Nick Hart Fly Fishing

This Blog has Moved

2011-01-02T18:18:00.002Z

We now have a new website / blog launched on Saturday 1st January 2011. Please see here for the main site and here for the Nick Hart Fly Fishing blog.

Thanks for reading, I know that this blog ground to a bit of a halt. There is a new system in place now, so we hope you will stop by and check out our regular updates. Go to new blog.

Learning about the Upstream Nymph

2010-11-07T21:52:00.016Z

On Friday I was thinking about the Internet and how it is helping to forward all kinds of fishing. People are meeting, going fishing, talking about tackle, tactics and all manner of other stuff via social media, blogs, forums etc. David Burton brought up a very interesting point in his comment about that post which you can see here. He said that we use the Internet to "virtually" fish when time does not allow us to head to the waters edge. Too true! In a nutshell I guess we would all love to go fishing everyday but the simple fact is we have to work. Is that a groan I hear!? "You go fishing everyday Nick!" I would be the first to put my hands up and say I have a great job but the fact is that guiding is very different to actually "going fishing". That's another post, right now I am thinking about Grayling, Nymphs and Fishing upstream.

I had been relishing the thought of heading to the Anton since we set the trip up almost a year ago. I have guided a lot of chalkstreams and fished them of course. But the Anton is different. I have guided there and watched clients catch a bunch of fish, but in fact had never caught a fish on the Westover Farm beat myself, because I have never fished the venue! That all changed on Saturday.

Fishing with a Pink Shrimp (technically not a Nymph!) from the new Tactical Range by Fulling Mill we all enjoyed some superb Grayling action, fishing mainly short line, upstream. Check out some photos here and here. Now on our spate rivers I often fish (and guide) upstream with a nymph (such as a Copper John), set below a dry fly acting as an indicator. This is deadly in the fast running streams but the slow moving chalkstream allows for some proper "traditional" upstream nymphing.

Other than picking up a few fish off the top on a CDC BWO, I opted to fish a long fluorocarbon leader and see how many ways I could tempt a fish to pick up my fly. Flicking well ahead of a target fish it was all about line control. Get the depth right, watch the speed and observe the fish. Sometimes the takes were obvious as a greedy Grayling charged over and chowed the weighted Shrimp. In the shade I watched for the flicker of a white mouth. If that didn't work I applied a little sweep of the rod, watching the fish and the line for signs of a take which may have been a savage stab or a very subtle stop. Sometimes the line just felt a little "heavy".

Whatever happened my reaction to any or all of the above was a smooth lift. By the end of the day I was having such a great time that I was left wishing for more fishing and more light, the days are just so short at this time of year! Thankfully I am back off to the Anton on Thursday and although I won't be guiding not fishing I will get just as much pleasure out of showing my guest for the day how to fish this challenging but highly addictive tactic.

What would we do without information super fishing?

2010-11-05T06:18:00.010Z

Yesterday, I took some time out from a busy day working on our new website, sat down and finally set up a facebook page which you can see here. It really set me thinking. What would we anglers do without the Internet? It has changed our lives.

This season I have frequently used the network of web cameras set up by the clever guys at Farson Digital. There are around 24 of them in England now, spying on rivers such as the Exe, Tamar & Lyn in the South right up to the Tees, Wear and Tyne in the North. See the cameras here. If you fish in Scotland then there are a further ten cameras set on famous venues such as the Tweed, Spey and Deveron. Just recently I visited this latter river for a week, but probably spent at least a month before that regularly checking the water height and condition! For guiding purposes the cameras have proved invaluable as the live stream refreshes every ten seconds, allowing me to ascertain the exact state of the river. In the past I would have to make a few telephone calls or just take a chance.

This weekend I am off to the Anton River in Hampshire with a bunch of guys. I gave David Burton a shout through Twitter, within seconds he had replied and a few emails later the day was arranged. I even downloaded a PDF map from the guys at Famous Fishing who offer the finest chalkstream fishing available ... take a look at the website!

(Above) The Anton. A traditional chalkstream in beautiful English countryside. Far removed from today's technology and yet more readily available because of it.

While in the process of arranging this trip I decided to check out Davids recent Twitter posts and clicked on a link to this site. Its a little off the wall, but then with a name like Fat Guy Fly Fishing you may expect that! There are just so many blogs out there now offering viewpoints, tackle advice, tactical thoughts and inspiration that its amazing that we ever manage to go fishing. During the last couple if years I have neglected my own blog and really regret it. One guy who certainly hasn't is Henry Gilbey who surely has THE lure fishing resource online now. There is a whole community on their discussing fish, tactics, tackle ... the problem of lure addiction and of course, metal!

I was looking at Henrys blog last night when Skype came to life and my great friend Chappie Chapman appeared ....all the way from Christchurch, New Zealand. We chatted away for well over an hour, about fishing of course and began hatching a plan for a trip. I showed him a copy of Adventure Fishing over the webcam built into my laptop while chowing on my dinner and at the same time dropped a line to James Dawkins who had just sent me a direct message from Twitter to say he was off to Alderney.

So I guess you could say I spent an evening virtually fishing. And that set me thinking about something else. Would our great sport be as advanced as it is now if the Internet had never been invented?

Irish Bass Fishing - Catching the Lure Bug!

2010-10-28T16:37:00.007+01:00

Anyone who has ever read Henry Gilbeys blog will know how passionate he is about lure fishing in Ireland. A few years back, in fact almost a decade ago, I travelled to Ireland a few times myself to fish in the company of well known guide John Quinlan. Henry came along on one of those trips in the hope that we would hook a few Bass for his camera. It was a tough week and although we got fish I remember feeling back then that perhaps the fly was not always the best method to target this exciting sport fish.

Granted, there is no doubt that on its day the fly can be truly deadly. But what if the wind is gusting to over 30 miles an hour and the surf is rising to in excess of 3 ft? Add low visibility and there is no doubt that fly anglers will be at a distinct disadvantage when these conditions prevail. Heading back to Ireland with Henry last week there was no doubt that I was hoping for the right kind of weather to allow me to experiment with a bunch of new flies and methods. In reality it was never going to happen .... well, at least not this week!

During his many trips to Ireland I know that Henry has found it invaluable to fish with anglers who know the coastline like the back of their hand enabling fishing over the right place at the right state of tide. One such person is Cian of Absolute Fishing who was certainly getting excited by the prospect of Southerly winds which can turn the fishing on along the Southern Irish coast line, creating the all important "fizz" as he calls it. This highly oxygenated water, crashing in over some of the sexiest Bass features you have ever seen (gullies, weed beds, drop offs and more) can turn the fishing on. A brilliant predator, Bass love the "fizz" and whenever we happened upon yet another brilliant mark I felt that the fish were never far away. However, fishing often boils down to conditions and as the wind whipped up into a series of snorting gales fly fishing became impossible.

I did find some fly action, hooking up a bunch of Pollack (always a great fallback for fly anglers looking for Irish Saltwater action) and also realising a long time ambition to hook up a half decent Wrasse on fly. See more here. But then it struck me. Short, sensitive rods. Mouth watering, silky smooth reels clad with braid. And lures! Lots of lovely, fantastic, shiny, amazing .... Lures! I could feel the kind of buzz I distinctly remember when I first got in to fly fishing.

With brilliant names such as Zonk, Xorus Patchinko or the Jackson Athlete Minnow it is hard not to be drawn into this game. But there is much more to lure fishing than being a tackle tart. What a brilliant method of fishing which has so many similarities that simply must appeal to all but the most ardent of fluff-chuckers. Its highly mobile, the lures have a variety of actions and in many cases it is highly important to "work" the lure with subtle wrist flicks. This is when the specialised rods really kick in, especially when coupled with non stretch braid which offers an unbelievable amount of sensitivity. But best of all this is light tackle fishing which can be enjoyed in conditions which rule fly tactics out.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Henry for taking me along on one of these trips, as this is his chance to get some fishing after a season spent behind a camera rather than a rod. All manner of lavish tackle was thrown my way, plus lures (sorry, I did lose a few!) and I even learned some new knots. I must also extend my thanks to Cian, plus his friends James and Paul who had never met me before and yet offered advice, their time and knowledge to ensure that we had an amazing trip. The fish were not easy to come by, but fishing is not all about catching. Its the experience. I will never forget this week, especially as I have now found lure fishing. In fact tomorrow I head to Chew Valley Lake with good mate Karl from Leeda to fish for Pike and will be my goal to hook one on a lure! Now that's a first.

Dreamy Deveron Salmon Fishing

2010-10-13T18:40:00.012+01:00

I guess while I am trying to decide which platform & designer to commission to redevelop my blog I may as well being using this one. Especially when the fishing has been great recently! I have been busy as usual guiding throughout the year and managing the shop, but also made time to enjoy a bit more fishing myself this year. It is an occupational hazard .... become a guide .... go fishing less! But I would not have it any other way, especially when fantastic opportunities to visit venues such as the River Deveron arise. 45 minutes fishing and this fresh little beauty had snaffled a Red Flamethrower.

Salmon anglers often head for well known Rivers in the North East of Scotland such as the Dee and the Spey. But the reality is that the Deveron is a very well kept secret. Checking out the hut (which was closer to a small cottage..... complete with wood burning stove, tables, chairs, magazines and refreshments!) provided by the Marnoch Lodge Fishings my eye was drawn to a large map of the river and the best fish caught during the last few seasons. 30lbs, 25lb 8oz .... my eyes were out on stalks! A few days into the trip and fishing the last hour of light I was hit by the most powerful fish I have ever hooked in UK waters. It literally tore me to pieces, screaming off down stream, before unleashing a turn that Michael Jackson would have been proud of. Stripping line like a mad man, I got back in touch with the fish for seconds. But its plan had worked a treat, the line fell limp and I was left to dribble on the bank. I did not stop shaking for an hour. Seriously.

The weird thing is that although I would have given away a reasonable amount of flies, line, rods and quite possibly blood to see that fish, I was so in awe that I couldn't be upset. I felt privileged to have hooked it. It always helps when "the one that got away" is witnessed too and I could sense that both Alasdare & Stuart wanted me to land that fish, just as much, so they could take a look too. But alas, it was not to be and I will need to return. In the meantime we still managed some awesome fish. Add to this some great laughs (in fact we rarely were not laughing), stunning scenery, some obliging weather and the hospitality offered to us by the Marnoch staff (in particular, Shaun) and this ranks alongside one of my top 10 trips of all time. And how easy is it? Jump on a plane from Exeter, get off at Aberdeen and why bother heaving bags? We sent our gear up by courier. Talk about easy fishing and it does not get better than hunting down big wild fish with the fly.

This was my best fish of the week tipping the scales at 15lb. Coloured yes, but a magnificent specimen of a Cock Salmon in spawning colours. It too fell for the Red Flamethrower on a pool which produced the majority of our sport, Lower Hummies.

Great company is so important during a fishing trip and it doesn't come much better than Alasdare Lambert. Laid back, ready for a giggle and a fishing nutter. He also likes a glass or two (make that a bottle!) of red wine and its just lucky that this fantastic 14lb specimen took when it did ... yes you have guessed it .... a Flamethrower but this time Orange. Poor old Al was looking a little worse for wear after an evening of cheap red wine and stories of giant man eating Lamprey. Its a long story and not relevant right now! Needless to say that Al's hangover suddenly disappeared as the adrenalin kicked in and he realised he was hooked up to a decent sized fish. I don't think he fished for an hour afterwards. Scottish Salmon (in fact all Salmon) are very special and I can quite understand anyone who sits back to relax and savour the moment. Especially as this was Al's personal best Salmon.

However, if you wish to live the moment all over again ... get the fly back in the water. After a full week on the water it was very noticeable how the fish would suddenly start taking and then switch off. Also very apparent were the movements in barometric pressure. Every fish we caught was on a rise or a level Barometer and I have to say that after a few years using my Casio Protrek watch with a built in atmospheric pressure gauge I am sold on the theory that Salmon rarely take when there is a pressure drop.

Enough technical waffle. Stu, who lives in Aberdeen will no doubt be heading back to the Deveron soon. After a couple of quiet days he cracked it on the Lower Hummies pool, with the Red Flamethrower and an Intermediate line to land this, his largest Salmon to date at 10lbs. What a week, we all landed our best Salmon during the trip. Most important of all, each and every one went back safely. There were more, but these were the best fish. The very best fish .... well ... they all got away of course!

More about the Deveron soon. Right now I need to get back home and start putting together my gear for a trip to Ireland next week. And tonight when I close my eyes I will relive that moment when an unseen monster chewed me up and spat me out. Speaking with the owner of the fishery today he tells me that Shaun is reporting a fish resting in a pool (Falconers) that is in excess of 35lbs. Did I hook it? Who knows .... all I know is that the Deveron is the stuff of dreams.

Big Brown Trout worth Blogging

2010-05-13T18:42:00.008+01:00

Hello all! You may have noticed that this is my first blog post for nigh on half a year. Where did the time go, seems like only a moment ago I was sneezing into a tissue! Since then we have enjoyed (endured?) the coldest winter on record, its still bloody cold and now we have the Clergoron government. Yeah, yeah, Nick, tell us news not history. Wheres the blog been? Well I have been lets say quite busy. Those of you who have visited the shop recently know just how busy as the refurbishment is now 90% there. Tons of stock in too (including new brands Orvis, Airflo & Loop) and just a few finishing touches to go before I start on the next project (or two) But more of that soon, check out my Twitter page as I have been micro blogging away on that for months ... Click for the Nick Hart Twitter Page and I will keep you updated as the new projects complete.

So back to the blog. Of course I usually fill this up with all the people I take out on my fly fishing courses while adding some notes regarding our adventures and the occasional review. More of that soon. But for the moment I have to say that in 2010 I am making sure that I am not only booking out days to spend guiding or managing the shop. Instead after 4 years of growing the shop, raising a family and generally doing some quite crazy hours I have realised that I just have to get back out on the water more often. I had got to the point of rocking backwards and forwards on my office chair a little like a junkie, mumbling to myself. At this juncture I knew that something had to be done and before long had booked in some Chew trips, a couple of competitions, a session on the Bourne, some Sea Trout fishing in Wales and of course how could I possibly forget Farmoor?

And so with a couple of good buddies, James Warbrick Smith and Lewis Hendrie, we descended upon this incredible venue with a growing reputation expecting to sample some of the hard fighting Rainbow Trout which this Oxford based still water has to offer. I could not have imagined for one second what was in store. Rather than bore you with a blow by blow account I am going to post some pictures here and in my next post a short video to show just how strongly this fish swam away. What a great advert to keep those Catch & release sceptics at bay. Plus I have added the press release circulating the web right now. While this Brown was an amazing event and one I will never forget for the rest of my days, in all honesty the Rainbows we caught made it equally spectacular. Super hard fighting fish weighing up to 8lbs. In fact a 4lb razor finned fish was pretty much average!!! In recent weeks James, a Farmoor specialist, has taken them to 13lbs! Before I wear out the exclamation mark key ....

Sorry once again about the lack of posts, there are moves afoot to resurrect my blog but on an entirely new platform, so watch this space. Thanks to those who have kept checking back. Now do the sensible thing. Take a day off work, pack the rod and get down to Farmoor, I know I will be! And before I forget a VERY late happy new year and I wish you an incredible season ahead.

Copy Press Release Circulated 12/05/10

NEWS STORY: Leviathan Farmoor Brown Trout

Farmoor 1 in Oxford is gaining a reputation for its ability to produce grown on Trout of superior quality and Hart Flyshop owner and full time fishing guide Nick Hart has been making the two and a half hour journey from his home in Devon to sample some of the fantastic sport that this catch & release venue has to offer.

During a recent trip Nick hit the jackpot when an enormous Brown Trout appeared close to the margins and showed signs of feeding. Several attempts were made to get the massive fish to eat but staunchly ignored until Nick extracted a Mini Minky from the box of James Warbrick-Smith, a Farmoor specialist who has caught several specimens to double figures.

Nick said “as James passed me the fly I just knew it was the one. I have fished with James all over the world and he has the ability to tie meticulous flies that have “eat me” written all over them. The fish had entered a bubble line created by a pipe running treated water back into the lake, so by using the current I was able to get a really natural presentation of the tiny bait fish as the highly mobile mink fur wafted in the current. Farmoor is home to many species including coarse fish and we had seen several fry near the margins during the day. The Brown could not resist my imitation and without hesitation accelerated and snaffled the fly.”

“We could not control our excitement as I set the hook and line began pouring from the reel. First and foremost I was keen that we beat this fish in quickly to ensure that it could be revived and returned as soon as possible. I am lucky enough to spend a huge amount of my time guiding people and see my fair share of fish but my heart was pumping hard throughout the fight and when it hit the net I could not contain my emotion. What all the whooping and hollering from far off must have looked like I don’t know!”

“Lewis Hendrie, an up and coming young guide was also with us and it was left to him to expertly net the fish. Then by using an SLR camera and our iPhones the two guys were able to rattle off some shots in a matter of seconds. With pictures in the bag we all sat looking at the fish in astonishment as we gently revived it in the margins. The Brown had taken less than 5 minutes to land and was in good health. We were all elated to see it power away into the depths”

Farmoor stocks Brown Trout at around 2lb so this specimen was a true grown on giant that has spent many years gaining weight in the depths of Farmoor. However it is not its first mistake as the same fish had been previously captured at a weight of 17lb 7oz. Judging by the overall length and girth of this fish it weighed every bit of that. However Nick was keen to see the fish go back alive and felt that the extra trauma of recording an exact weight was not worth the risk to the leviathan’s health. In Nicks words “it was just a privilege in its own right to see this fish and I owe a massive vote of thanks to my mates James and Lewis for all their help in ensuring we got a record of the fish. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience made all the better as we were out on a day out together and a fishing moment that will live with me for the rest of my days. This Brown eclipsed my previous personal best Reservoir Trout and I don’t expect to beat it in a hurry, if ever!”

Fly Fishing versus THE FLU!

2009-11-24T18:49:00.006Z

Allowing Parisian outfit Accent Mix by Vmix FM to pump electronica through my eardrums (at quite a high volume) is probably not the best cure for the Flu. But its more enjoyable than Nurofen. So while melodic tunes course through the office what else can I do to help cure this quite pointless illness?

A trip to the cinema last night to enjoy the Fly Fishing Film Festival may have helped, but its that time of year when the phone rings constantly and the web orders spike as gifts are stockpiled for more than a few lucky anglers. So work had to come first and unfortunately the same has to go for the Itchen trip I had been invited to attend later this week. Two kicks in the butt and then my missus gives me flu, thanks sweetheart!

