boa but they are easy to see and wading is safe if you keep an eye out. I alternated between a pair of old trainers which I intended to leave behind and a pair of rubber soled open sandals which proved cool and sufficiently supportive, in the river,  the mud and the boat.

The recommended tackle I used comprised a 9 foot 9 weight rod, large arbour reel loaded with a tropical saltwater floating line, Rio Tropical Outbound short weight forward was my preference with a 20 pound 4 foot leader of Hard salt water mono tied direct to the lure. Conventional cold water western fly lines would have been useless in the heat and would have reduced to gum very quickly, similarly normal leaders would not cope with the heat or the huge lures that were the inducement offered.

The Agua Boa Amazon Lodge provides freshwater fishing on over one hundred miles of fishable river where catch and release and barbless hooks are compulsory. The flies which would have some familiarity to those of us who use a fly rod to catch pike are between 4 to 5 inches in length utilising bright coloured feathers, marabou, buck tail, fritz and all sorts of gaudy flash mounted on size 8 plus hooks. The lures are attached to the leader by a knot similar to a Rapala knot which allows maximum mobility for the lure on the stiff mono.

The technique for Peacocks relies on imitating fast moving tropical fish involving getting the lure in  front of the target, with as few false casts as possible and stripping back in many cases as fast as you are able to do so. This procedure would present no problem at all to any fly fisherman who has experienced fast stripping for rainbows on UK reservoirs. A large percentage of the day is spent sight fishing for the Peacocks cruising the river, lagoons or flats which presented a problem as these fish could see me and the boat much easier than I could see them even though I was wearing expensive Polaroid's and they were not. The guides however did not have difficulty at all as they have years of familiarity with directing guests casts by referring to the clock face and they produced takes for me from areas of the river that seemed barren. The instructions utilise basic English and a few well chosen words to achieve the desired result of the 11 o'clock, short or long, wait, strip, fast , stop variety, but very effective. However a miss placed cast, too long or in the wrong position would result in a cloud of mud as a spooked fish I hadn't seen  disappeared not to be seen again. Casting demanded proficiency with the double haul as the distances sometimes required with the large lures cannot be achieved without the technique.

The River has characteristics that made it obvious immediately, should we have needed it, that we were a very long way from home. Wide and slow, much shallower than I had anticipated, with almond or shortbread biscuit beaches on one side and high sheer grey banks on the other cloaked in the contortions and twists of a never ending line of fallen trees.

The first day fishing was conducted casting into these tree trunks and branches where the predator Peacocks were lying in wait. No hesitancy with these fish they hit the lure hard and require an immediate strike, a strip and then another one to set the hook.

 I was never disappointed by the battles which followed these events no matter how large the Peacock that fancied my offering, whether 3 pound to 17  pound plus. Peacocks can break top quality rods with their sheer power and can straighten hooks just as surprisingly.

On subsequent days we fished a rotation of six beats of the river each having different features and were escorted by the guide responsible for that area. We were taken to remote, concealed lakes which involved getting the boat through seemingly impassable creeks and on occasions having to enter the water to push or pull as required, no fly fishing adventure this for the sickly or the unfit.

 Never were we disappointed by the sport enjoyed when the sought location was reached with Peacocks keen to grab the lure and desperately try to avoid the bogagrip which is utilized to land Bass. This mechanism holds the bottom jaw of the fish allowing it to be subdued and unhooked or lifted from the water for an accurate weight to be recorded from the scales in the handle.

This  equipment is also useful to unhook the numerous other species in the river, many of which I found a nuisance, which will take a fly whether they are sort or not and a many have very unpleasant teeth which the Peacock do not . Triora, dog fish, piranha and wolf fish are all prevalent and will take as you lift off presenting a threat to the anglers fingers and in some cases hand or even arm if a bogagrip is not available and a good pair of pliers to unhook .

The risk to the arm comes from the Caiman which will inadvertently take a fly aggressively if one lands within devouring distance of their jaws. I hooked one right in the scissors and he gave a good account of himself before being released by the guide without being removed from the water or suffering any harm.