Nick who organised the film festival event playing out of the Exeter Vue Cinema on 24/11/09 was on the phone earlier today I understand (I was blowing my nose at the time!) and I am sure the evening was a massive success. This review regarding the London showing earlier in the year by Charles Rangeley-Wilson certainly seems very favourable.

A quick break to tap out a blog is definitely helping my flu head and I always enjoy a bit of Twitter in between booking in courses or chatting about the latest in fishing tackle. My new iPhone is here to help with that (how did I live without the calender???) but right now I don't really want to go near the touch screen. I doubt you need the gory details! So gadgets are out too ... (is the iPhone guaranteed against snot!?)

So when I am feeling like life has just given me a kick in the arse there is no better thing to do than think about a particular fishing day or perhaps a fish? So right now I am thinking about this ....

Do reservoir Rainbows get much better? This fish taken on Farmoor last year was just one of an epic haul that James Warbrick-Smith and I enjoyed. I am feeling better already as I begin plotting a new Farmoor trip to make up for the Itchen, the need for overtime and my snotty iPhone!

Pretty Fly Weekend

2009-11-18T18:06:00.017Z

There is a huge amount going for fishing in general these days and blogs, social networks and forums are all doing their bit to help. I rarely if ever post on forums but now and again I stumble across a thread that is running close to all out war as yet another piscatorial warrior has their say.

I guess that the web allows for this and fair enough, freedom of speech is important. However, I can't help but think that plenty of these unseen wannabe journalists seem to be forgetting that the subject they are discussing is supposed to be .... FUN. Take this weekend for example, to celebrate my 35th birthday I headed off with my better half in the Rado. That was fun, until we hit the M5 and one of the worst rain storms for years hit the South West. But undeterred we continued towards our destination, The Bull Hotel in Fairford, Gloucester.

Upon arrival we met up with a great bunch of people who had also descended on the hotel in pursuit of fun. This was soon forthcoming in the form of many pints of bitter, which was not only fun but helped me to forget the previous few hours dodging articulated lorries, excess surface water and a number of collisions! Sat in the toasty warm lounge laughter ensued as we prepared ourselves for a couple of days on the River Coln. The forecasts were not looking good but it is amazing what a few pints does for the confidence!

We awoke to blue skies and sun, the 3B bitter had worked! Full English down and it was off to the river. This is where the fun really began as we realised that our general attire would probably not go down well with the type of traditional angler who seems to think fishing is about "the proper way to do things" rather than "fun". Take a look.

Above: Fly fishing newbie Loz, fast becoming fly fishing junkie. Baseball cap, shades, a pair of fake breasts and rod over the shoulder ... on a chalkstream ... in England? My god, what next, a nymph on the end of the leader?

Above: Loz again, striking a pose. Could we see NDubz out on the bank soon?

Above: Dave demonstrates how to hold the rod when the fish needs two hands.

Above: Paul and the hip flask, possibly the most traditional part of the day .... and a lot of fun. Note the current rod over the shoulder look.

Above: I am a fan of indicator fishing, in fact I love it. If its good enough for the guides in Montana than its good enough for me. Here I am covertly carrying Strike Out yarn. Possibly the look of 2010?

Above: And if that doesn't work, hide it under a Buff.

Above: In between the childish giggling and gangsta fly fishing imagery we did find some time to wet a line. And it was damn tough! The water was coloured due to heavy rainfall and at times we were lashed by gales, but we stuck in a full day session and some Grayling did succumb. Here is the best fish of the trip to Daves rod. A very special specimen as it is his first ever Grayling.

It had been a wet, fairly unproductive weekend of fly fishing. In fact I reckon I have caught more Grayling in 5 minutes on a Southern Chalkstream than I did during the entire weekend. But the challenging conditions made it all the more rewarding and the thought of a warm fire and a decent pint waiting for us back at the hotel provided yet more inspiration. Overall though it cemented in my mind that fishing is what we make of it and above all, it must be fun. Thanks guys for a great weekend!

New Generation Fly Fishers

2009-11-09T17:19:00.011Z

Just recently I read somewhere, in a fishing magazine, that there are 3 types of British fly anglers. The small water fly fishers, who apparently have plenty of money and are usually over 60. Then there are the reservoir anglers ... who are reported to be feeling the full effect of the financial crisis! Really, whys that then? The final group identified are those who compete in competitions. It was suggested that this sector formulate a lot of the new techniques that appear on the scene. I agree in part with the latter statement. As for the rest of it .... rubbish!

So what qualifies me to make this statement. Well, I count myself incredibly fortunate to rub shoulders with anglers from all walks of life on a day to day basis and for what its worth here is how I see the scene today.

1) There is a whole new generation of fly angler out there emerging. There is no doubt about it. I see them on courses, we see them at the fishery and look at websites like this. Young people getting off on fly fishing.

Above: The right side of 30 years old, James Groombridge loves fly fishing. Pictured here with a Grayling he extracted from the Exe this summer.

2) I think small stillwaters are great. A brilliant training ground, a kind of fly fishing equivalent of the golfers driving range, but let us face facts, this is scratching the surface of what may lay ahead. Within hours of learning to cast, many of my guests are quizzing me on Wild Trout Rivers, Bass, Pike and even the Tropics. We live in a world of information and times have changed. Marketing has created a fly fishing lifestyle that many wish to plug into and sorry, there is no offence intended here, but they are not all OAPs!

Above: If you are fed up with Trout then cast your fly at a Pike, or maybe a Mullet, or a Grayling, or a Bass, or a Chub, or a .... you get the picture!

3) Opinions are changing. We live in a far more liberal society these days and this even effects fly fishing. Gone are the days of Tweed. The famous material and those who fished in it (poor souls!) will never be forgotten as an important part of our history but nowadays fly anglers have learned that light breathable fabrics are far superior while the appearance of baseball caps, shades and even the odd hoody (god forbid!) has given fly fishing a whole new image.

Above: This is Fly has turned the perception of fly fishing on its head. Look really hard, and you will even find a full on rap tune and video dedicated to fishing (with some skate boarding mixed in for good measure) within its many varied and imaginative pages. Click here to see that video, pick Issue 5, page 37.

4) Tactics have changed too. Some may not like indicators. Simple, don't use them. Others hate Blobs or even fast sinking lines. Fine, don't use those either. But surely we should not try to put a stop to this progress? After all if the thought of watching what is effectively a float with a fly suspended below attracts a young kid with a coarse fishing background into fly fishing should we not rejoice? And why the barriers anyway? Increasingly I speak with anglers who are into all manner of fishing disciplines which has got to be good for the image of the sport as a whole.

Above: Love or hate them, indicators are here to stay. You can buy yours here

5) There is more great value fishing available than ever before. The Dulverton Angling Association is a great example and if Wild Trout don't do it for you then how about an adventurous day chasing Pike, the permits are often ridiculously cheap. But lets hark back to the small stillwaters too. At this time of year these venues offer some great sport, often located not far from our homes or place of work. Here at Exe Valley our high rate ticket is £25 for 5 fish. £5 per fish and a great day out! What was once perceived as an elitist sport for the rich has now become very affordable.

Above: Iain Barr is in his 30s. He goes fly fishing and has got quite good at it, becoming World Champion in 2009. Here he is pictured with his personal best Rainbow Trout weighing in at 14lb 9oz Can you think of a better way to part with twenty five quid?

I could go on but to sum up with a brand new year just around the corner I for one am very excited at the great atmosphere I feel around fishing in general right now .... even though I am 35 later this week! Best of all, I have a whole weekend of fly fishing to look forward to, a trip up the M5 in the Rado and Hardy Demons have just gone 4 piece.

River Anton Grayling

2009-11-08T12:02:00.012Z

This is a busy time of year as we ready the shop for Christmas and these days the fishery also sees an influx of anglers who have learned that the cooler months often offer the best sport. Traditionally this is also a period when guests book in to start a winter course of casting, pepping up their game in readiness for the new season. And of course there are also Grayling.

Just last week I was out with Paul, Phil and Damian who enjoyed there first ever Grayling day on a chalkstream. The Anton was the venue of choice and here are a few memories from the session.

Paul's first ever chalkstream Grayling. The smile says it all!

Having settled Paul and Damian into the swing of things I set off up river to find Phil. When I found him he reported 6 fish to his rod already! We found a pod of Grayling together and I began working on them with Phil, watching his leader for any signs of movement. This was a technique that Phil had not used before but he soon mastered it and extracted several more fish including this pretty specimen above. And just look at the vegetation all around. This is a very well kept chalkstream but has the feeling of being wild, in many ways preferable to over manicured beats. Phil also hooked a sizable out of season Brown which snatched the fly away from our intended Grayling, tore all around the pool, jumped and spat the hook! Great sport and great weather, shirt sleeves in October ... can't be bad!

The Anton - well kept, not over manicured and stuffed with Grayling!

What a lunch! Paul turned up with an incredible spread consisting of Hunters Sandwiches, Pasties and a stunning Bakewell Tart. All topped of with some decent Ale! The Anton is home to several fishing huts that proved to be the ideal venue for this bank side banquet.

Team Grayling. Waders on, pasties and beer in hand ... rods at the ready and a whole afternoon of River Anton Grayling to enjoy. Does life get much better?

Post lunch bonanza. Phil adds to his tally as the ladies of the stream continue to find his charm irresistible!

Damian with his best fish of the day and what a run around it gave us. Three times it almost took but then refused a dry. A nymph got eaten, but rejected before Damian could react and then many casts and changes later we got it all right. The fish actually accepting the original nymph once more! There is little that compares to such visual fishing and Grayling unlike Trout give anglers plenty of chance to tempt them.

Paul with the best fish of the day.

I have many incredible adventures with my guests but some days stand out and this will be one of them. An awesome river, 3 great guys, a top notch lunch and shoals of hungry Grayling. Such events live with me forever and are made all the more memorable when someone takes the time to drop me a line about their experience.

"Thanks for yesterday it was one of the best days fishing I have ever had." Paul Prictor, Swindon 2009

I can see Grayling but not Frogmen

2009-11-06T11:58:00.007Z

Don't fall in, yes I am posting a 2nd time this month! But I wonder whether I should because I have got top admit to something. I can't see Frogmen.

Take a look at the picture above. The frogman is pretty obvious right? About as obvious as this Pike. Well, I admit, I didn't see him until he was pointed out. Guiding Phil Frapple on beat 4 of the River Anton we had enjoyed some great success throughout the day when towards the back end we neared the section close to Goodworth Clatford. Wide and shallow I fancied that we should leave proclaiming that "this is not the best of the fishing Phil. Look how spooky the Grayling are in the shallow water". To which Phil very calmly replied (as if it were an everyday occurrence) "yes, and the Frogman won't help much either". "Frogman!" I said "What Frogman!?" Trying to hide his look of amazement Phil pointed upstream in exactly the direction I had been looking. In fact I had already spotted the Grayling that I then realised were sat not in front of a log or other obstruction but indeed a Frogman!

Needless to say it was one of the most bizarre experiences of my guiding career and also one of the most amusing. By the end of the day my ability to see fish but not frogmen became hotly debated between Phil and his two mates along for the ride, Paul and Damian. The debate did involve a high degree of taking the piss of course. In all honesty who can blame them!

My excuse was of course that I focus so hard on finding fish that I block out everything else, including Frogmen. The excuse lead to more piss taking. And feel free to take the piss yourselves if you like, I admit that I deserve it! And I should take even more flack because before Phil could get a cast in the Frogman surfaced. I would have loved to have seen our faces at that point!

So who was the Frogman? Well if you have a UK rod licence then you will be aware of this mans work, because once his disguise was removed it revealed top wildlife artist David Miller. See his fantastic work here. David had been baiting Grayling so that he could film them in readiness for future pieces. In all honesty this chance meeting only added to the occasion and on our return to the lower beats yet more Grayling came to the net. Although of course each time I spotted a fish .... I suffered! I don't think I will ever be allowed to forget my lack of observation! More about the River Anton trip soon. And if you fancy a crack at this beat yourself and the opportunity to bend my ear over the frogman, drop me a line for details.

The Hectic World of Fly Fishing ... usual service resumed!

2009-11-05T13:08:00.013Z

Whoops .... there went October! One post later its already Guy Fawkes night and after this I guess its downhill towards Christmas. The trouble is these days I am spending less and less time at the computer (actually that's a good thing!) in between guiding and running Hart Flyshop ... so my chances to blog are few and far between. But that is about to change ... all thanks to the iPhone.

I am signed up with the Orange mobile network although I came very close to signing up with O2 during the summer, such was my desire to get my hands on an iPhone. But the O2 signal around here is terrible so I hung on and was very pleased when Orange announced their new deal allowing them to sell the iPhone. I for one cannot wait to get my hands on one ... especially as I know a ton of friends and more than a few guests who own one. Just last week I was growing more envious by the moment during a guided session on the Anton as one of my guests, Damian, showed me the benefits of this incredible gadget. So in 2010 my posts will often be live from the riverbank and judging by some of the great experiences I have enjoyed alongside guests recently this will bring a whole new dimension to the world of Nick Hart Fly Fishing & Hart Flyshop.

Take last week for example with two of my regular guests Tim and Tony. Fishing the River Test during a perfect Autumnal day the duo managed to extract Grayling after Grayling on a mixture of techniques, although sight fished Pink Hares Ears Shrimps did most of the damage. We went for long tapered leaders in the clear water, tipped off with fluorocarbon and it was imperative to lift the nymph in a seductive manner with the help of the rod tip. A straight dead drift resulted in a very few takes. The tackle of choice was a 10'0" Streamflex which makes for excellent control when practicing this technique. Here are a few memories from the day.

The days just got started but already Tim has banked his first Grayling of the day measuring in at 17" This fish required a couple of fly changes and I altered the leader diameter for Tim too, its always satisfying when a change pays off.

All the fish caught during the session were safely returned including this specimen, Tim taking one final chance to display that famous iconic fin.

Tony Kaye gets in on the action too with another pristine chalk stream Grayling. These are never the cheapest venues to fish but look at the clarity of that water in the background. Hard to resist.

There was no stopping Tim, in one hectic 20 minute spell he banked another 6 fish. By lunchtime he was approaching a double figure tally after just a couple of hours of fishing. Numbers don't matter of course, but hit it right and big catches are possible. The Test was rammed full of Grayling and this year the average size is well up on past seasons.

A well earned rest and lunch out of the back of my trusty fishing wagon. This Toyota has done me proud now for 7 seasons! I was going to change it this year and then found my dream Black VR6 Corrado. I hope to get my hands on a G60 in the future to pair up with my 16V and then I have the full set. Oh and by the way many thanks to the Aston Martin and Evo owners I shared some time with during my trip back down the A303 from The Phirm on Monday. I digress .... lunch hit the spot so it was time for some more fishing!

After lunch we ran into someone else looking for a meal. See above. Can you spot it? Answers on a postcard please! And I almost packed the Pike gear!

After a few more River Test Grayling I loaded up the truck and transported Tim and Tony to a stretch of the Anton, a tributary of the Test that joins the main river close by to the Mayfly Inn. Tim was soon aggravating the Anton residents too!

Tony sporting the fashionable one hand Grayling fin up "rod over the shoulder pose", a look finished off with one of our great baseball caps. Get yours here. And this was the deadly fly, Grayling cannot resist them! Buy your Pink Hares Ear Shrimps here.

Tomorrow .... can you spot fish? Then you should be able to spot a frogman!

The New Season is here

2009-10-04T15:14:00.006+01:00

Of course I am being ironic with the title of my post today. The season has sadly closed on many of our West Country Rivers. To this day I still feel that dull feeling sweep over me as the realisation kicks in that summer has gone and the Wild Browns have a 6 month holiday to look forward to. Back when I was a young kid it felt like the end of the world.

Fortunately we now have a season extension on the Exe, Barle and Torridge while the Grayling provide some amazing sport through the winter. Not to mention Pike, let us hope the canals remain clear this year and I have also found a new lake to fish. Further afield there is the Los Roques trip taking place in February 2010 and I also caught up with an old mate a few days ago who has invited me to Florida. It sounds like he has some incredible fishing there in an area infrequently visited by guides and home to plenty of double figure Bones. I love the Keys, so this has to be investigated!

I spent my last official day of the season on the beautiful stretch of the Mole that I guide upon for Salmon and Sea Trout. The weather was beautiful .... but the water low. Aubrey and Kate were hoping for a Salmon (even after their encounter with the King of Tweed the day before) and so we set off in the truck full of hope. Arriving at the river confirmed more than my worse fears, the water appeared lifeless, accept for the constant rises of Trout. However, it was the Salmon we wanted and there just wasn't the flow to provide effective fishing. We had a go in some turbulent areas and were almost about to give up when I spotted a fish, and then another ... and another. 7 in total, all lying in clear water, close to a deeply undercut bank.

For hours Aubrey tried to fool those fish with a huge nymph variant thrown up stream and then lifted in front of the fish. We provoked some response but not a hook up. Unfortunately the fresh fish in the pool would not settle and the specimen we were after (that would have been pushing double figures) looked stale and uninterested. Even so it was hugely entertaining and exciting to watch these fish have the odd glance at our offering, especially when an unseen fish that would have been well into mid doubles shot out from under the ledge and towards our fly!

This "lifted nymph" technique is something that I am going to try much more often in the future as I have been thinking of a number of circumstances in which it will work. So much of our fishing can be based around the text book, but it never hurts to think out of the box. Check out this stunning 12lb Sea Trout for example taken by William Daniel earlier this year while fishing in Iceland. He tempted the fish on a size 16 nymph and landed it on just 6lb leader! Anglers don't come much more enthusiastic than William, who runs a brilliant guiding service on the southern chalk streams, check out Famous Fishing for details.

I have a lot more guiding to look forward to and thank those of you who have written to me during the last few weeks regarding our days spent together fishing. Its great to get your feedback and I look forward to catching up with you all again soon.

1 day novice course

Dear Nick

Thank you on behalf of Bob for a truly fantastic day yesterday. He had a brilliant time and was on a real high when he got back! He was full of praise for your expert tuition.

Best wishes.

Kathy Eldridge

Cornwall, Sept 2009

1 day novice course

Hi Nick,

Thank you for the photo and an excellent days tuition, the whole weekend was perfect.

Cheers

Lester

South East, Sept 2009

1 day guided fly fishing and survey of River on behalf of owner

Thank you so much for such a wonderful day on the Mole last weekend. I’ve never had so much success in a single day but the most important thing I come away with is a new belief… that the river is actually full of fish and that i should expect to catch lots of them! Your guidance on every detail was awesome and i can't wait to get fishing again to apply it all. I realise that it's all for nothing unless I can nail my casting technique and so I look forward to booking in a session on this. Thank you also for all your advice on managing the rights and the banks.