On occasions the boat was parked necessitating a trek through the rain forest, machete in one hand and fly rod in the other to reach a group of small lakes stuffed with Peacocks where I sat on a fallen tree being hit virtually every other cast by staggeringly hard fighting and beautifully coloured fish.

 Alternatively, was the disclosure deep in the forest of a large lake with another boat tethered  waiting for us to row out and hook into Peacocks upwards of double figures surrounded by the sight and sounds of every conceivable type of tropical bird.

Our party of twelve took the whole lodge to celebrate the 60th birthday of Len Morris an experienced fly fisherman, made up of talented anglers and a number of novices.

 Everyone caught peacocks with 526 being the total haul including all varieties with the largest Peacock weighing in at 19 plus pounds chased by a number of significant double figure fish. The exploits involved in this expedition are what fly fishing memories are made of, but a feint heart and an inability to cope with discomfort while pursuing your quarry or the astonishing rainfall are not compatible with the adventure.

The lodge provides a luxurious sanctuary at the end of the day, with a good sized pool and bar, air conditioning and excellent food and wine, before a good night's sleep as the prelude to the following day back on the river. Thanks to Len and Marybeth Morris and all at Aguaboa Amazon Lodge and Sweetwater Travel

A short guide to the essentials of catch and release

The principal of catch and release on any water, to either conserve fish stocks or to allow the angler to fish for sport has one serious flaw and that is the way the fish are dealt with between being hooked and returned. The policy will not work at all unless the fish are able to swim away to enjoy a full recovery without lasting damage leading to mortality. Sadly, through lack of concern or education fish are being injured unnecessarily by procedures that can easily be avoided. The essence of effective catch and release is respect for our quarry and a desire to limit the harm we inevitably cause from hooks, whether they are barbless or not and the struggle of varying degrees of intensity that follow the take.

Choosing a leader and tippet strength that will allow our target to be played for the minimum time necessary to bring it to the bank is essential, as an exhausted fish will have much less chance of survival. The size of fly being used will of course affect this choice and the type of tippet material used can help without sacrificing strength for reduced circumference. The ultimate execution of catch and release has to be where the fish goes back without ever being touched by human hand, an objective that we can all strive for each time we have a fish on that we wish to see returned. Use a landing net with fish friendly mesh, keep the fish in the water as much as possible and run your hand down the line to the hook which in virtually all cases will be barbless and apply the downward movement and lack of pressure which will allow the hook to slip free. Once this has been achieved give the fish time to recover in the net before releasing  it  and on the majority of occasions off it will go virtually none the worse for the trauma.

Should the perfect technique not be achievable, for whatever reason, then the fish should never be touched with dry hands, immerse them in the water before proceeding further and the scales and protective slime are much less likely to be prejudiced. A fish touched with dry human hands will suffer damage of varying degree and often this will lead to disease and eventual death, completely defeating the objective of catch and release and condemning the fish to suffer needlessly.

Whenever a fish is hooked more deeply inside the mouth and the aim is to return it, use forceps or the long nose pliers available and if it is deeply hooked cut the line near the fly and release it without fumbling around causing even more damage. The hook that is left in place will eventually come free or dissolve over time providing a better chance of survival than if internal injury has been caused as a result of the hook's forcible removal.  The more compassionate we fly fishermen are in handling  our quarry, the more likely that fish will survive the experience of being caught and catch and release will work successfully.

Taking a photograph to record our success is part of a day's fly fishing and long may that remain the case and if the fish is to be returned then the amount of time the fish spends out of the water being handled should be minimised. To assist with that objective the fish should be left in the net after being unhooked until the photographer is ready and has been instructed to take as many shots as possible, as quickly as possible, as soon as the fish is presented. Wet hands are essential when handling the fish and if possible kneeling in or beside the water is helpful as the fish only needs to be lifted clear of the water to provide a good picture.

Thoughts on the attributes of the roll cast and the techniques necessary to perfect it.

One of the important skills in any fly fishers armoury and one that is often neglected is mastering the Roll cast. The reasons for this are numerous, not only is the cast used to get you out of trouble and to get your line out before a days overhead casting starts but it forms the core of all aspects of Spey casting and allows you to fish the fly right back to the bank or boat. This will increase the chances of a take from a fish following which could be missed if the line is lifted off to cast again before being completely fished out. The cast can also be used to set the hook when the take is at the very last moment and to raise a sunken line and heavy fly before a normal cast is attempted. The use of the cast is also obvious in places where the back cast is impossible.

The fundamental parts which must be understood and carried out are the loading of the rod prior to the forward stroke and the forward cast being inside the anchor line. The former is achieved by the formation of a D loop behind the angler with the rod forming the back of the D and a short length of fly line lying on the water in front providing a water based anchor. The correct alignment is achieved with the rod tip pointed away from the anglers body ensuring that the loop is inside the anchor line. Once the correct position has been set up there is no rush for the forward stroke to be executed as the D loop can be held till the appropriate moment and can be increased in size by tipping the rod backwards from the vertical. The angler holds the rod handle next to the ear in the same position as one would hold a telephone with the elbow fully bent.

When the cast is to be made a swift snap forward and abrupt stop is achieved by straightening the arm and  the line will roll out in the air and land on the water fully extended or to be brought back before it touches the water into an overhead cast to get the line farther out. The snap forward has to be made with conviction to get power into the rod and the abrupt stop transfers that power to the line and can be explained in a number of different ways for example trying to shake mud from the rod tip or trying to break the rod or in the alternative trying to hammer a nail into a beam above ones head in front of you.

 A properly executed roll cast will present a fly at sufficient distance to catch fish without any further effort in virtually any situation. The cast can be carried out from either shoulder with the rod held across ones chest but must be mastered first from the rod hand side of the body and always made inside the anchor line. Achieving a competent roll cast will reward the fly fisherman every time he or she ventures out on any water and in any situation.

Once a cast is being retrieved bring the fly back until just enough line is outside the rod tip and then complete the retrieve by raising the rod into the D loop phone call position and the fly can be fished in this way right up to the bank or boat and time and again a fish will take, the hook can be set really close to the angler by using the roll cast to tighten the line and then getting in contact with the fish by swift retrieving keeping the rod high. The whole cast can be observed from the corner of one’s eye or even with a turn of the head without any detriment being caused to the end result.

Practice of course will make perfect and all of this, apart from the water based anchor can be rehearsed on the lawn before stepping foot on the bank and being distracted by the desire to catch a fish, the likely hood of achieving that goal will be improved dramatically by the perfection of this cast and you will find it so much easier to develop your Spey casting and the many variations thereof.

Some commonsense advice on tackling up for those new to fly fishing and a gentle reminder for the more experienced. First published in Total Flyfisher May 2015 edition.

No matter how long we have been fly fishing there is always something to learn and an experience to be shared . Often those matters refer to the sharp end, casting techniques, fly selection, presentation and watercraft to mention a few. Often the professional  coach will start a lesson with a fly rod in hand ready for business without reference to how all the bits were joined up. This fundamental task can prove daunting to the novice and present the odd serious repercussion to the experienced. One first day of the season when I stood my rod up against the car with the door open, just for a second ,while I looked for my waterproofs and a gust of wind closed the door and severed the rod tip clean off. I learned the hard way, you can  benefit from my experience and use a small magnetic device which fixes itself to the car and the rod clips into it or just make sure the car doors are closed.

Now about joining the bits up, start by selecting the reel and take it and the rod out of their coverings, putting the case and rod bag in the same place every time so it is easy to find at the end of the day. Erect the rod starting with the tip section first inserting it into the mid or lower ones, the reason for this leaves you with the complete rod in your hand without having to put the butt end down and walk to the end of the rod, especially  if it is of the salmon variety and fifteen plus feet long. Many rods have small markers on each section so the rings line up perfectly, if yours doesn't a tiny blob of paint or tipp-ex on each section does the trick.