Robin Davies

Southern England, Sept 2009

The Fly Fishing Jobsworth - Dress Code - Tweed

2009-09-29T18:36:00.006+01:00

I am all for tradition. Its our roots after all. Nostalgia and all that. But today I came across the worst sort of tradition. The encounter was with a couple of individuals that (amongst many words a little strong for this blog) I could only come to refer to as a miserablists. I know miserablist is not a word in the dictionary, but it should be, there are too many miserablists around these days.

The first miserablist in question had arrived upon the other bank of the stretch of river we were fishing, obviously hoping to have a cast. But, before we could exchange pleasantries the gentlemen then disappeared inside his fishing hut, reappeared momentarily and then he was gone again. I think he was hiding.

The calm before the storm

Meanwhile a guest who I have been guiding for many years was grinding out cast after cast, hoping for a last minute Salmon. I use the word "hope" because we should always really be "expecting" a fish, but in the current low water, hope is nearer to the truth. Meanwhile my other guest (the daughter of the Salmon angler) was flicking a nice cast upstream, around 50 yards down the pool. The fishing was slow, although the consistent aerobatics of several Salmon waiting for some fresh water maintained our enthusiasm. Everything was peaceful although we were all wondering what the stranger hidden in the hut was up to. We did not need to wait long to find out.

There was a commotion and a man burst from the woods. The angler in hiding appeared and exchanged a few words with the man, there was some general nodding (in our direction) and then the man from the woods set off towards us. Clad from head to toe in Tweed, sporting a tie and a flat cap we could tell from his body language that he was not about to enquire if we were having any success.

No good afternoon either. Instead there followed a barrage of "rules" and "in all the 70 years that I have been fishing", topped off with "what do you expect, your wearing a baseball cap and shades!?" In essence we were made to feel that somehow we were not quite adequate. I guess that Tweed blokes plummy accent and the arrival of an interpreter in the form of a lady with an equally plummy accent did not help. Over his bellowing I doubt he could hear anything which his interpreter or I were saying. Or perhaps he just didn't want to hear. He was after all a miserablist himself. My guests found it highly amusing and we dined out on it for the remainder of the afternoon. The fishing being slow it did make for some excitement.

But this encounter left a sour taste in my mouth, not only because I pay good money to lease the beat but more importantly because there is no room for this kind of behaviour. It does fly fishing no favours. I am not saying for one moment that those who wear Tweed all behave in such an ill mannered or ill tempered way and of course I understand that the sport that I make my living is steeped in tradition. However the kind of jobsworth I had the displeasure of meeting this afternoon personifies an element of fly fishing tradition that I hope disappears sooner rather than later.

Crossing the borders of Fly Fishing

2009-09-27T15:52:00.009+01:00

When I first started out with this blog I frequently posted pictures of our guests with their catches, from the lake here at Exe Valley. One such angler is Lester Beckett seen here with his first ever Rainbow Trout taken on a fly. A Buzzer of course! However as the shop has become busier and busier, my chances to size pictures in photoshop and load them up here have reduced drastically. However Lester got me thinking because although he has only just cast a fly in anger for the first time yesterday he was already keen to see what opportunities lay before him, other than stillwater Trout. This is a recurring theme that I have noticed more and more during the last couple of years as the diversity of fly fishing continues to expand.

Lester comes from Zimbabwe and so the air was soon filled with talk concerning the possibility of Tiger fish on fly. However he would have to try that the next time he visits, as Lester currently resides in the UK. I therefore suggested that Pike or maybe even Zander gave the best opportunity of something toothy to target. But to tackle these fish requires some hefty gear and plenty of line speed so my advice was to practice hard and build a seriously good set of foundation casts before moving into the realms of double haul and other advanced techniques required for distance casts with large flies. It is great to have a goal but I have witnessed many fly anglers attempting to run before they can walk which results in nothing more than frustration and sometimes anger. Whats the point in that, fishing is after all supposed to be fun?

However, there are plenty of fish that Lester can tackle before he becomes a familiar face on his local canal. One such fish is the Grayling. In just a couple of weeks hordes of fly fishers will head to their favourite haunts in search of this beautiful species which appear frequently in our guests catches. See here for some recent Grayling captures. I have several dates booked to guide the species but I have to say more than any other this is a fish that I try to fish for myself as regularly as possible, the winter season providing me with a little extra time to enjoy a few days. So far I am looking forward to a weekend on the Coln and some days on the Itchen & Test.

I look forward to those days but at present all eyes are on the Salmon. I have guests here this week to fish for them and although the water is now low on the Exe, we have had a release of water from Wimbleball Lake that has definitely stirred the fish up. And if the Exe does not produce then I also have the Mole and the Torridge which of course will have a few straggler Sea Trout running them too. The Exe and The Torridge both benefit from season extensions so if we get some rain then good sport can be had as I found out last season, capturing this fish just the before the extension expired.

A winter season enjoying some Grayling (and of course the pike) is an exciting prospect in itself but I must admit that my latest obsession comes in the form of 4 wheels. As many of you who have spent time fishing with me over the years will know I am more than just a little bit of a petrol head. My own weakness being VWs and in particular the Corrado. After 6 years of waiting the right one finally turned up in the form of this Black VR6, finished in Black leather. I came across the car quite by chance while looking for a new truck and still pinch myself regarding how lucky I have been.

It turns out the car had previously belonged to an enthusiast who had spent thousands adding a Quaife differential (could be good for a turbo then) and a quick shift in the process, not to mention a Magnex Exhaust, Koni Filters, GMax suspension kit (this thing rides low!) and all finished off with diamond cut Speedline rims. Putting damn near 3 litres of engine in a coupe like this equals serious fun, close to 200 bhp when standard. But of course, I won't be able to leave it at that.

Fly Fishing for Bass - An enquiry from abroad

2009-09-24T14:10:00.006+01:00

This morning I had an interesting enquiry from Dimitris Adamopoulos who is keen to target Saltwater species such as Bass on fly but also Barracuda. Here is what he had to say:

Nick, I just checked your blog and I saw that you are a fly fishing guide so i just wanted to ask you about the setup which would me the best for me. As you see in the attachment I will fly fish in the sea for sea bass and small barracudas. Could you tell me about what backing, lines (#8) , leaders and tippets are the most appropriate for those setups? The flies I am going to use is on 2 and 2/0 hooks. Should I use sinking lines or sink tip ones? Thanks for your help! Best Regards, Dimitris Adamopoulos

And he even included a diagram!

Dimitris has been discussing the option of a Greys X Flite, an OK rod but in my opinion for the kind of cash a Greys Platinum XD Saltwater would set him back it is well worth the little extra. I have used this model all over the world and have nothing but praise for it. Chasing up the rear as a budget saltwater fly rod is the Vision GT Saltwater Dimitris is also keen on the Lamson Litespeed, a reel that I have in my own collection and a product that can be relied upon, the drag systems just do not fail or lose their bite. However Litespeeds don't come cheap so other options would include the very popular Lamson Konic or the sexy Loop Multi. In all honesty though most of the smaller Bass and even Cuda don't merit a top notch drag. In which case a Vision Koma is hard to beat. As with any gear you use in the salt wash it well in fresh water after every session and keep it greased. One word of warning, don't use a shower head to rinse down. I have learned the hard way that this actually forces salt into the mechanisms.

OK so that's the main gear but we now need to take a look at fly lines. This is a huge subject and one which I could tackle I guess, blog post by blog post, but lets try and be brief now. If fishing in hot climates/warm water conditions, a fly line with a coating designed to tackle such conditions is required. Otherwise go for the cool water products, which means that even standard Trout lines will suffice. Ensure lines match the rod and select a weight forward profile or similar (rocket taper, triangle taper etc) although shooting heads are also worth a look.

Dimitris also enquires about what density of fly line he should use. Well, like all fishing this really depends on species, weather conditions etc. But as a general rule a floating line will be great for Bass, especially when fish can be seen busting at the surface (look for gull activity). Poppers are an ideal artificial to use with a floating line to cause a disturbance although I also like to fish this pattern fast on an Intermediate. They splutter, then dive in a very enticing fashion, spewing bubbles as they go. Bass and Cuda are great fun but Mackeral also offer the prospect of exciting sport and maybe even some small Tuna such as Bonito. Tackle these with a fast sinker, the Depth Finder 500 series by Airflo is spot on. On the subject of backing, 20lb to 30lb is fine and try to get 150 yards to 200 yards on the spool, just in case something very big is encountered. You never know what might take hold in the salt ... even a Great White Shark perhaps, see here!!!

The leader used to catch Bass will be the same as for Cuda, although Cudas are toothy predators that will need the addition of a wire trace to save bite offs. There are a ton of great products out there although I am particularly keen on the Dyneema cored Armour Leader by Pro Leader. This stuff is just so easy to knot. Double grinner 12" of this on to an 8' length of fluorocarbon and go fishing! Not on our website at present but we do stock it here at the shop. Also great for Pike.

Quite by chance I am off to Crete soon with the family and will definitely be sneaking out a rod so perhaps I maybe hooking a few Greek saltwater species of my own!

New Wychwood Competition Fly Box

2009-09-21T19:05:00.008+01:00

For the last year or so I have been using the great range of Wychwood Vuefinder fly boxes and many of my guests have been converted too. These brilliant products come with a range of inserts (although the slot foam is my own favourite), tough clips and a waterproof seal.

The Vuefinder is finished off with a see through lid which gives the box its name. Of course it is great to be able to look through at all that lovely fluff but far more practical is the ability to pick the deadly pattern you need, prior to opening. Very handy in the rain.

During the last year I have been using the the two sizes available for both stillwater and river fishing and have nothing but praise for them. The boxes are tough, they float (which is handy because I drop my frequently!) and fit easily into my fly pack. See here for the original Vuefinders.

But, now there is an all new addition to the range, a Big Daddy of a Vuefinder. This is the Wychwood Competition box that will store up to 1000 flies!

Think of the enjoyable evenings ahead spent by the fire stocking up your mother ship box, ready for the new season. And if your a competition angler there is an ingenious design element that has been incorporated into the reliable locking clip. A competition hook & fly gauge. In a word .... outstanding!

If you would like to be one of the first to get your hands on one of these brilliant boxes that retail for just £29.99, and take advantage of our 10% off launch deal, please see here Wychwood Competition Box

Writing this at 7.45pm and its almost dark outside, can't believe it! Oh well, lets hope we get a late spate and a few Salmon to ease the pain of the long winters nights. Although Eumer tube has me looking forward very much to a rekindled desire for fly tying, especially once our house is extended and at last I will have my own fishing den again. Cool.

Autumn Fly Fishing Tactics

2009-09-18T16:34:00.006+01:00

Brrrr ... its cold for the time of year. Fleeces at the ready, the unseasonable cold snap does not mean we have to forget the fishing! However, it maybe that the fish are not looking up so why try this? Then they (or we) get the best of both worlds.

Some people love the New Zealand dropper, others feel that it gives an angler too much of an advantage. My own opinion is that it presents a fly very realistically and that is what fly fishing is all about! This illustration is just one of many others produced for me by Andy Steer, a very talented illustrator based in the Netherlands. Very soon I will post news here of the 2nd edition of my book which is about to be finalised with the printers and contains many more of Andy's brilliant illustrations. The guy can fish too ... check this Chum Salmon.

I can't mention my book without mentioning Henry Gilbey. Henry supplied all the photographs and has just returned from an outrageous trip to Mongolia! Find out more here . On that note Henry travelled with Aardvark McLeod. These people are International Fishing Specialists and I have been privileged to host a couple of trips on their behalf. In 2010 I am heading up another trip for them to Los Roques. See how our last trip went here and if you would like more details drop me a line with your address and we will mail out both an itinerary and a brochure.

Have a great weekend ... try the New Zealand dropper!

More Big Grayling

2009-09-14T08:36:00.003+01:00

What a glorious weekend! Finally the sun has been shining, the skies were blue and best of all the fish were really switched on. My Saturday rod was Brian Frost who has been fly fishing for well over 20 years, but always on still waters. So his son decided to do something about this and purchased a Guided Fly Fishing session on a river.

We spent a half hour tuning up casting on the side of the lake, mainly discussing the requirement for a smooth stop. Brian had got used to forcing the rod when making his final presentation. But this experienced angler learned fast and soon we were stepping out on to the River Exe.

The day could not have gone better. Flies were hatching, the Trout were popping and best of all very willing to take a well presented artificial. We fished a short morning session, breaking for an early lunch as I am finding the fish are really switching on at about 1.00pm to 3.30pm, then things virtually switch off. The cooling autumnal breeze makes sure of that.

Brian's best fish of the day is shown here, another stunning Exe Grayling. Of course plenty of Wild Browns showed too although the only mishap of the day was a rather large specimen that took Brian by surprise, powered downstream and slipped the hook. The Grayling pictured was interesting. Just 20 minutes previously we had picked up another, smaller fish. After fishing for it over a 20 minute period we witnessed it move to a couple of small dry patterns but not take them. We tried a nymph or two, no good. Then back to the midge and once again it looked. So I then decided that we should throw it a real gob full and asked Brian to cast a Stimulator at it. First chuck, up it came and woofed it! This was Brian's first Grayling on his first ever river session so you can imagine his delight. Moving to the next pool we spotted the Grayling pictured skulking on the bottom. Dries had no effect, but an X Factor nymph was snapped up on the first presentation. The point here; it pays to be adaptable. Just because one method worked on a fish, does not mean it will on another and this is particularly the case when river fishing.

I am also enjoying the fact that this year we have broken away from the Klinkhammer and started alternating patterns, the Balloon Caddis and Stimlator have become particular favourites. The X Factor nymph is also going to feature regularly in catches during the winter Grayling season.

Curing Wrist Break when Casting - Movie 2

2009-09-13T09:06:00.005+01:00

Yesterday I posted a short movie I shot on Thursday with Jon McBride. This showed a classic case of "wrist break". If you missed the video check it our here.

Now wrist break is a serious problem for the wannabe fly fisher, so it was down to me to work with Jon and provide him with ways of beating this affliction, resulting in high back casts, better line control and nice tight loops.

The movie above was shot early on during session 2 and in comparison from the previous morning Jon's wrist is now far more controlled. Yes, a little more speed is required on the back cast and if anything a fraction more wrist movement. However overall this is a vast improvement. Note the left hand is close to the right and the line is starting to shoot. Perhaps the key point here is the relation of the thumb to the amount of wrist break. Check out the previous movie and you will note that Jon's thumb is "cocked", sending the tip low. However by now watching for his thumb within his peripheral vision while casting, Jon is able to stop the thumbnail reasonably upright which helps to cure wrist break. Why? Well nobody has so far been able to show me how it is possible to cock the thumb back, without bending the wrist. Therefore, an upright thumb pretty much means a firm, controlled wrist. It is not a cure all, but it will help and is one hell of a lot better than strapping the wrist which will impede movement. If you want to learn more about this or to book tuition aimed at curing casting faults or furthering your skills please see my fly casting school website here .

Casting is cool and I love it, but lets face it the whole idea is to chuck out a line and wait for it to go tight! So, once Jon was tuned up we strung up a leader and enjoyed some exciting action, the Exe Valley Trout only too happy to reward Jon's efforts!

Curing Wrist Break when Casting - Movie 1

2009-09-12T08:10:00.003+01:00

The dreaded wrist break, a problem that anyone who has picked up a fly rod for the first time will know all about! I spend much of my time working with anglers to solve this problem and over the last couple of days it has been the turn of Jon McBride from North Devon. Jon originally received his fly fishing gift voucher in 2005 but after an argument with a quad bike and some time spent in the presence of a Harley street doctor, it has taken until 2009 to make his visit. Now that he is fit and well, would I be able to cure his casting?

Here is a movie from the first morning showing a classic case of wrist break. The butt of the rod is well away from the forearm and check out the angle of the rod, this would create a low back cast.

Jon is a right handed caster, so also note the left hand dropping to one side, creating a great deal of slack during the cast.

Finally there is a lack of acceleration into the back cast and no overall fluidity.

Look out for movie 2 tomorrow when we will take a look at Jon's progress after tuition. Right I am heading to the river, big blue skies and sun! Keep up to date on Twitter.

Fish on the TV and at the Cinema

2009-09-09T16:07:00.004+01:00

Anyone who has read Charles Clovers book "The End of the Line" will know that our oceans are being plundered. Mr Clover paints a very depressing (although well researched) picture that will raise the hairs on the back of most anglers necks. In fact most peoples necks who care about the environment and its fishy inhabitants.

So last night I tuned into Hugh Fearnley Whittingstalls new programme, River Cottage: Gone Fishing, in the hope that finally a TV chef has had the good sense to cook fish that many of us would not even give a second sniff. And what a brilliant programme it was! Hugh and well known journalist Nick Fisher did not let us down as they took to the high seas in search of sustainable fish and won. On the menu were Pouting, Garfish, Mullet, Gurnards and even Launce, although this latter species did not score highly with the presenters. The others however met with the usual round of oohs and ahhs as Hugh presented them alongside some simple recipes that had me conjuring up ways that I could get away and catch a few for myself to try!

Charles Clover notes in his book that many TV chefs use fish that is currently unsustainable based on modern trawler fishing methods. It seems that this has now been addressed. While I marvel at Jamies Olivers influence on the UKs eating habits and love Gordon Ramseys outbursts, I have to say that right now HFW gets my vote. You can find out more about the programme here.

Staying with the screen I am pleased to announce a new concept in fly fishing entertainment that is about to hit the UK. That is a whole 2 hours of unadulterated fish porn on a cinema screen near you! There are tickets available for shows in London, Reading, Manchester, Edinburgh and Exeter. If any of you are interested I thought it maybe nice to put together our own crew of fish-porners, head to the show and maybe grab a beer afterwards? See here for more information and booking. If your male, how can your wife or girlfriend refuse you looking at 2 fins? And if you are not already a mad keen fisher lady, why not join the other half and see just why they are so obsessed by this fly fishing lark?!

Success on a Guided Salmon Session

2009-09-07T19:30:00.006+01:00

Over the weekend I spent a very enjoyable couple of days fishing with Tim Watson and Tony Kaye. The original plan was to go after Bass, but the fish are just not around right now. The weather is very much to blame but also I like to head to marks where 6" school Bass don't keep impaling themselves on large hooks, even if they are de-barbed. A weight 8 rod seems crazy in such circumstances but the wind condition will often dictate that it must be used. So instead of the Saltwater we turned our attention to the River Exe.

A spate just a few days before had curtailed any ideas of a Salmon for Hugh Caslake and Martin Baum who instead went after Wild Brown Trout on Wednesday as the river began to rise. See here and many thanks Hugh for your kind words received by email "Cheers for a wonderful three days - the Exe was as good as ever and the Barle, which is amazingly beautiful seems to hold a rising fish every few feet. Mart and I both lost count of the fish we caught which can't be bad can it! Hugh.

But Tim and Tony were about spot on for the Salmon. The river was up, perhaps a little clear but from the first cast I was confident that we would encounter fish and we did. Tim caught this Grilse at about 2pm in the afternoon. Just a small specimen of perhaps 6lbs and no more, plus it was a red Cock fish, but non the less a Salmon which got the adrenalin flowing. The fish was of course safely released.

The day was all the more sweet for Tim as he has had a 100% success rate on this beat, taking another Salmon back in 2007 which was in fact my very first blog posting. See here for that story. After this initial excitement the Salmon fishing died a little and only a few reports of fish came in. This seems to be changing today (Monday 7th Sept 09) and I hope that maybe a few more fresh fish may turn up. I have to say that the pulling power of Cone Head Tubes (responsible for the capture of Tim's fish) is amazing and tomorrow will give a few a swim myself as I know that the Exe just a few minutes away has produced at least 2 fish during today. You can keep up with my daily River Exe reports here

We all love to see fish return safely to their home and especially when the migratory fish in question is about to help produce further sport for the future. Here Tim's Grilse makes its way back to the depths of Bend Pool.

Mystery River

2009-09-05T19:11:00.004+01:00

Take a look at this river and you could be forgiven for thinking that it is located in the highlands of Scotland. In fact this location is set within the Exmoor National Park and I feel privileged to be able to guide there. Yesterday it battered with rain and rivers for miles around were blown but this beautiful jewel in the Exmoor countryside did not disappoint.

Guiding Hugh and Martin who were enjoying a 3 day session is always awesome fun .... despite lashings of rain and a howling wind! The beauty of fly fishing is that it takes us to some amazing places and while some need a plane ride I still never fail to be amazed by the quantity and quality of our fishing here in the West Country.

The rivers are dropping back now after the rain and pretty soon I would expect that the Salmon reports will start pouring in. Indeed just yesterday a couple of fish were taken on the Barle near Tarr Steps. Check out the cameras here and my new daily River Exe report for up to the minute information. And there is also a chance to catch up with my ramblings on Hartflyfishing at Twitter.

Fun in the Rain

2009-09-03T08:53:00.006+01:00

Now I promise this won't be my only blog post of September and hey, I did do one just a few days ago anyway .... see here. I have also got into this twittering lark, check this. Nick Hart Fly Fishing on Twitter

Anyway what a great day we had yesterday! Hugh Caslake who has been progressing as a fly angler for several years made his annual pilgrimage to our shores. Yesterday he stepped out on his favoured River Exe with me and despite the inclement weather heading towards us a few tactical changes resulted in a very successful session. After a bunch of the usual 8" Wild Browns this lovely plump Brown in prime condition snaffled a tiny dry.

Next up was a Grayling. These fish are one of my favourite of all time and I just love the fact that we can get guests into them on a frequent basis. Hugh went on to take another couple of fish of this kind of standard. Again the successful method was a tiny dry. At this time of year going smaller and dropping leader diameter can be the difference between fish, or no fish. Up leader length too. 14' plus is not too much. The successful dry in question is a tiny Klinkhammer that I asked Iain Barr to have tied for us, with a subtle pearl rib and hackle that supports the fly perfectly, this fly has accounted for a great deal of fish including this specimen Grayling. Balloon Caddis are also getting a pasting.

Hugh is visiting with Martin who has been after a Wild Brown Trout for a while now but never managed to land one. We set to work and after a little bit of casting tuition the rhythm was found and I was confident that pretty soon we would be into fish. The first one hooked jumped 3' clear of the water and threw the hook but the 2nd was kept under control and netted. That fish opened the floodgates for Martin who had a go on his own and took more Brown Trout and a Grayling which judging by his excitement was quite a fish. The camera was not there for that one but lets see what the next few days bring. The rivers are going to be out due to the heavy rainfall but we are blessed here with all manner of fishing opportunities so finding something to do won't be a problem.

Check out this rain. Hugh was even pulling fish in these conditions although a switch to the nymph was required. Not the most pleasant of weather but decent waterproofs keep the rain at bay and while I would prefer to have been guiding in short sleeves my thoughts did wander towards the chance of a Salmon. Fish are reportedly queuing up at the estuary and there is every chance of a bumper end to the season. On that note we had better head to the waters edge.

I will try harder!

2009-08-31T15:44:00.010+01:00

Thanks to all of you who have been reminding me that I do have a blog. Yes, I know, I know ... my posting has been pitiful! This year has been a weird one. After all "the news" keep on telling us there is recession and lets face it, the weather has hardly been memorable. But a lot of the fishing has been and the shop has had its busiest year ever. Granted this year I have struggled to get a days Salmon fishing in and tomorrow I really would have liked to fish the final of the Lexus European Championships which I qualified into earlier this year ... but if I am not out fishing for pleasure or in a match then that means I am out somewhere teaching, guiding, or running the shop ... a pass time, call it work if you will ... that I find as much pleasure from as I do my own fishing. All be it I must find a little more time for myself at the waters edge and also my young lad Chester who is fast approaching 3. He can already spin, I wonder how long before I can get him into the fly?! So what's been happening. Well I am not going to upload every single fish we have caught or the many videos that I have taken with my new Pentax Optio W60, I know you don't have all day! Instead lets have a look at some of the most recent stuff.

Back in early August I spent a fun morning in the company of Ben Fogle as we put together a slot for his BBC show "Country Tracks". It was all about fly fishing from kayaks and a big shout out must go to AS Watersports in Exeter who provided the boats on the day. I have my own Wilderness kayak, but it is looking a little tired now so sometime soon I will be paying a visit to AS myself. As for the programme, look out on the blog or for one of my newsletters which will provide the transmission date.

Paddling out to fish off Orcombe Point was a joy after spending a week piecing the shop back together after our time away at the CLA gamefair. The show was hard work and the weather was not kind but we were pleased with how the stand turned out, plus we had some great fun working alongside Aardvark McLeod. Many thanks to all who supported us at this event and while I am on the subject Pete has asked me to remind you about my hosted trip to Los Roques running in February 2010. Yo can see the results of my last trip here and gain further details about the next here.

Catching up with old friends and making some new ones is always a big part of the CLA but for me this year an evening spent in the company of Sam MacDonald was a highlight. Sam was on the 2009 trip to Los Roques and had returned home with a ton of material, all ready to begin sculpting some awesome pieces of artwork. During our meeting over some beers and a bit of barbecue we struck a deal and I am now the proud owner of one of the stunning Bonefish he created. You can see some of the highly original work inspired by his trip here.

Before we talk fish I must add another update regarding web cameras. Originally I reported on the Exebridge Camera, but now it is also possible to keep track of how the River Barle, River Mole, River Torridge, River Taw and River Camel are doing. Click the links to see the cameras. I have already found this service invaluable when guiding. Many more cameras are planned for the future, so watch this space!

OK, so a few fish then. This week I have been out and about all over. Its great these days as I am not just on the lake teaching, or going after Wild Browns .... instead there are Sea Trout to be caught and some of our specimen Grayling. Lets hope for some decent weather and then the Bass should show up! That said we know there is a good crop of Salmon in the lower reaches of the River Exe so a little water would not hurt and along with that I wouldn't mind a decent late summers day to bring the Carp up once more. Don't want much do I!

Here is Jim Parrot with his first ever night caught Sea Trout. I love the quiet as we slowly made our way down river, I remain fairly silent allowing my guests to drink in the atmosphere and concentrate. Then the silence is broken ... Jim hisses ... "that was a take". "Great" .... I say. We continue down Sandmartin Pool on our own exclusive stretch of the river Mole and then "Whoa ... I'm in" How I love those words! A big splash heralds the start of an action packed few minutes. Will the hook hold? Will we get snagged? Will Jim faint with excitement!? There is nothing quite like night time Sea Trout fishing and thankfully all went well. The result, this nice little Peal of around 1 1/2lbs. Jim's smiles says it all really!

Back in the daylight and it is pleasing to see how many young fly fishers we keep on attracting into the sport. For a long time I have said that the game angling press and plenty of tackle manufacturers in the fly trade continue to miss this obvious sector of our sport. James is into surfing, is just setting up his own business after graduating and is in his early 20s. But he also has a lust for fly fishing after an initial introduction many years ago by his grandfather. With just 5 trips under his belt and the last when he was in his teens, getting into a few river fish would be a big ask. I need not of worried as a bit of casting on the lake soon had James tuned up and ready. Then he went on to cast sublimely throughout the day bagging this specimen Grayling and a fine Trout amongst several others.

And if you are new to fishing, trying to get back into fishing or even thinking about fishing for the first time ..... under 30.... wondering if its cool or not? Check this out on Henry Gilbeys site here and find some Bolivian Gold. True Adventure fishing.

There is a new month ahead of us ... I will see if I can manage more than one blog post, but I am not promising ... after all there are fish to be caught. There is also a new vehicle that I have become obsessed with .... but more of that another time.

Buzzed up by the Balloon Caddis

2009-07-12T15:36:00.008+01:00

Is it me or is this year just zooming past? In just a couple of weeks the CLA gamefair opens its doors, although we will be there several days before to set up our stand. Look out for us on stand N1237 in the Fishermans Village. We have a great looking marquee which will be located right next to the all the guys and gals from Aardvark Mc Leod and the Latin American Fishing Company. Do come along and meet us, it would be great to catch up.

I will also be providing platform fishing demonstrations along with Henry Gilbey. We have been providing demos for the past 5 years although it seems like it was only yesterday that we stepped out tentatively on stage for the first time. You can bank on Henry wandering off the "script" (what script!?) to talk about fishing for Pouting or Rockling so come along and join in the chaos .... especially if you want to find out a bit more about lure and fly fishing in saltwater environments. There is a timetable of events here which includes demonstrations by Matt Hayes, Michael Evans, Hywel Morgan, Scott Mackenzie and after hanging up his CLA rods its is awesome to see him back for more ... Charles Jardine. More info on the gamefair here.

Prior to the military style operation it takes to attend this event I will be getting in a little R&R with Chris Yrazabal all the way over from Los Roques to assist Aardvark McLeod and answer all your questions about his wonderful location. I am looking forward to the day that is to be spent river fishing and I think Henry Gilbey maybe along to capture it. By the way Henry has an awesome new website that you just cannot miss. Check it out here and his internal regularly updated blog (it puts mine to shame!) although I am working on a couple of things that will change that not long after the CLA.

It should certainly keep all you piscatorial junkies happy with loads of up to date info. I can't give anymore away yet but for the moment, so if you need to relax and unwind check out the new River Exe web camera here, Exe Carnarvon River Exe Web Cam which provides a look at the river, its height and colour. Very useful!

But that's not why I started this blog post. What about these Balloon Caddis!? I had a bunch come in from Iain Barr (who is now World Champion! - see post here) and just cannot believe how devastating they are! The fish seem to have had their fill around here of Klinkhammers in Black, Grey etc., and I had tried a whole host of other stuff. Granted conditions have been tough but there has to be a way of catching fish when you can see them feeding, even if it is only occasionally. Through many days out guiding during the last few months (sorry about the blog, will try harder!) it has become apparent that when the Sedge are in the air this pattern will nail Trout after Trout ... plus a few Grayling. Fish it dry, submerged ... even strip it away from them and see what happens. It puts a Klinkhammer to shame at times!

Here is our most recent success, a fine summer Grayling to Ewan Davy who is looking pretty good considering he endured open heart surgery last year. What a fish and very well deserved. During the day I reckon we also brought up at least 20 other fish and all were after the Balloon Caddis. You can get some right here! Cream Balloon Caddis & Olive Balloon Caddis

And I have gone and done it, news for all you petrol heads soon! Right now, back to that military operation aka the gamefair!

Iain Barr is World Champion!!!!

2009-06-12T09:32:00.005+01:00

You may have noticed that my blog has been pretty much non existent for the last couple of months, well most of the year really! I have a ton of stuff to get up here but the news I received yesterday morning on my way to a session on Chew Valley lake means I have just got to get something up now .... if you have not heard already ....

IAIN BARR IS WORLD CHAMPION AND THE ENGLAND TEAM WERE GOLD MEDAL WINNERS AT THE 29th FIPS MOUCHE EVENT HELD IN SCOTLAND!

(Above) New world champion ... Iain Barr with 14lb 9oz of Exe Valley Rainbow!

An amazing result guys and an incredible achievement Iain. Huge congratulations go out to you from all the crew here at Hart Flyshop and to the other members including John Horsey who achieved 10th place, Dave Parker, Simon Robinson, Baz Reece and Howard Croston. All English rods were inside the top 30, astounding given the very tough venues and conditions experienced.

See more about the England Fly Fishing Squad here and more about the World Fly Fishing Championships here including official results. Of course we put it down to the practice Iain received while demonstrating at our Open day event held here at Exe Valley on Sat 2nd May 2009 .... it seems like yesterday! I will report some more, promise! During the open day Iain took his personal best Trout of 14lb 9oz (see above) while giving a demo and also wowed the crowd with some river fishing mastery. It was this ability that helped him catch 5 fish in one incredibly tough river section which witnessed some top names in the world drawing a blank! These fish were added to more eeked out from venues mixed between river and lake. Consistent good angling across the board is the only way top succeed.

BREAKING NEWS! If you want to meet double world gold medalist Iain Barr he will be with us on our stand at the CLA gamefair at Bevoir Castle Leics ... Iain will be our guest on the stand on Saturday. We have been selling Iain's "Captains Choice" flies pretty much since we opened up Hart Flyshop ... now you can fish with the World Champions Choice! See a huge selection at the CLA plus much more ... like I said ... more soon!!!!! Right now I am so excited about this news that I think I may need a lie down!

Once again .... WELL DONE ENGLAND!

Its time to Chew ...

2009-04-05T18:55:00.011+01:00

Thanks to Wayne Thomas who pointed out that I incorrectly billed the Hart Flyshop open day as 2nd March, of course our open day is on Sat 2nd May 2009 .... we look forward to seeing you there!

On Thursday and Friday I began winding up into the season, in fact just glancing over my diary I can see that silly season is here! But what a great way to get going. Day 1 was spent with Jon Hettle on Clatworthy where a slow start eventually gave way to a hectic spell and several well conditioned Rainbows. Successful tactic was to fish a Scientific Angler Kelly Green Intermediate and a long fluorocarbon leader. Despite feeding on Buzzers none of the fish went for our imitation, opting instead for a Mini Huey with gold body fished on the point. Fish seem to be holed up in very tight bunches, our success came at the North end.

After supper at Woods in Dulverton (which never fails to impress), Jon and I headed home for some rest and then met up early the next morning for the journey up the M5 to Chew Valley. What a venue this is, the moment I arrive in the car park my adrenalin goes into overdrive ..... and I was guiding! However guiding Jon when boat fishing is always extra special for me as I get to fish with him .... another reason for my state of excitement. I am the first to try and calm guests down when fishing, slow their reaction to situations etc., in the hope that they make the perfect cast. If only I had heeded my own advice then I may not have hurriedly ended the life of my beloved Hardy Demon 10'0" # 7 rod in the tail gate of my truck! Fortunately I had another equally favoured rod as a back up, the Greys G Tec equivalent and so pride just about intact we headed to the boat.

Upon arrival at the jetty I was in complete astonishment at the amount of fly. Buzzers were everywhere including up my nose and in my eyes. Checking above the tree tops the tell tail signs of a massive hatch were only too evident as what appeared to be smoke hovered above. In fact the mass was thousand upon thousand of flies. Although slightly chilly in a lifting fog the fish were right up in the layers and Jon was soon into them using Iain Barr Diawl Bachs (particularly the holo red version) on a floating line. Top areas were North shore, the picnic area, in behind Denny island and Moreton. The fishing was awesome but I have a new toy and it is not fishing tackle. Purchased on the recommendation of my good mate Mike Boniface I was trying out my new digital camera, a Pentax Optio W60. Now I know nothing about cameras really but what I like about this product is that it can be used underwater, for both photography and video. I have had no real time to play with it properly, but did dunk it under for a quick test during the Chew visit as Jon brought a fish to the net. For such a low priced bit of kit I am dead chuffed with the results, all be it I am no BBC cameraman! As soon as I have time to practice I have a whole host of ideas about how this could help me and therefore my guests understand more about what goes on below the waters surface. If you just have to have one then I can highly recommend the company I purchased it from Clifton Cameras

Jon sadly had to depart by 4pm, but I just could not resist the temptation of a boat for the evening on Chew. Returning to the mouth of Heron bay and then zeroing in on a pod of rising fish off Moreton point I was like a kid in a sweet shop. Fish after fish fell to the buzzers until eventually I decided to go for a totally top water approach and switch to Hoppers, taking several fish in quick succession off the surface. Truly stunning fishing that Chew has become rightly famous for and while shaking to sort leaders, degrease them, fluff up flies and make casts to moving fish I realised that more than ever I have the fishing bug ... bad! The sunset was the icing on the cake, an evening I will remember for a long time.

Loads more news for the blog soon but if you are thinking about bagging a heavyweight Exe Valley maybe your venue, here is Mike Hole from Bampton with a stunning 8lb 5oz specimen taken on Saturday. And check out Henry Gilbeys blog for a truly magnificent Pike taken by lure fishing guru Danny Parkins.

Can you believe it?

2009-04-01T17:47:00.007+01:00

I cannot believe that already we have arrived in April. close to 3 weeks have zipped past since I returned from Los Roques. But the memories of that trip will live on forever and another is already organised with Aardvark McLeod. If the reports on Los Roques ... see here (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 , Day 5, Day 6 .. Photo Essay 1 and Essay 2) .... have sent you over the edge and you just have to catch a Bonefish for yourself please drop me a line or contact Pete/Charlotte at Aardvark McLeod on .... 01980 847389 The dates are from 13th to 21st Feb 2010.

But much more unbelievable and not so upbeat is that show ... you know the one ... Extreme Fishing with that aging Z list celeb, Robson Green. My advice to Mr Green is to stick to acting and making crap pop songs. Appearing on breakfast TV to promo a show that features some of the worst fish handling I have ever seen was bad enough, to then state that "9 out of 10 fish die when released" was just the icing on the cake. In fact his entire quote was "I don't see the point in coarse fishing myself, reeling in a fish beyond recovery, just to take a picture then throw it back, as nine out of ten fish will die when thrown back."

(Above) Robson Green ... "what was the man thinking of?"