 Your reel is to hand and easy to fit, place the butt end of the rod with the reel attached into the boot or on the tail gate and take off the reel about 2 feet of line and fold it back on itself creating a six inch to a foot loop, thread the line through the rings loop bend first. The reason for these steps prevents damage to the reel which will be scratched badly if you strip line off it while it rests on the ground or a car park and the loop in the end of the line prevents the line running back to the reel should you inadvertently let go of it. Nothing more annoying and something that no doubt has happened to all of us!

Having selected the length of leader you are going to use put a small loop in the end of it, I bend the leader back on itself and tie a double knot to create the loop, making sure I have moistened it with a little saliva on the end of my fingers to seat it properly. Next, pass the end of the fly line through the loop and draw the leader through the loop which will be on the end of the fly line. Once the leader and fly line loops are drawn tight attach the chosen fly using either a blood knot or a Turle knot which I trust  you will be familiar with.

 Many years ago I took a tape measure to myself and memorised the length of my outstretched arms and the length of my right arm from my shoulder which helps me create leaders from a spool of the right length, of course your rod length is the indicator most of us probably use.

 When the flies are sorted I hook the point fly in the rod ring which I can reach easily about half way up the rod and loop the line round the reel, I do this is so that when I am ready for my first cast the fly line is completely through the top ring and ready for action I don't have to mess about putting the rod down or stretching to the end to pull the line through, particularly annoying when you have waded in already. 

One last little tip before you put on your waders or over trousers, if they are necessary ,get the car keys out of your trouser pocket and put them in your shirt or jacket  so you don't have to struggle to get them when you are ready to lock the car. Enjoy the day.

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Make sure you are well prepared for the season ahead, some thoughts on those things to do before a day on the water as published in Total FlyFisher April edition 2015 Twitter:@Singlehaul

A new season approaches and those of us who enjoy fly fishing turn our minds to the opening of the brown trout season and alternatively all those freshly stocked rainbows awaiting us.

 The questions are always the same, have we renewed our membership of the fishing club or syndicate, have we got a current licence from the Environment Agency, if not then the paperwork needs to be completed and the cheques signed or for the modern fishers amongst us the Emails' sent and PayPal utilised.

 Tackle must be checked to ensure that all is in working order, particularly if we just left it in the garage at the conclusion of our last trip and it has laid there untouched over winter.

 Rods will benefit from a pre-season service, a good clean and a check to see that the joints are all working properly and the reel seats are moving freely. This must be  the minimum requirement as arrival at the water's edge to find that a ferrule has been damaged, the reel mount has corroded or that the wrong tip section has been put in the wrong rod bag will ruin the first day.

 The reels will need a clean, maybe some lubrication and the line will also need a clean to get rid of any dirt which might hamper the free passage through the rod rings and shorten the casting distance, we might even invest in a new one. Ensure that we have enough good quality tippet material and tapered leaders to last the coming weeks, pop down to the local angling shop to fill the gaps or order delivery from the numerous on line suppliers of every conceivable gadget  a fly fisher might need.

 Go through the fly boxes and see which patterns need to be replenished and tie some more or buy them together with the potions to treat them. We need a good net  to land the fish at the end of the struggle and those nets need to be checked for holes and faults which could lead to a very disappointing finale. Another obvious preparation is the checks that the clothing we will wear for the day is still waterproof, free of leaks and fit for the adventure ahead, that the boots still have the studs they should have and the hats and safety glasses are still safe. No one should venture out on the water without the flotation devices being checked as even the most experienced of us can fall in once in a while and the flotation device can be extremely important when it happens, too late when you need one to find out that it doesn't work or even worse you decided not to bother with it today.

Now what about all of the potential fly fishermen out there who haven't tried the joys of a day's trouting, how do they get involved? what is the best thing you can  do to see if the pastime is of interest to them? Well undoubtedly the way to go is to make contact with a local fly fishing club and enquire what facilities are available for the novice and to ascertain whether the club runs any introductory days. There are Angling Trust qualified instructors and members of the Game Angling Instructors Association and they can be sought on line and will be delighted to help advise newcomers how to proceed and to provide professional lessons, many of them providing all the tackle and arranging a venue for the lessons to take place.