This is what happens when people such as Mr Green are given the opportunity to present a programme on a subject they obviously know so very little about. What next "Extreme Anti Angling" with Robson Green? The mind boggles! Lack of knowledge aside his presenting style is also cringe worthy. My mate Henry Gilbey gets very excited in front of the camera at catching just about any fish going and his ratings do the talking, viewers love it. But Henry really is passionate and enthusiastic, this is how he is .... camera or no camera. Mr Greens "mans" and "get ins" sound staged, ridiculous and far from extreme. So Robson, do us all a favour and try for a number one single again just make sure its not a cover of "Gone Fishing". For more on this story check here on the Angling Trust site and if you have been lucky enough to miss the programme so far but can't resist a look click here.

Rant over there has been a great deal on this last few weeks including our preparation for the open day on Saturday 2nd May 2009. So far we have Double Silver European medalist Iain Barr booked to provide both river and stillwater masterclass sessions, demonstrations that are not to be missed as Iain will be travelling all the way from the Midlands to be with us in between practicing for the 2009 World Championships. Meanwhile Peter and Charlotte from Aardvark McLeod will be on hand in our marquee to provide their expertise on International fishing venues and I am also hoping Pete will provide a presentation or two, possibly alongside Pete Gibson of Hardy Greys who is also part of the Latin American Fishing company who have recently joined forces with Aardvark McLeod. There will be food on site, I will provide a casting demonstration aimed at ironing out faults quickly and gaining extra distance while here in the shop we are taking in stock of some fantastic 2009 tackle ranges including products by Hardy, Greys, Fishpond, Vision, Rio and Loop to name just a few. Come and test a rod, ask about a reel ... anything, the doors will be open all day and of course there is no admission charge. A big fish competition will also run throughout the duration of the day, so pack some tackle! That date again ... Saturday 2nd May 2009 ... don't miss it!

(Above) Don't miss Iain Barr at Hart Flyshop on Sat 2nd May 2009

More news soon, including details of my most recent fishing programme soon to be aired, catch reports, club dates, fishing matches, tackle reviews and of course some more adventures with our guests attending fly fishing courses.

Los Roques 2009 - Photo Essay 2

2009-03-18T09:22:00.026Z

Now on to day 4 I think the whole group was amazed at how fresh we felt despite a lot of traveling, a reasonable amount of walking and of course some hard fishing. However ...

Chris Yrazabal who operates the Sightcast team who looked after us use these brilliant Pangas to ferry their clients from island to island. Quick, comfortable and reliable there is plenty of room for gear, with rods neatly stowed in racks along each side of the boat. Leaving more than enough room for tackle backs, anglers and of course the obligatory cooler box. Prepared by our fantastic Posada (Acuarela Lodge) the coolers came complete with fresh salads, sandwiches, biscuits for a sugar rush, watermelon and of course gallons of water. Just the kind of refreshment needed after hours under the sun on a flat. Its well worth remembering too that eating and drinking are not the only important factors to remaining well on these tropical trips, cover up well with a high factor sunblock, use a lip block too and I just cannot imagine a day on the flats anymore without a Buff. These are amazing and especially the new angler series incorporating UV protection which you can see here.

Here's a Buff in use covering my rather large ears! It is also covering my neck which if exposed to the sun is bound to cause illness at some point, be it sickness/diarrhoea within hours or of course the possibility of the big C. I also use my Buff to cover the rest of my face during especially hot periods and when fishing around mangroves the mosi's have no chance of getting up my nose! The cool new shark and offshore patterns don't make them that hard to wear anyway and they cost so little that investing in one for a trip is no hardship. Again I always look to what the guides are wearing and without fail all of them were covered up with Buffs, especially as the sun grew more intense through the day.

The invisible man a.k.a. Al Lambert sporting his Buff and a little snapper caught in the Mangroves. During this session Cayito our guide called to me to head back to the Panga. Thinking that Alasdare had not heard and was deeply engrossed casting at a Mangrove with his back to us I shouted loudly to him. In fact he was staring straight back at me. Very funny at the time!

While there are ridiculous amounts of shallow flats, mangrove areas, beach's and pancake flats, they are surrounded on all sides by deep ocean. Here is the entrance to a lagoon showing the considerable water movement present. This kind of dark water next to light is a particularly good place to look for Cuda. I didn't fish for these seriously during this trip but must do in the future as there are plenty to have a go at. In fact a few were landed during the week by boatmen and we ate a couple back at the lodge. Wow, Cuda is delicious! Like eating chicken. Sadly a couple of my Bonefish fell foul of these aggressive predators, one while still on the line which hit with such ferocity out of no where that I jumped out of my skin and the other had been revived only to swim straight off the flat and disappear in an explosion of water and teeth. Believe me the flats are a tough place to live out your days ... unless you are a Cuda or a Shark!

During our entrance to this lagoon another amusing moment took place as the boatman decided to take a closer look at the mangrove with Cayito the guide bellowing instructions in his ear! Look out for my mission in possible style decamp from the bow and the wave of sympathetic laughter that follows from Sam and Al! And on a serious note see the beautiful colours of the water, the clarity and the big blue sky ... life in the tropics is so tough!

This was the scene of the first Cuda attack. Hard to believe that such a sedate looking flat could unleash carnage on a Bonefish just a few minutes later. This is Alasdare with Raphael, I am out of shot taking the picture while stalking the Bonefish that became Cuda chow down.

Wildlife is an all important part of the Los Roques experience. You will see many different birds, lizards, some big spiders and of course Sharks plus a variety of fish. Now and again you will also catch a glimpse of Turtles, such as these that were being held in a tank ready for release back into the wild. At least that's what the locals told me, I hope they were not about to become soup!

The penultimate day to our trip was awesome, in fact all the days were. But getting a triple hook up on Gummy Minnows was a highlight and lots of fun with guide Raphael.

Especially as the fish were a little like those Russian Dolls ... Big (see mine!), Sam's ... medium and Stu's .... little!

The last day came all too soon. It was cool to head out for the session in the company of Stuart and Alasdare who just a few years ago had never picked up a rod. After a fly fishing course the pair became hooked and met for the first time during a hosted trip that I ran to Los Roques with Aardvark McLeod in Feb 2007. Our venue for the day under the watchful eye of Jesus (a guide who I think has vastly improved in the past few years) was Dos Mosquises, a series of islands 30 to 45 minutes from Gran Roque, situated in the far South West. It is one of the most heavenly places I have ever come across ... it was very hard to leave.

But there was fishing to be done and I was chuffed to hook up a fish patrolling the margins on one of Jesus's mini Clousers. As you can see ... I am just a little happy .... note the customary silly "I have a Bonefish on!" grin!

And the fish was gorgeous, a perfect Bone which gave me a decent scrap in the waves of the beach. This is why I love Los Roques so much, the versatile terrain. I am convinced it is the most diverse Bonefishing in the world. Contrary to popular belief these fish also do not require 25 yard casts into a 30 mile per hour wind. Instead get practiced in short, accurate casts. Gentle presentation. Casting off opposite shoulders. While also being able to kiss the water to stay low enough in a short range attack while a guide shouts instructions in your ear! Double haul would also be helpful. If you need to learn you can book a course with me right here.

Lunch was enjoyed in the shade on a little island all on its own. Stuart and Alasdare mulled over flies and tactics meanwhile ....

I amused myself by fishing for lizards. Water Melon was the top bait, followed by ham, then bread ... water melon seeds were no good so don't tie imitations for your next trip. Who needs Bonefish when you have Lizards! Watching them charge after a bait attached to some 12lb Rio Fluoroflex + (it had to be fluorocarbon!) was very amusing. Well, I found it funny anyway.

Where was Henry Gilbey when we needed him! With his expert eye he would have made so much more of this shot than I did with a hand held digital. You can see just the kind of result Henry comes up with here in his brilliant Los Roques photo essay from the 2007 trip. See the fish in the foreground with Stuart Forsyth manning the rod. I had been tracking down a bunch of Parrot fish which next time I visit Los Roques I will fish for seriously. Meanwhile Stu spotted a pod of Bonefish, chucked at them and hooked up. He had to play the fish hard and fast due to the serious amount of coral in the area. I forgot the Parrots and got behind the camera. Spotting his own fish, casting to and hooking it is a serious achievement considering this is only his 2nd ever Bonefish excursion with a gap of over 2 years.

And what a fine fish it turned out to be. I love these shots with the fish still in the water. After all that adrenalin it is a quiet moment and then seeing the fish swim away into the clear waters of Los Roques does something for the soul which is hard to describe. I can think of only one word ... magical.

Shark Attack. My adrenalin was upped again later in the day when I was abused by two fish, both hooked at short range on beautiful pancakes in the Dos Mosquises region. The first one ate a DNA fry, shot off and my line whipped up behind the butt. Gone. A few minutes later the best fish of the trip that I had a shot at (8lb plus) came into view. Arse in the water, heart rate up and adrenalin pumping I got the fish to eat the fly just yards from the tip ring. It then went into turbo charge in seconds and off the flat, my reel squealing! Afraid that any moment I may lose my fish to the coral I was off in hot pursuit and while stood on the edge of the coral with the deep blue ocean before me I felt suddenly that I may actually land this fish. Then the line just kinda fell limp. It couldn't have been coral, the fish was way out and my knots had held all week. I felt dejected. Then the boatman started waving frantically at me to go back to the boat. With all these fish on the flat and just 1/2 an hour of our trip to go? Not on your life! I just kept shouting "Mas fish, mas fish!!!". Then in the distance I heard Alasdare shout "SHARK"! Turning around I froze as just 30 feet away were 4 BIG Lemon sharks hunting along the edge of the coral. It was one of the most amazing sights I have seen and I was so awe struck that I fumbled the camera but never got to it before they were gone. A shark had devoured my last fish of the trip and it was only later that the boatman said that in fact at one point he could see 7 Lemons up on the surface! It was only afterwards that I realised how stupid I had been to follow that fish to the edge of such deep water, had I tried to land it and the pack had gone into a frenzy ....

And that exciting moment was the last fishing of the trip. For now our trip was at an end, just memories. Before us lay the journey back which I have to admit I never enjoy. Getting out of Venezuela seems harder than getting in! But I don't think anybody in the group begrudges a little discomfort during the journey, this is after all world class fishing. I feel privileged to have hosted a group there for the 2nd time and I am still absolutely buzzing after a few days back in blighty. I have a feeling I could be buzzing for some time yet and already I am planning our next visit which looks like February 2010. And if my words and pictures have not convinced you to visit this archipelago then go to Los Roques for the good looking fruit. Here's Sam getting cosy with one of them on our last night out on the Cerveza!

By Email:

Dear Nick

Just a very short note to thank you - I thoroughly enjoyed last week at Los Roques with a very nice and friendly group, some most enjoyable fishing and your very compitent leadership.

Again, very many thanks

Graham

By Text:

Thanks again Nick.

Had a brilliant time and company could not have been better.

Sam.

Los Roques 2009 - Photo Essay

2009-03-17T10:09:00.013Z

Pictures say a 1000 words and after a truly memorable trip to Los Roques I can think of no better way to demonstrate just how good this venue is than through images from our trip. During our stay I kept the blog up to date and I know plenty of you were watching it, judging by the amount of emails & calls I have received with the word "envious" in them! I can understand why .... Los Roques is just one of those places that gets under your skin ... you should try it sometime! I will certainly be hosting a trip in 2010 so watch this space and if the below is inspiration enough and you want to get on this trip now then contact nick@hartflyfishing.demon.co.uk and of course check out the very best in international fishing destination providers ... Aardvark Mcleod.

This is the team. Back row, far left, Brian Seaby a scrap metal dealer from Birmingham, first from left ... the legendary Mr Fish now retired and hunting down fish on a global scale. Middle, Stu Forsyth, what he may lack in height he makes up for in fishing prowess and you will struggle to meet a better fly tyer, a veteran of Los Roques who fished with me in 2007. First from right, the joker of the pack and Bonefish new boy, Sam MacDonald. A week was just not enough, the practical jokes had just started to get going. Based on Sams reaction to the trip, I reckon we maybe up for round 2 sometime in the future. Far right, Alasdare Lambert from Twickenham. Al fished Los Roques with me in 2007 and that proved to be a life changing trip for me in many ways. As always it was an honour and a privilege to share fishing time with this guy who only picked up a rod for the first time a few years ago. And front row ... the host ready for action!

This is day one, out with Sam MacDonald on a pancake flat. Sam is an awesome artist who specialises in fish which he painstakingly constructs from metal. See some of his work here So he tells us this was a "research trip!" OK Sam, we believe you, but the grin is this picture doesn't scream "research" to me! Instead this is the grin of a man who has just landed his first ever Bonefish. Just like your first Trout, Salmon etc ... you never forget! Well done to Jesus, Sams guide for the day.

At this point I had not landed a fish, only managed to lose them, so instead I revelled in Sams success! In all honesty seeing these guys hook up fish was just as much as a buzz as it was hooking them myself.

Fishing with a real, live ... Mr Fish on day 2, was one of the highlights of my trip. Graham is a charming man who has lead an adventurous life, heli skiing, climbing, racing cars and has spent 99% of his fly fishing career (which he came to late in life), fishing for Bones in Cuba, the Seychelles and now Los Roques. He was top rod on this day taking 12 fish with guide Raphael. I only hope that when I am 71 I am as fit and outgoing as Mr Fish.

Day 3 arrived all too soon but it was a session I had been really looking forward to as I was to fish with Al Lambert. Our guide for the day was Raphael who found us some of the biggest fish of the trip. Here Alasdare displays a superb double figure fish taken on Crasqui (just a short trip from Gran Roque) that took well over 10 minutes to land and had him a long way into the backing on 5 occasions. No doubt our lobster lunch available for an extra $45 helped Alasdare maintain the strength required to land such a fine specimen!

Apologies regrading the quality of this shot, it was only at the end of the day that I realised the lens was dirty! We needed Henry Gilbey for this one!

Releasing the fish I grabbed this shot and looking at it on the monitor it really shows how big it was. It almost looks Tarpon like! The image also shows just how well these fish camouflage themselves. But, check out the shadow below, on sandy flats this is what I look for and then suddenly the fish materialises. Flick out your Gotcha or similar, giving the fish a bit of lead. As it arrives add a bit of life with a couple of short, smooth strips. Often the fish will pounce in the blink of an eye. Set the hook with another strip and then hold on as the reel springs into action .. zzz, zzzzzzz, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! And pray your backing knot holds!

On the way back to the lodge that evening I had the fever, I needed to keep fishing! Raphael had talked up the airport flat and so Alasdare and I stopped off to grab a couple more hours on our own. Within minutes I had spotted and hooked this fish just feet from the shoreline on a Gotcha. Nice .... and just a 15 minute walk from our lodge & cerveza!

The walk home was taken slowly, with much fishing banter. With a sunset like this and having just enjoyed a fantastic days Bonefishing we just didn't want it to end.

More from the next 3 days of our trip in tomorrows post and don't forget to check out Aardvark Mcleod if you would like to join the party in 2010. Many say that these trips are expensive but in fact if you take into account that flights, guides, boats that travel miles everyday, food, lodging etc., is all included for around three grand this has to be one of the best, most diverse and inexpensive tropical saltwater destinations on the planet. And anyway I have a moto that I live by ... we only live once!

What a Blast! - Los Roques Day 6

2009-03-14T03:11:00.003Z

The laptop battery is about to go, its late and we are quaffing Cerveza so I will write more about todays events when I return to the UK. All I can say is this week has been one of the most fun I can ever remember during a foreign fishing adventure. The fishing, the company and the atmosphere has been cool and I so wish we had another week. This is not a sales pitch, just straight from the heart ... I have got the Los Roques bug ... BIG TIME! Check it out for yourself here and my blog in a few days for pictures from the week.

All I will say about today was that it was eventful and included Lemon Sharks! The Bonefishing was some of the most interesting and exciting I have ever enjoyed. And to top it all the day was spent with Alasdare Lambert and Stuart Forsyth who both began their fishing careers with me around 6 years ago. It is quite a leap from Exmoor streams to the pancake flats!

We are now in our hotel in Caracas chilling out prior to our departure this evening for Portugal and then on to London. The last steak I had here was awesome so I am off for a dip in the pool and a decent lunch so I don´t have to suffer the muck they serve on the airline! We are also already planning our next visit, there is so much more to be done in Los Roques. This time around I really feel I have started to learn about its fishing and have also enjoyed the fantastic atmosphere this beautiful island exudes. I have always enjoyed saltwater fly fishing but for some reason during this trip I have been bitten by the Bonefish bug. Thank god it wasn´t by a shark ... more of that next time.

Day Dream Bonefish - Los Roques Day 5

2009-03-13T02:51:00.002Z

Yes that's day, not wet, although the fishing out here is almost that good!

It struck me today that more than any type of fishing I think about other stuff while out searching the massive flats for another Bone. Wandering over many miles, scanning the pristine water sends me into a trance like state and then the old mind gets going. It could be anything ....

For example. What will we have for dinner tonight, at our excellent Posada from the hand of its fine resident chef? Why did we let so many overpaid idiots run the financial world in the UK? Was it the chicken or the egg fir ... oh f**k that is a Bonefish! Or rather was ... as it sods off across the flat at blistering speed. Which sets off another day dream ... how I would like my line to be following!

So my advice is if you ever make the wise decision to book a trip with Aardvark McLeod to enjoy the incredible diversity of Los Roques and its Bonefish ... don't day dream!

Alasdare and Graham certainly had their wits about them today while being guided by Jesus, scoring around 8 fish each to gummy minnow tactics. Al has been really impressed with Jesus and his ability to pass on new skills, despite speaking very little English. Meanwhile Brian took his best Bonefish during this trip so far going 7lb, part of a 12 fish haul with Cayito.

I had the pleasure of sharing my fishing with Sam and Stuart. As usual Raphael made us walk miles and today we were not rewarded heavily for our efforts. I picked up 3 to 5lb and should have had more but in the strong winds the guys struggled. So we headed to a beach and while I got far too over excited at a number of tailing fish the guys slammed some nice Bones on Gummies. I could not resist getting in on the act myself and at one point all 3 of us were hooked up as a Bonefish school mopped up minnows ... exciting stuff!!!

Tomorrow is our last day and I cannot believe we will be heading back to the cold UK on Saturday. The grand finale will see the class of 2007 out, being Al, Stuart and myself (we all fished Los Roques in Feb 07), so its time for some Zs and maybe a dream or two!

Comfortable Bonefishing - Los Roques Day 4

2009-03-12T01:59:00.005Z

I started thinking about this post through the day as it struck me that I now feel more comfortable than ever when spending a day on the flats. The trick is to fish light of course but when wading away from the Pangas it is imperative to think about the flies you may need and all the other accessories required to ensure you can make quick changes. For example a few days ago I happened upon a few Permit and yesterday a Cuda. These fish require alternative flies and in the case of the Cuda, a wire trace.

The best way to go about carrying the items required is in some kind of pack. The guys on this trip have packs of all shapes and sizes. Watching them fish I would say most are too big and overfilled. Carrying your pack on your waste also puts strain on your back, so today noticing that the guides sling their packs across their back, I followed suit. Why haven't I before! Far more comfortable and you can wade deep without giving all your hard earned flies and tools a bath. That aside my next tropical saltwater trip will be with a fully waterproof pack, far more sensible.

So pack on my back I am comfortable. But what is in it? Well as discussed, flies and leaders for a variety of species. Lip block ... a must! Spare leaders, tippet, forceps, lens cleaner, reel oil, spare sun block and on the outside a set of nips. This leaves room for a water bottle. On average I will aim to drink a bottle an hour at least.

Another revelation for me during the trip has been Costa Del Mar sunglasses. I am sold on Maui Jims but I find the Costas glass 580 lens truly awesome on the flats. The copper lens comes highly recommended but I have been using a blue mirror version and they are outstanding. The fact that all the guides use them offers further reassurance so I am glad we are adding them to the range in the shop very soon.

So I can see just fine (and today we saw plenty of fish on the pancakes), my pack is dry and not straining my back while dehydration is not an issue and any fish who dares cross my path has a fly waiting for them, all be it they may decide not to take it! But what about the sun? On the advice of world wide traveller and photographer Henry Gilbey I use Bullfrog quick gel which unfortunately is not available in the UK. An amazing product, I am very fair skinned but with just one application a day I do not burn. But there is another secret that Henry let me on years ago, Buffs.

All the guides wear them here and I have an ever growing collection, plus of course we sell them in the shop. A fairly nondescript looking piece of material this amazing garment will shield your neck, ears, nose and face from the sun, especially during the hottest part of the day. Granted we all now look a little like Ninjas wading across the flats and even had one tourist shout "take me to your leader!" as we passed them on a beach today. A convoy of us striding to our next destinaion sporting hat, sunglasses and Buff I can see the reason why we may look a little alien on a sandy beach! Alasdare has become named the invisible man due to his white buff and big black sunglasses incorporated with a sunhat! Today, a way off in the distance I was frantically calling him as we were about to had to a new location. I was shouting loudly thinking Alasdare had his back to me but in fact he was staring straight back! Such is the power of the buff to cover the face.

There are all sorts of other little things I am learning to help make a day on the flats as enjoyable as possible and most of them seem to assist quick changes of tactic and above all comfort. Feeling very comfortable I was really pleased to pick up an early fish of 4lb on a pancake flat which charged off the side and tried to do me on the coral. The light was perfect and there was just a gentle wind, but the fish were very tough. All the guys reported spooky fish and I watched today as 3 separate fish followed my fly and then turned away. If things stay the same tomorrow I am going to break out the 7 weight.

Fishing with Alasdare and Sam we had yet another action packed day with Cayito who took us to some seriously interesting terrain including a lagoon where Sam picked up another 5 Bones to add to his day 3 tally. Alasdare and I came across a few fish but it wasn't until we headed to a beach that the fun really began for us. Fishing Gummy Minnows on the drop we hooked a number of Bones to 4lb by wading out, banging the flies as far as we could and then stroking them back in. Watching Bones pick off Minnows stunned by Pelican attacks it an awesome bit of sport as we threw at nervous water waiting for a hit at any given moment.

The other guys all got Bones today but the general consensus is that it has been tough. Low wind does make for easier casting but the fish spook far more easily and gentle presentation becomes paramount. There has also been a lot of changeable conditions this last few weeks and we don't seem to be seeing large groups of fish, possibly because they are out in deeper water? Most important is that all the party are catching and having a great time. It was certainly not easy fishing today, but it is very challenging and a bit of effort is rewarded.

Writing this at 10.15pm I am the late one up, the guys have been knackered after all the excitement out on the flats and are all in bed by 9pm most nights! I had better head off too. Apologies there are no photos to accompany these posts, I have plenty and will load up a photo essay to show the highlights from the trip upon my return to the UK.

Bonefish & Lobster - Los Roques Day 3

2009-03-11T01:48:00.005Z

It seems like a long time since we were on the plane travelling to Los Roques. We now have three hardcore days fishing under our belt, with Alasdare Lambert and myself putting in 12 hours today. But we had a boost as for lunch we parked up at a small outpost on a beach seemingly in the middle of nowhere. For starters Al promptly hooked up a Bonefish of around 8lb+ that bust him off on the coral!

Main course consisted of shellfish, snapper, conch and as the main event, a huge section of Lobster each. What an awesome way to spend an afternoon, but there was more to come. Returning to the Panga with our guide Raphael, Al hooked up another Bone that just went and went and went. In fact it had him well into the backing half a dozen times. By the end Alasdare was knackered but elated when Raphael finally grasped his prize, a Bone of 10lb+!

This was just part of a spectacular day with Raphael. We have seen a huge range of terrain from shallows close to reef breaks, pancake and sand flats, plus a little mangrove too. I am also really getting into self guiding, spotting the fish far more quickly but still prone to a little Bonefish fever! However I got it together landing half a dozen fish and losing some too. My own highlight after Alasdares big fish, came late on in the day. Heading back to base we had Raphael drop us off at a flat around a mile from our Posada. Almost instantly we found a couple of decent fish mooching around and first cast one of them nailed the fly without hesitation. A solid 6lb this proved to be one of my best fish so far during the trip.

Heading back to the Posada a few hours later we did not contact anymore fish but did see a few. The light conditions were tough as the sun was low but it was the tide which did us no favours staying just a little too high to allow us to target tailing fish. But it did not matter, we had an amazing day and also our thoughts had turned to the tremendous food that out accommodation serves. Sitting around the table the banter is always lively as we swap fishing stories including my own about the moment when one of my Bonefish was chopped clean in half by a Cuda. Curious to see what had become of it I started to pull it back in but realised the Cuda which had demolished the tail in one explosive bite was now tracking the head section. Weighing at least 30lbs I did not relish tangling with it and so when it grabbed the remaining half I opened up the drag, let it charge off (reel screaming!) and waited for the inevitable .... time for a new tippet!

Meanwhile Stuart took a Cuda on conventional gear today, along with a few Bones. Mr Fish has also been amongst the fish while Brian continues to catch consistently. But for me the other high point so far to add to the lost Permit and 10lb Bone was Sams 5 fish. All specimens that he saw, cast to and hooked himself. A newcomer to tropical saltwater fly, this is a hell of achievement for Sam who has just 3 days experience and he could not contain his happiness this evening as he talked us through all that he has learned sop far.

So another fantastic day here in Los Roques. Now already half way through the trip all the guys are heading to bed praying the high light conditions continue, coupled with falling wind speeds. And whacked myself I am going to close the day 3 report here and do the same myself. Although just before going I will add a link to Aardvark McLeod who put this hosted trip together. Check out their site for some amazing fishing locations including Los Roques.

Fishing with Mr Fish - LosRoques Day 2

2009-03-09T22:56:00.002Z

Yes honestly. Today I achieved a lifelong ambition and fished alongside a real Mr Fish. Graham Fish is quite a character. A guy who has fished just a handful of times, but during that time has included the Seychelles twice (and a GT!), Cuba and now Los Roques to his list of must have options. Today he was telling me he hopes to do the Seychelles again soon. Mr Fish can also fish. Granted he could do to learn how to double haul and may head down my way for a course, but right now he can cast a straight accurate line and with the quality of the guiding here that means he is catching. In fact he stuck 12 Bones today to a solid 6lb!

I had a ball too fishing with Mr Fish and legendary guide Raphael. What a dude. This guy seriously knows his stuff and placed us on some top fishing. In fact I even got a couple of shots at Permit, resulting in a fish turning on the fly but no hook up. Brian Seaby, a laid back brummy did far better hooking up a double figure fish that sadly spat the hook and also landing a small fish of 2lb. Still an achievement and under the guidance of Cayito who has also impressed Alasadre Lambert no end. He whacked 8 fish today, smallest 5lb and the biggest a shade under 10lb! Awesome!!!!!! Al is just ever so slightly stoked and as I am rooming with him I can safely say that the various captures have been relived more than a few times!!!

My own Bonefishing today went far better with fish to 7lb alongside Graham and Raphael, the morning session in particular wasexplosive. Watching these guys perform is an education, even for a guide, in fact I have been learning a whole lot that has helped me gain several hook ups to save face after my cheque book and pen event yesterday!

With cerveza waiting and the promise of a Lobster lunch tomorrow (they truly know how to look after you here) I had better sign off with a final word regarding Stuart Forsyth who managed to take fish on pancakes that were far from easy in high water. He has not had numbers today but that does not matter, hooking singles cruising deep water is damn fine fishing. But that's Los Roques all over, damn fine and especially when you have had the privilege, as I have, to fish with Mr Fish!!!

Los Roques - Bonefish Fever

2009-03-08T21:29:00.002Z

I left the UK yesterday to head out to Los Roques, Venezuela with a hosted group on behalf of Aardvark McLeod. I know, its a tough job! And believe it or not it was with mixed feelings as the fishing at home has been awesome recently, the highlight being a mid double figure Pike that a guest caught with me just shortly before I headed over here. That was cool, but there are few things that can compare with the incredible terrain available here in Los Roques for the Bonefish angler. This is my second trip to Los Roques and once again it has blown me away.

Fishing with Jesus (pronounced something like hey-zeus) I paired up with Sam McDonald who is visiting all the way from Orkney. Now Sam is a seriously interesting guy because he makes his living sculpting fish out of metal! And I thought I had an unusual job! He would have us believe that he is here for "research" purposes but having just got back to our fantastic lodge and witnessed his beaming smile I would say he is here for a little more than that! In fact he has done amazingly well as the wind has been pumping, but Jesus, as patient as ever took Sam to some mud's to learn all about hooking up Bonefish. Then after actually casting to and hooking up a number of fish (he never seemed to miss!) which Sam played the rest was down to the man himself. Finally, with just 15 minutes before we were due to head back to base Sam lost his Bonefish virginity, a milestone for any angler but especially for Sam who has never fished outside the UK. What a way to start.

For my own part I had an interesting day, which is a fancy way of saying I blanked! Believe me self guiding over here is not easy, the guides have some of the best "fish eyes" you can imagine and anyone new to Bonefishing could do far worse than book a trip with Aardvark Mcleod and see for themselves just how good they are. I actually saw a ton of fish, including some tailers on the pancake flats but spent my usual first session suffering from Bonefish Fever. This is basically a condition which means that just when you don't need it you will fluff the cast, catch your sun gloves or step on an unseen fish! But I did get it right a few times, especially with one really nice fish which stripped backing at a blistering pace. But like the other fish I stuck during the day, it fell off. I had plenty of other chances but I find that these fish effect me like no other. Watching those torpedo's cruise the flats, or a tail glint in the sun just does something to me. I will try harder tomorrow!

Enough about my own failure. Alasdare and Stuart returned having had an awesome day taking fish to 5lbs and apparently Calito had them hooked up into fish within 10 minutes of starting. They ended the day with 10 fish which in the high wind is some achievement. I am going to go and find out how they did, while also enquiring of Brian & Graham who are also present on the trip. More tomorrow and I will post images when I get back to the UK, with fish cruising around the pier close to our lodge I can stand it no longer, time to thread up the rod once more!

More uplifting fishing

2009-02-22T09:55:00.006Z

Continuing on from that positive note yesterday I was amazed to find that 4 days of last week were booked up for tuition. This is unprecedented in February which is traditionally quiet due to the cooler weather. However this week we have been blessed with mild temps which coincided with my second father and son team of the year taking to the water. Tim and Harry spent a couple of days at Exe Valley and left fully fledged fly fishers keen to return for some river action. At just 12 years old Harry did the younger generation proud by listening intently and learning to cast in just a few hours resulting in some fine fish such as these.

A couple of days later Tim Watson arrived for his regularly early season tune up. Now more than capable of chucking 25 yards+ we got right down to the more advanced elements of fly casting, looking at drift, loop control, haul timing etc., all with the aim of improving distance, accuracy and presentation. After lunch and a serious shopping spree that has added a Hardy Demon Rod to Tim's already impressive arsenal we embarked on a few hours of Spey Casting using on of the Hardy Swift Double Handed Rods. These are incredible blanks and much fun was had as we got through plenty of Switch's, Snakes, Double Speys and Snap Ts, all in readiness for Tim's trip to Inverness later this year. It is well worth learning to Spey cast (essentially a change of direction roll cast) with single handed rods too, believe me once you have learned you will never look back.

"Morning Nick, just a quick thankyou for a great day yesterday. Learning lots of new stuff is always great fun, and making improvements on the old stuff very satisfying!" Tim Watson, Devon, 2009.

As always Tim, my pleasure and it is very cool to watch you casting developing from season to season.

Continuing on the uplifting theme I sat in front of the box on Wednesday in awe. I refer to the mind blowing new BBC production "Nature's Great Events" that Henry Gilbey (currently getting very excited in France!) mentioned in a recent post. The most recent episode charted the 3000 mile journey that half a billion Salmon make to swim up the rivers of British Columbia and Alaska. Their journey provides food to millions of animals and incredibly they are also responsible for the richest temperate rain forest in the world, although you will need to watch if you want to find out why. Perfectly narrated by David Attenborough, it was jaw dropping, spine tingling viewing, the kind of programme that you just don't want to end. I learned a ton of stuff from it too, like the fact that iron particles in a Salmons brain help it to navigate back to the river mouth that it originally used to enter the sea and that they can sense a single drop of freshwater in millions of litres of saltwater. But above all I realised just how hardy these fish are.

The incredible close up footage showed some unbelievable scenes as the Salmon clattered their bodies relentlessly upstream towards their original place of birth. Many do not make it falling foul of predators such as Grizzly Bears (look out for the scene when a fish clouts a bear in the ear ... very funny!) and suffocating in times of low water. But a huge proportion do succeed only to spawn and then die, unlike our own Atlantic Salmon that in some cases make several visits back to their place of birth. The Pacific Salmon species featured were Coho, Chinnook, Sockeye, Pink and Chums but even so the footage would still be applicable to our Atlantics. And this got me thinking. There is so much written these days about the benefits of catch and release while others (old fashioned in their view, in my opinion) say that all we catch should be killed. Recently in Trout & Salmon magazine there has been debate regarding this and a point of view raised that many of the Salmon we catch & release die or fail to spawn. In my view this is man once again believing that we are totally responsible for all the changes in the world. We are mere pinpricks on this earth. Witnessing those Salmon quite literally battle their way to their home river to survive I am more convinced than ever that so long as we treat our captured fish with enormous respect that they will go on to spawn and protect our future sport but most importantly continue the survival of the species.

You must watch this programme! BBC - Natures Great Events - The Great Salmon Run

The Futures Bright ... the futures fishing.

2009-02-21T10:14:00.008Z

Is it me or is there a lot of doom and gloom around right now? Turn on the news and I reckon that the term "credit crunch" (who came up with it!?) is ringing in our ears before we know it. There is of course a lot of bad stuff going on right now but there is also plenty of positive stuff, especially when we talk fishing.

Take rivers for example. A long held view is that many river venues are "dead mans shoes" with vast waiting lists. That is a positive in a way, it means there are plenty of people who want to go fishing! But what if you want some river fishing .... NOW ... that's not going to break the bank? Well the season won't be open for a few weeks yet but come mid March you will be pleased to know that there are literally dozens of budget priced options river fishing options here in the Westcountry offering fantastic Wild Brown Trout & Grayling fishing. Check here for one of the most popular schemes and find about the Fish the Exe scheme here.

But it was the events of last night that got me thinking about low cost fishing in a big way. I was honoured to be asked by the Dulverton Angling Association (DAA) to provide a talk and then afterwards I sat in on the annual general meeting. This is the first DAA AGM I have ever attended and I found it a seriously uplifting, positive experience, which is unusual for an AGM. Formed just a few years ago by Pat Veale the club has grown to over 250 members and now has a very healthy looking bank balance. The cash is being ploughed into projects to provide more and better fishing for its members, all through a network of hard working volunteers. This diligence has allowed the club to keep subscriptions down to an incredible £25.00 for a year. How's that during the "credit crunch"!

(Above) A truly Wild Brown from the DAA Heale Beat

But it gets better. Do you have a child under 16 who would like to go river fishing? If so that child can do so for one whole pound! Yes that's right £1, 100 pence .... a quid! Which is where it gets slightly worse. Last night the AGM was attended mainly by men over the age of 60 with the exception of one female. Now if you are over 60 please do not be offended by my previous comment, it just struck me that there was very little in the way of youth present at the event! But this is supposed to be a positive post and so I quickly perked up when during the AGM the minimal junior subscription was brought up, along with comments that we should be introducing more youngsters to the joys of river fishing. This was music to my ears, a fishing organisation that realises that we need young anglers to survive.

So I urge you to get out there and take advantage of this crazy deal. Lets face it, even if you fished the DAA waters only once the fee would still be less than the average "monthly" subscription to Sky TV who at the moment are spending most of their time telling us that we have no money. Switch it off, grab your membership card and go fishing .... preferably with your son and/or daughter. You can find out more about the DAA here

Is the NEW LOOK rod licence really a break through?

2009-02-15T12:46:00.008Z

I was really interested to learn of the new look rod licence about to hit the streets on 2nd March 2009. Nobody could deny that these new licences do look pretty cool, which maybe an incentive for people to buy them? They could almost become collectors items, unlike the current paper variety.

However, what has all this cost? Matt Crocker, Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency says “The new-look rod licence will deliver real benefits to anglers. The system is now cheaper and quicker to administer – which allows us to spend more licence money on habitats improvements and fish stocking, while keeping the increase in rod licence fees to a minimum.”

Now this sounds great but what is the introduction of this new licence going to cost, there is no mention of that. Only a further line stating "Rod licence sales generate over £23 million in revenue each year, which the Environment Agency ploughs directly back into the sport."

If that is the case, why in the last 3 years have I not had my licence checked or one of my guests enjoying a guided fly fishing trip or fly fishing course? During those years I have been on the banks of venues across the West Country and indeed the UK alongside up to half a dozen clients ... not one check! This must mean that there is a huge amount of evasion going on and that those who do abide by the law and pay for a licence are picking up the tab for the rest who can't be bothered or actually know that they are very likely to get away with failing to purchase one.

There are no doubt some great advantages to the new licence such as the modern credit card size and material, which makes it completely waterproof. There are also fewer personal details on the licence to reduce the risk of identity fraud should it be lost or stolen. Even so I still wonder if the money required to implicate this change would have been more wisely spent in policing the banks of our water ways rather than providing us all with a "pretty" card that will spend most of its days in the dark!