 The student does not have to have a fishing licence either if accompanied by a qualified instructor which gives the opportunity to try the sport at minimal expense and enable a decision to be made whether it is for them before buying tackle. Angling Trust instructors also hold Disclosure and Baring service (C.R.B.) clearance, safeguarding and protecting children training, first aid training and indemnity insurance as the well being of the student is paramount. Licensed instructors have also received full health and safety training which is vital as fishing can be dangerous, due to the close proximity  of water, unstable banks, sharpness of hooks and the risk of overhead electricity cables to mention a few. Most of all whether experienced or novice enjoy the new season and resolve to fly fish more than you did last year. Tight Lines.

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Thoughts on the plight of our Salmon stocks and how anglers can help as published in Total Flyfisher February 2015 Edition. Twitter: @singlehaul

How many salmon did you catch in 2014? I suspect there weren't many and if you were as unfortunate as me you failed to net a single one or enjoy the excitement of a take despite three weeks concerted effort. Salmon fly fishermen will be concerned with the dire catch returns  as these figures reflect ,in very real terms, the collapse of the salmon stocks. 

We are facing a crisis that not just anglers should be concerned about, the risk of losing  our most magnificent fresh water fish should be a concern to the whole population just as they should be concerned about any species facing extinction.The reasons for this decline are numerous and I suspect not all of them within my knowledge but those that I am aware of could be improved to reverse the current situation and these reasons have one thing in common, they are all affected by economics and decisions made by humans, not natural occurrences. 

The need for clean water and a free flow are fundamental, the lack of either is not always caused by the weather, excessive abstraction the length of the rivers without  significant  regard for the visitors who need water to swim  and breed. The agricultural and industrial pollution caused by natural run off as well as deliberate acts, of the chuck it in the river variety, can affect the salmon at all stages. 

The Coastal nets men who have been netting salmon in our estuaries for generations catch and kill fish for the table and have been prepared to sell their rights and surrender their livelihoods. That can only improve salmon runs but the nets men have existed through times when the salmon  were prolific and their  removal is unlikely to be the solution. 

Nets men kill virtually all the fish they catch and there are similarities in that conduct with salmon anglers who kill for the table, the fish are there to breed and how can anglers argue effectively for conservation and for others to change while they continue to kill these fish. 

Open water fishing or more importantly over fishing is having a detrimental effect on stocks and there are enough international agreements to control this problem that one would have thought it to be insignificant, I fear it is not. 

The exploitation of the sand eel on which Salmon feed appears to be contributing to the problem but human requirements take precedence . The seal eats nothing but fish including large quantities of salmon, predatory birds are protected dining as they do on salmon parr. The seal and such birds, however have co-existed for hundreds of years regardless of the ones desire to feast on the other, so it doesn't look like they can be blamed for the decline particularly as licences to cull are issued where appropriate.T

The fish farming industry, worth approaching £700 million to the Scottish economy causes disease through the deposit of detritus beneath the cages, together with a massive increase in sea lice promoted by the systems operated, both of which affect salmon mortality . The fish farmers also appear to be responsible for corrupting the wild salmon stocks by the effect of escapees and as the market for Scottish salmon is only likely to grow, without government intervention we are likely to see wild fish farmed into oblivion. 

Salmon fishers contribute a substantial amount to the U.K. economy but continue to kill the fish, on which the future of their sport relies. This behaviour should be suspended until salmon stocks revive and all waters in the UK should become catch and release for the foreseeable future. 

The main advantages of this action would be to place anglers in a much stronger position to influence all the other interested parties to change their ways and contribute to the conservation of our wild salmon, while attracting substantial publicity to the issue. Further controls on the methods used to catch salmon should be introduced, fly only for me and that with barbless hooks, no multiple hook spinners and those with barbless hooks only allowed in high water. I would like to see a complete end to the use of the worm and the prawn as there use facilitates the need to kill fish as a result of the damage caused to them. I do not believe  fishermen taking salmon is the crux of the problem and on its own will make little difference but an example must be set and sooner rather than when it is too late. 

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