Its an interesting subject and I would love to know what you think about it so check out the vote on the right hand side of the blog. And to buy your new 2009 licence go here or better still support your local post office who will also be administering licences. Below follows a table of the 2009/10 rates with some small increases. Concessions apply to persons aged from 65 +, persons in receipt of disability living allowance & blue badge parking concession holders, juniors who are 12 years old on the date of buying the licence but have not reached the age of 17.

Rod licence prices for 2009-10 season

Licence Category	Non-Migratory Trout, Char, Freshwater Fish and Eels	Salmon, Migratory Trout *
Full Annual	£26	£70
Concessionary Annual (1)	£17.25	£46.50
Junior Annual (2)	£5	£5
Eight day Licence	£9.50	£22.50
One day Licence	£3.50	£7.75

New Year, New Gear

2009-02-11T17:23:00.006Z

After all the snow last week it has been great to finally see some blue sky. A bit of time with the family (making snowmen!) was great but once the white stuff has subsided to slush there is not much fun to be had. Well that is of course unless you go fishing! So Henry Gilbey and I did just that, Henry armed with his camera and me with one of the new Greys X-Flite Rods. This new product from the Greys stable is not hugely powerful, (go with the new Greys Competition Platinum XD if you are after something that is!) but it cannot be denied that the X-Flite is a good looking, well priced 4 piece travel rod that will perform perfectly for those who want a mid to tip blank. And if your budget will stretch to more than the £179.99 for a 9'6" #7 model then I would not hesitate to recommend the awesome Hardy Demon Series. I used these rods almost exclusively in 2008 to take all manner of species including a number of Salmon.

(ABOVE : THE NEW GREYS X FLITE)

Back to our trip. We headed out to Blakewell Fishery which as usual is looking in tip top condition and I had been hoping to try out a new indicator which has been taking the UK by storm. The Thingamabobber will not be every ones cup of tea, but they are certainly interesting. I first came across them when Turrall started importing them into the UK and then last year when visiting Montana. Anyway to cut a long story short there was no hope of us using the new product or imitative indicator tactics as snow melt and a night time storm had turned the water to chocolate. These are not ideal fishing conditions but Henry and I are there to do a job for Trout Fisherman magazine, so with the help of a blue sky and a very pretty looking Rainbow Trout we bagged our feature. Check out Henry Gilbeys site for some Blakewell pictures and I will report on the thingamabobbers another day.

(ABOVE : THE NEW GREYS PLATINUM XD COMPETITOR SPECIAL)

After a day out I always have to spend a day in the office although I booked some more fishing last night, so have that to look forward to. In fact the office has been buzzing today as I am working on a new project plus we have some great new gear that has just arrived from Loop. I took this firm on and decided to stock their goods as I have just been hearing so much good stuff about them, particularly from Iain Barr who incidentally supplies our flies. Iain will be at our open day on Saturday 2nd May 2009 demonstrating his skills, almost certainly with one of the Loop Multi rods and I for one cannot wait to see what words of wisdom he has for us! For those of you who have not heard of Iain he just so happens to be one of the most successful UK competition fly anglers ever and is also part of the world team competing in Scotland this year so we were even more chuffed to secure his services. I am also looking forward to showing him just how good our Sea Trouting is!

Other great gear now in stock is the all new Fishpond Range, which I am in the process of reviewing for the site (and look out for site updates too) plus some cool William Joseph products such as these great Nippers and the Richard Wheatley Malvern Fly Boxes. I will also have more news here regarding our popular group fly fishing events at amazing prices (there is something for everyone), and don't forget to add that date to your diary ... Saturday 2nd May 2009 - Hart Flyshop Open Day.

Topical Snowman

2009-02-08T18:23:00.004Z

Even my 4x4 was a little put out by all the snow that fell recently and so taking advantage of the conditions I decided to take a day off with the family. After all this is Chester's first sight of snow! He also had his first ride on a sledge all be it that he seemed to enjoy directing me around the yard and across fields more than anything else! I was bloody knackered after half an hour! I think he has got used to riding his pony and pulling on reigns ....

Hoping for a little rest (well I was!) we turned our attention to making a snowman. It is not the very best snowman ever to be created, granted, but it is topical! Anyway, enough words, here is a picture of our creation. Weather permitting back to more fishy thoughts tomorrow.

Fishing versus Health & Safety

2009-02-05T10:12:00.007Z

I don't know about you but I have become increasingly perplexed by the term "health & safety". Over the last few years it has become a phrase that seems to be attached to just about everything including of course ... fishing. In fact even some of the courses available for wannabe fly fishing instructors now seem to be glorified "risk assessment tests" rather than actually ensuring that the candidate in question has the ability (and experience) to teach.

H&S also reared its ugly head on South West Lakes venue Wimbleball reservoir, a fishery close to my heart and many others. A couple of years back a plan was put in place to move the boat fishing pontoons from their original easily accessible location in the name of health & safety. The justification was that "the steps to the boat are too steep and someone may have a serious accident". This assumption was based on no accidents in the 20 odd year history of the lake! Whats more the many meetings that followed to determine the final outcome were in fact a monumental waste of time, the decision had been made.

So I was saddened to hear this week that Foremark Reservoir in Derbyshire has fallen foul of the H&S onslaught. Run by highly experienced angler, Phil Dixon, the lake has been put back on the map through Phil's determination and enthusiasm. Even more impressive when you consider that Phil is in his early 20s. Now he is threatened by Severn Trents health & safety officials who are about to close down three miles of bank fishing, effectively destroying 2/3rds of the space available. The reason? The authority are "concerned" that the public will get caught by anglers back casts. Anglers have eyes and so do the public. Many can speak too. Whatever happened to communication and common sense? There was another reason too. "Anglers may trip on the uneven surface of the dam wall". Quite incredible! See here for more on this story and check out Phil Dixons Foremark Reservoir here. Sadly I have never had chance to fish Foremark although Iain Barr who supplies a great deal of our shop flies is always raving about the quality and numbers of fish.

This story reminds me of a session I had on Farmoor last year, fishing from a dam. Was I more worried about slipping in or catching the huge, fin perfect fish on offer? Tricky question! And how about Dave Burton who has a really great blog here, check his session on 4th Jan which combined ice skating with fly fishing. He seems happy enough to me without the interference of good old Health and Safety!

Spotted .... First Salmon of 2009

2009-02-04T15:51:00.007Z

I seem to spend far too much off my time during the winter months staring at a computer monitor, so when I get chance it is good to nip out for a breather and some much needed vitamin enrichment from the sun. Yesterday was a great time to be out as snow had been falling heavily in the morning giving way to a clear blue sky and a picture postcard scene. See here.

Grabbing the digital camera, I rushed into town to sort a few errands and then stopped at the Anchor Bridge for a breather. Just a glance down the river sends a wave of relaxation over me but it doesn't take long until the need for R&R gives way to trying to find a fish in the cool clear waters of the Exe.

It just so happened I was in the right place, at the right time! Peering over the bridge my Maui Jim's reflected back a sight to warm the heart. There, plain as the day, just behind one of the bridge stanchions in a back current lay a Salmon! It was quite clearly a silver tourist and I spent several minutes excitedly trying to get the best shot I could. The result is a little grainy, but I assure you this is a Salmon.

The fish looked very healthy, supporting itself easily in the strong current and chatting with Salmon guru Andrew Maund we arrived at the conclusion that this is quite possibly an early springer. Admittedly in the image it looks a little dark, but I reckon this was the light conditions. Maybe it is a kelt (a spawned Salmon returning to sea) although it seems a strange position for a fish that will have been through so much. Kelts will normally situate themselves in deep pools, resting as they fall back. So with the Salmon season opening in just 2 weeks lets be positive and say this is a Spring Salmon on its way up river!

Last year certainly witnessed one of the best runs of fish for years and I had a ball through the season catching fish such as this one taken during a filming session. The show is due to air on the onlinefishing.tv channel that I reported on a couple of days ago. You can see that story here and take a look at the channel here. Meanwhile if you would like regular updates to include when my Nick Hart Fly Fishing School episodes will air, plus all the latest fishing reports and a whole lot more ... check out the new subscription feature at the top right hand corner of the page.

The Best Office in the World?

2009-02-03T17:17:00.002Z

I could get used to this weather. Just look at this for a scene, Exe Valley Fishery in all its glory just outside the front door of my shop. It has to be one of the best office views in the world!

I managed to get out and grab a few pictures of the river too and while I was there happened upon something quite unexpected, but more of that tomorrow. Isn't the Exe looking awesome! The amount of water this winter means it is looking seriously clean.

The weather seems to have cleared now which will be in favour with the various stricken motorists I met this morning. Thankfully my trusty Toyota which I have covered 1000s of km in eats up snow like it just isn't there and I actually quite enjoy driving in these conditions. Unlike the the South Africans who turned up yesterday during a blizzard to fish in shorts (see here), skidding their way into the car park ... but then a Jeep isn't a real 4X4 is it!

I am hoping for some more snow so I can enjoy a bit of "let's off road" and also being busy in the office means I haven't had chance to get out with Chester and the sledge yet. Maybe tomorrow. My mind is definitely on some fun in the snow but a call from Stuart Forsyth (pictured below in an image by Henry Gilbey) who I have guided for many years turned my attention to something a lot warmer. We will be heading out, along with Al Lambert next month to sample Los Roques and I am looking forward to this trip more than any other. The location is stunning and there are plenty of big Bones to be had that feed extraordinarily on the enormous population of minnows in the area.

Bones are cool but so to are the Tarpon and I remember like it was yesterday the moment when I latched into a very big fish, just moments from our accommodation. Out on the pier I was casually stroking back an intermediate while sharing a conversation with James Warbrick Smith (see what he is up to right now, here) when this thing just slammed the fly. Holding on to the rod for dear life (sign up and see here for what happens when you don't!) I managed to get it under control and enjoyed several enormous leaps and some blistering runs until the hook gave way leaving me fishless! Ah, the pain! How many Tarpon is that I have now jumped but not landed!!!?? Such great memories, its what fishing is all about. Roll on March ....

Online Fishing TV

2009-02-02T17:17:00.007Z

Before I give you news about the exciting new venture which is onlinefishing.tv, let me tell you this. I just looked out of my shop window and a fish turned on the surface of one of the lakes. "Nothing surprising about that" I hear you say "after all your shop is situated on Exe Valley Fishery, which is famous for the quantities of hard fighting fish stocked". This is true of course, but .... its snowing! Nobody obviously told the fish or the 3 South Africans on holiday from London who turned up to fish today, wearing shorts! Yes, honestly, wearing shorts! I had to rub my eyes in disbelief! And they caught ....

Meanwhile as London grinds to a halt (why does the weather affect us Brits so bad!) Henry Gilbey and James WS are out in Belize already tangling with some tropical saltwater torpedoes. Alright for some, although next month it is my turn as I head off to Los Roques hosting a trip for a great company called Aardvark McLeod. Check out just how good Los Roques (Venezuala) is here and if you are yearning to try it for yourself it maybe worth getting in touch as we can
accommodate one or two more rods. Anyway, back to my post.

So what is this onlinefishing.tv all about then?

Launched in December 2008 it is an Internet channel devoted to fishing programmes. Many of the shows are brand new and the channel is promising that new shows will be added every month, in fact every week.

So what's the catch?

That depends how you look at it. Some would say it is a great catch as now it is possible to watch fishing on demand. I have seen the shows wired through a wide screen tv and it means you literally have a fishing channel at your disposal. There are also programmes devoted to all aspects of angling, not just the fly with big names such as Henry Gilbey, John Wilson and Kevin Green featured online.

OK so I can watch fishing on demand .. but what is the catch!

Unlike many forms of video online, this is not a free to view channel. But then this is quite a step up from You Tube. We are talking full length programmes available to be played over and over again. Remember the onlinefishing.tv mission statement .... new programmes will arrive all the time, unlike satellite channels that now seem to loop back to back repeats, week in, week out, these days.

So if it is not free, how much is it?

Surprisingly little. The subscription is just £4.95 per month and the initial sign up need only be for 6 months. I make that less than £30 which based on the fact that many people are giving up smoking and various other vices during these challenging times is not a great deal to pay out for a little piscatorial pleasure beamed to your desktop. Is it? Comments and thoughts on this welcomed.

And why am I so keen on the idea?

Truthfully the more people who sign up to this channel the better, because then it can go from strength to strength. I have yet to meet many anglers who don't like a bit of armchair angling, so why not beam it to your PC? Just think, no more fighting with the kids over Bob the Builder or members of the family hooked on soap operas!

Is that the only reason?

Er no. Alongside established director Shaun Fenton of Diesel Films (who is responsible for many of Matt Hayes and Henry Gilbeys programmes) I agreed to put together a series of 5 episodes based around fly fishing for varied species in varied circumstances. The programmes were designed to provide tuition with a bit of entertainment thrown in, which is not hard for me as we all know how good I am at falling over, juggling fish and wading too deep ... and waffling. See how many "deadlys", "tidies", "absolutelys", "fantastics" and "awesomes" you can spot!

Hang on Nick, your jumping the gun, I haven't signed up yet!

And I don't blame you. After all the idea of TV via the broadband connection is very new. But as a regular user of things like the BBC iPlayer I know it is catching on and that it is no doubt the future. Therefore I decided that it would be cool to get involved in such a project.

Freebies

If you are still not convinced than have a look at my recently uploaded Trout Stream Trailer ... which is FREE! It shows just one of the many tips I provide in this action packed show as we cruise up a section of the River Exe that many of you will know well. There are also programmes available on the channel about small stillwater and reservoir fishing. When I get chance I will add more details here about each programme with a link.

But for the moment when you have 5, check out the trailer and see what you think. If you like it .... awesome, but if you think its pants ... let me know! I have genuinely tried to provide some fun informative viewing and I hope that if you decide to watch, that you find this to be the case, because I certainly enjoyed working on the shows.

Where did January go?

2009-02-01T18:44:00.007Z

Well there goes the first month of 2009! If I said I have been trying to get to the blog for the last 31 days, you probably wouldn't believe me, but it is true! But I haven't been sat on my hands enjoying the close season, far from it, in fact at this time of year I find my days are filled with things to do.

For example Henry Gilbey (who is currently in Belize) and I have been out and about on a regular basis collecting images for Trout Fisherman magazine. 2009 will see a new series of features for this top Trout monthly which will start to appear around issue 390, out at the beginning of April.

I have seen a record number of people attend fly fishing courses ... during January! Yes, it has been cold! Check the image below. At one point the lake was rock solid for 10 days! But some anglers braved the elements whenever enough water had thawed to allow them to cast a line. During my teaching sessions we had several occasions when the rings froze but wrapped up warm we braved the elements and it was good to get some fresh air.

Many of our customers are also readying themselves for the new season, so the phones have been kept busy and the broadband connection as new lines are spooled, leaders packed and flies lovingly stocked. Preparation is half the fun of looking forward to the new season! But, for me the season never ends and so when possible I have been out after Pike. The canals have been tough at times due to cold, coloured and even frozen water but there are still fish to be caught. Never tried Pike on the fly? Well look out for news here soon about courses I will be running throughout 2009 encompassing many elements of fly fishing including Pike.

The club is growing too and the popularity of our competitions. Just before the new year we were oversubscribed for our Christmas Open match which was won by Doug Jefferies (above) with a 4 fish bag weighing over 19lbs! Dates are already in the diary for the 2009 comps and I will publish these soon here on the blog and also look out in your inbox for a news update any day.

Many of you have been asking about my new Nick Hart Fly Fishing school series that I filmed last year. This is now available and I will post details regarding how you can get to see the shows tomorrow. So if you have been suffering the close season blues keep checking back as now the inbox is cleared I will be back to regular posting ... although forgive me if I wet a line too! There is also a new subscription service now installed at the top of the page to make it even easier to follow the blog.

Back up for air with some winter Grayling

2008-12-14T13:54:00.006Z

Apologies to my regular readers, over a month without a post! I will do my best to resume normal service.

It has been quite a month with all sorts going on. In fact it amuses me because I vividly recall the early years when I started out in this business always dreading the quiet winter season. My only option at that point was to work many long hours in a local hotel, but I wouldn't change it for the world because those were exciting times. Ten years on and things are even more exciting as new prospects, adventures and opportunities are never far away. There is always something to be done as although the official season should be 3 months away the fact is that nowadays people are looking for year round sport. Neil and I have been flat out through October and November with guiding while of course at this time of year the shop ups another gear as people prepare for Christmas. Stuck for a gift or desperate for the piscatorial present you have wished for all year? Check out our shop site here for some ideas.

Put our feet up, tie some flies, go fishing all the time ... there is no time for that right now ... although I do intend to sneak another trip to Farmoor before the year is out.

On the river bank I have either been Pike fishing with guests or taking them Grayling Fishing, including Stuart Forsyth from Scotland who took this lovely example of an Exe Grayling during a bitterly cold morning. The Exe is a great venue but hard in the winter, a place to really test your skills. In fact I reckon that one Grayling on our system here is worth at least 10 on a chalkstream. It amazes me how these beautiful fish behave in the different locations, but believe me, in most cases chalkstream Grayling are greedy to point of being glutinous and will even free rise during the coldest of days. Not so up here. Strap on some heavy bugs (probably 3) under a yarn indicator (or just watch the line), cast well upstream and get those flies tumbling along the river bed. Its the only way to enjoy regular success, classic dry or nymph fishing just don't do it. To be honest I love this kind of challenge so long as I am well layered with decent under wader wear. The sight of that indicator or the line suddenly coming to a halt will soon warm you up.!

I have a ton of news but must get back to work so check back for some updates over the next few days. Plus if you need to get away from the family for a few hours, why not enter our Christmas Open Competition? Just £30 to enter, including a 4 fish permit, with £500.00 of prizes on offer! Fishing will be from 10am to 2pm on Sun 28th Dec. Just a few places left so if you fancy a shot yourself please drop me a line.

F*** Me Farmoor!

2008-11-09T11:32:00.024Z

I could have called this post Fantastic Farmoor or Fabulous Farmoor but I spent a fair amount of yesterday turning the air blue as I enjoyed perhaps one of the best, if not the best session of reservoir fishing I have ever had in the UK. From a scenic point of view Farmoor ain't much as you can see but I can assure you that once you have tangled with the fish that roam these waters your surroundings will not matter that much!

You may want a full in depth report regarding the day but to be honest that would require an entire article and I hope that maybe one day I get chance to write it .... Henry Gilbey will freak when he sees this fishing!

My fishing companion for the day was highly talented angler James Warbrick-Smith who has worked these fish out perfectly. His Minky fly caused absolute carnage and for the first couple of hours I was nowhere near emulating his fishing. But after a while I got to grips with it and then to be honest I can only say that both James and I were like kids in a sweet shop! What follows is a blow by blow account of the fish we caught and in actual fact there were more but .... 1) The fishing was so amazing I couldn't be bothered to clear my memory stick and ... 2) The fishing was so amazing that we felt our time was better employed catching another fin perfect 4lb + Rainbow rather than taking another photo!

Anyway more details about the fishing another day, I will let the pictures do the talking .... just take a look at F*** Me Farmoor!

Second Cast!

Third Cast!

Look at the bloom in this tail - Trout Perfection

I'm in! This would usually be the fish of the day on most reservoirs ... on Farmoor its pretty much average!

Sorry about the out of focus shot ... but you get the gist. The fish above took so hard that by the time I landed it the hook was only just staying together aided by the fly tying silk! And this is a Kamasan B175 and we know how strong they are!

But James is still showing me the way ...

James may I relieve you of one of those flies???

James generously hands over the killing pattern and my smug grin says it all!

The grin is now a Cheshire Cat Smile.

I love the Rio Midge Tip and coupled to the JWS Minky it was causing carnage.

I promise these are different fish!

F*** Me!

Outbound for James! (check your backing before you fish Farmoor)

Another for James ... to be honest he had lost a couple of others and I had him running up and down the bank to record my purple patch!

We were like schoolboys ... but seriously, have you seen better conditioned fish?

James said we didn't see any big ones during this session! This year he has had fish to double figures.

You maybe thinking that it is a shame to kill all these awesome fish? In fact Farmoor 1 has a 100% catch & release policy! How cool is that? All these fish were returned ... who was it that said catch & release doesn't work?

One for me and one for James! Again ... just look at those tails!

We had a load more Rainbows but to end the day perfectly I latched into this perfectly conditioned Brown Trout. Farmoor 2 has just produced a 14lb 4oz fish that was stocked originally at just 1lb 8oz!

The conclusion? Probably the best conditioned, hardest fighting reservoir Trout around right now in the UK. Plus what a cool concept to provide a full C&R policy on Farmoor 1 and for just £17.50 per day, less than a couple of rounds in the pub and you won't have a headache afterwards ... far from it. My only problem is I have to trek 2 1/2 hours to get there, but that doesn't worry me. Right now I am frantically going through my diary trying desperately to find some time in beween guiding and the shop so I can visit again!

James ... thank you for showing me this amazing venue and for handing over the killer Minky. It is a day I will never forget and although I am so lucky to be able to fish rivers and all manner of other venues I have to say that tangling with such pristine fish is hard to beat. To coin Henry Gilbeys descriptions holy cow, eat my shorts, awesome and bring it on ... although in this case I think a profound F*** Me says it all .....

Brilliant Blakewell Fishery

2008-11-07T09:17:00.006Z

So October has been and gone and already a week of November has passed, before we know it the season will be here once again! But is there really a season anymore? I reckon there is just as much fishing to be had now as at any other time in the year. I really enjoy my Grayling and Pike sessions but there are plenty of people who love to wet a line on a small still water and Trout Fisherman magazine caters for these anglers extremely well. Working as a main contributor on the magazine this is therefore the time of year when I head to various small waters across the region to put together a few winter features.

Leaving base the weather was not looking so good for pictures as I headed out with Henry Gilbey to perhaps one of the UKs very best small stillwaters, Blakewell. A beautiful 5 acre fishery the lake is run by Richard & John Nickell who employed me during my days as a North Devon college student. In fact I was rarely present at my A Level lectures, spending most of my time either at the local tackle shop or working at the fishery (or fishing some place of course!). As it happened I had already decided long before I enrolled at the college that I wanted to be a fly fishing instructor and so I look back on those missed lectures as a blessing in disguise!

Since then Blakewell has strived forward and I am always blown away by how well managed this venue is. Stringing up my 9' 6" Hardy Demon I was relishing the chance of a few hard fighting fish, although it was strictly work of course! There was a juggernaut cruising that I spotted through my Mauis which took the fly on one occassion but I missed it! After that it staunchly refused to accept anything I threw at it. Even so we got what we needed as the light improved to show Blakewell off in all its glory. Many may think that putting these features together is easy but in fact Henry never stops thinking about the next angle, point of focus, light situation etc., and he certainly rarely picks up a rod while out on a job although it looks like we will be tracking down a few Pike together soon.

Yesterday we were back on the road bound for Temple Fishery, but I will post about our experience another time. Right now I am being called into a meeting as we have a whole bunch of stuff going on over the next few weeks and I must double check my tackle too as James and I are out for a sesh on the Farmoor heavyweights tomorrow. The weather looks a little inclement, but so what .... I am sure that will be the last thing on my mind as my backing fizzes out behind one of the grown on specimens I have been hearing so much about recently! Well ... I hope so anyway.

Tough Pike

2008-11-03T17:54:00.004Z

I was hoping to get on the blog yesterday but have been busy writing up all our new courses and sorting plans for next season. It seems crazy to be doing this as the nights draw in ever faster but with Neil working with me full time through the off season it gives me chance to get stuck into all the things that have been put on hold for so long. But enough if that, lets talk fishing.

The week has zoomed by but this Pike is still fresh in my memory. Not a huge specimen by any account, but a half reasonable canal fish that took a # 4/0 Black Fly. It was caught during the last round of filming with Shaun Fenton of Diesel films and proved to be a tough fish to catch after the canal had coloured up due to some heavy rain. Just a couple of weeks prior to this the Pike had been nailing flies in the clear water, but as I have found when filming you have to expect the odds to be against you. That's cool, because it made me work harder and I hope this will show in the final product. Shaun has certainly done a great job of editing the programmes and as soon as I have any information regarding when you can view them I will add it here.

After a long day staring at computers and answering the phone constantly I relish the chance to get out in the fresh air (I am missing it already!) and so tomorrow will head to Blakewell with Henry Gilbey to shoot a Trout Fisherman feature. This is a stunning little lake and I haven't managed to visit for a long while so it will be great to catch up with John, Richard and hopefully a fish or two! Plus on Saturday I have my first visit to Farmoor to look forward to with James, a buddy of mine who I last caught up with a few weeks back on Clatworthy. The reports are that Farmoor is fishing its head off, I hope the barometer remains steady and that we get in amongst the action. It may be a concrete bowl reservoir but if the fish are overwintered and superb charged I really don't mind!

New Generation Fly Fishing

2008-10-31T15:30:00.005Z

I am lucky enough to have been involved with the business of fly fishing for many years and during that time I have seen a definite change. Once upon a time our lake was surrounded by green clad old men slinging Montana's at any fish that would have it. Now that is not to say there is anything wrong with green clad men throwing Montana's at any fish that will have it, but, it is certainly nice to see a new generation of angler frequenting both our shop and the fishery.

Often sporting jeans or the latest hi tech waterproof clothing the other essential wear seems to be a baseball cap and a pair of the latest wrap around shades. Anyone who knows me will know that I have a fair collection myself! Well, lets face it ... who wants to look like Sherlock Holmes on the river bank?

So many people seem to be of the opinion that young people don't want to go fishing but that is just not the case. They want to go fishing, they want to catch fish. What they don't want is to look like a reject from a BBC period drama! Fighting the corner today were these energetic lads from Somerset who I had the pleasure of looking after for a half day. The youngest, Oscar (far left) is just 12 and his Dad (back row with rods!) is only too willing to admit that his boy can out cast and out fish him, no problem. 7 to 1 in fact today ... well done Oscar. I think you will agree he looks like a pretty cool dude too. Leo, James and Harry also did incredibly well and all went on to fish until last knockings. Not a mobile, ipod or Nintendo in sight! We like to do our bit here at Nick Hart Fly Fishing to promote this youthful generation into the sport by offering special discounts. Now it is time for the manufacturers out there to do their bit and realise that to inspire anglers such as these boys is to secure their business for many years to come.

On that note I stumbled across this blog with some very cool images of amazing fish caught on ultra lightweight tackle. Put together by guides involved with the fly tackle brand Loop, it is this kind of imagery and ethos that I would like to see entering the UK market. Its inspiring. In fact I have been thinking very seriously about adding Loop to our range here at the shop and after checking them out at the T&G show we are very shortly going to start doing just that. No blog entry tomorrow as I have some time with the family at last but look out on Sunday for some Pike news ... my favourite winter species. Oh, and I almost forgot, Happy Halloween!

Big Fish Bonanza

2008-10-30T08:56:00.008Z

I thought October was supposed to be a quiet month! In true "Harry & Paul" style perhaps their idea of a new 13 month ... "Augtember" ... is not such a bad one! If you didn't see their recent series then you won't know what the hell I am on about so I shall move on!

It has been a busy few weeks and although it has been cold we have enjoyed some glorious fine, dry days such as this one when I guided Tim Watson and Tony Kaye on the River Test. My Saturday date with the Avon fell through at the last minute as my guest for the day, Tom Steele, had some serious work issues to sort prior to his flight to India in search of Mahseer. I can't wait to hear his report when he returns and hopefully will post some details here. From what I can gather he is hoping to target these incredible fish on fly.

From one big fish ... to several others, but this time much closer to home. We have been having a real bonanza with Freds specimen sized Trout stocked into Exe Valley Fishery, the glorious base for our fly fishing courses. During the weekend and early this week we got 3 first time fly fishers into Trout exceeding 8lbs ...

The first lucky angler was David Atkinson who fished with Neil during a 2 day course over the weekend resulting in this 8lb 5oz specimen which took a Damsel fished deep.

Next up was Jonathan Maxted who has to be one of the most naturally gifted casters I have ever looked after. A whizz with the fly rod his efforts came to fruition when this superbly conditioned 9lb fish took a slowly fished Hares Ear. I haven't fished this pattern in anger with my guests for a long time but recently with the fish turning their attention to Hoglouse/Water Slaters (kinda like an underwater woodlouse!) it has been extremely effective.

Top fish of the week so far though is this 9lb 3oz Rainbow caught by John Denton who visited with his brother in law Len and his niece Robin to enjoy a 2 day course with Neil. The fish fell to a Buzzer under an Indicator and put up a tremendous scrap. There is no better way to hook people than a few fish and on her last day 18 year old Robin hooked up no less than six Trout and Dad had to dig deep for a fly fishing kit at the end of the day! You have to treat yourself sometimes though and so he also splashed out on a Hardy Demon for himself ... a rod I have been raving about all year.

Big fish have been plentiful on Exe Valley Fishery recently but the big news dominating the papers and our screens seems to be all this nonsense regarding Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. OK, so the guys pushed things too far although watching the interview with Georgina Baillie it looks like she can handle herself. Andrew Sachs is an old man and yes the messages may have been offensive, but this great man is also a performer that starred in perhaps the greatest comedy show ever and his interview says that he accepts the apologies ... so if he can move on why can't everybody else? Fawlty Towers pushed boundaries did it not? I am not condoning what Brand and Ross said for one moment but based on their reaction, neither are they. Both are in my view talented guys and to be placed under the public spot light for something like this seems a little over the top. What a shame that as a nation we so often build people up just to knock them down.

Cynical types may say that this story is a great diversion based on the recent bad press that many politicians are receiving. If anyone should be placed under the spotlight for regular bouts of insane stupidity it is that lot!

River Test Grayling

2008-10-23T17:43:00.007+01:00

What a perfect day for fishing we encountered yesterday. Heading out at 7am with Tim Watson and Tony Kaye, we were all excited at the prospect of a session fishing the Fullerton beat of the River Test. Anyone who has spent any amount of time fly fishing will need no introduction to this river that is steeped in history. For my own part I find it a little manicured and I would always prefer to fish for wild fish (much of the Test is heavily stocked) but during the winter months this productive chalk stream provides hours of intense fishing fun for one of my favourite species, the Grayling.

We arrived at the Mayfly Pub in Fullerton a little after nine with frost still showing on the surrounding fields and had a quick look before eagerly heading to our beat where upon we were met by a beautiful scene as mist lifted from the water. Why didn't I get a picture!? Scenic it may have been but I learned long ago that during these early hours the water is best left alone, start fishing too early and you will spook a lot of fish. The mist also makes it difficult to spot fish and this is why I love chalk streaming so much in the first place; its visual fishing.

After a decent breakfast of pain au chocolat very kindly donated by Tim, we were soon donning waders although in fact waders are not strictly necessary! The banks are so well manicured I reckon you could get away with a pair of slippers and wading in the river is strictly forbidden to ensure the fly life is not damaged. Despite the relatively low air temperature through the day I believe this policy works as there was a great deal of fly life to be seen, especially during the warmest part of the day.

The fishing proved to be excellent. I got Tim and Tony started on an upstream nymph, using just one heavily weighted artificial to beat the flow connected to a long tapered leader. We greased from the fly line to around three feet before the fly and then made casts directly upstream. The idea behind this is to allow the fly to sink to the correct feeding depth of the target fish and it takes some practice to master. Tim soon had hold of the technique and despite a couple of missed takes, the greased leader suddenly stabbed forward and with a smooth lift the first fish was on. Takes can be obvious but at other times the line will just stop and very often I watch the fish to see their reaction. If they so much as twitch, I strike!

The Test Grayling are beautiful creatures and we landed many specimens through the day although by the afternoon the nymph was resigned to the fly box and instead we changed to small CDCs and mini Klinhammers for some top dry fly action. The Brown Trout can be pretty daft on these stocked chalkstreams but to outwit the Grayling everything had to be just right, especially in the bright sunny conditions. The sun did warm the day briefly and the fish took full advantage of the conditions as a hatch got going. Tony also made the best of the autumnal sun ending up in his shirt sleeves! Its late October, the sun is out, we are in shirt sleeves and the Grayling are biting ... does it get any better?!

Sometimes ... One real moment of excitement developed when while guiding Tony I spotted a jack Pike laid up near the edge of the river. I always carry a Pike fly and a length of trace, just in case we happen upon one of these toothy predators as they are very often willing to smack a fly. Not this fish, it staunchly ignored everything until all of a sudden there was a huge commotion and a fish shot out from the opposite side of the river and nailed our fly! My first reaction was that another, unseen Pike, had taken. In fact as the line tightened the fish cleared the water and a Brown Trout approaching double figures flicked two fins at us!!! The fish spat the hook in disgust leaving us to gibber for a good while afterwards!

Maybe the fish knew that this bad weather we are now experiencing was on the way because they made the most of the day feeding heavily right until the sun was almost set. The air temperature had dropped and usually this switches everything off, but not tonight, the fish just kept on coming. It was a cracking finale to a day of non stop sport which the guys deserved after enduring a couple of tough sessions this year at the mercy of our British summer. Leaving this beautiful scene at the end of the day we stopped on the way home for the obligatory pint and the conversation soon moved from fishing to .... Tim's home made cider! From the reports I have had I don't recommend drinking this the evening prior to a fishing session, the results maybe not so favourable!

On Saturday I head top another chalk stream ... the Avon ... but I am not so sure the weather is going to be so kind. But it would be boring if it was all the same. Fly Fishing is all about being able to adapt and if that means dealing with a gale and rain, so be it!

Getting ready for Grayling

2008-10-21T18:19:00.005+01:00

After our session on the Pike I headed to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire with Sue for the Tackle & Gun trade show. It was great to catch up with the companies who supply us and make some new contacts. Look out online and in the store soon for the results as there were some very cool new products on offer.

Today though I have been engrossed in writing an article for Trout Fisherman and look out in the next issue (385) for a winter feature plus some more casting tips; this time dealing with the techniques required to deal with a head wind.

Right now I have to load the truck with gear which I have spent the last hour preparing in readiness for my first visit to the chalk streams this winter, guiding two regular guests on to some Grayling. This once persecuted fish has now become a cult hero amongst anglers and I for one relish the trip up the A303 in search of this particular species, especially as we will be fishing for them on the Test. I am not really into fishing for the stocked Trout that often find themselves living out their days in this river but the Grayling are truly wild and very often willing to accept a dry fly.

The weather looks good, my clients for the day are very good company and I have just loaded my box with at least 5 dozen new flies ... now all I have to do is manage some sleep! Not so easy when all you can picture is that little dimple as the fly is accepted with an almost inaudible sip resulting in a bent rod and a Cheshire cat grin for my guest. I love to catch them myself but guiding is just as good ... in fact often it is better. Full trip report on Thursday but for the moment check out the beauty of this fish captured above in all its glory by Henry Gilbey.

First Pike on Fly

2008-10-20T17:19:00.007+01:00

A little while back I wrote a post here discussing my views on the close season. Right now the rivers are closed in this part of the world to all species except Grayling, so game anglers must turn their attention to small stillwaters or reservoirs, although a few of these will also close soon.

So what to do? Grab yourself a 10 weight, some big hairy flies ... a bit of wire and try some fly fishing for Pike. This is awesome sport and often prolific as Alasdare Lambert found during a session we enjoyed on Saturday.

Fishing the King Sedgemoor Drain I decided to ditch my fly gear for the day and try out some new lures that we are about to stock any day in the shop. More on the blog soon. Now I am no lure angler, if you want to find out more about this area of the sport check out Henry Gilbeys site. However, I have become very interested in the whole concept of carrying both a fly rod and a lure rod because there are times when one or the other will be more effective. Now ... had it just been me out fishing I would have put it down to my ineptitude with a fixed spool but Alasdare and I were in good company.

Mark Gibbs had joined us for our session and he has just recently landed this stunning 23lb + fish from the drain. Mark and I managed one hit apiece using the lures .... er hum! Alasdare was on his first ever Pike trip with a fly and took 6 fish from 3 different locations on the drain! This does not include the hits and lost fish he had!

Full credit to Alasdare, he fished very well. However I have seen this before during my own fly fishing sessions for Pike, the fluff can totally out fish even dead baits and certainly lures. There is just something irresistible about that pulsating fur and feather on a monster hook that this toothy critter can't ignore. None of the fish were big on Saturday. But .... Marks specimen was taken just a few yards from where Alasdare had most of his Pike! Put in enough hours and one day the 10 weight will snap tight to the tune of a 20 that will cause carnage as it tail walks in an attempt to shed the fly... that thought makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! I have heard people say that Pike don't scrap but this is ludicrous ... even Alasdares fish that went no more than 6lbs gave the rod a work out. So that's my goal this winter ... a 20lb canal Pike on the fly and with so many miles of the KSD and other great venues to explore I can't wait to get started!

"An absolutely fantastic weekend - great day with you on Saturday" Alasdare Lambert, London 2008

Full On Fishing

2008-10-17T17:06:00.012+01:00

Its been a hectic few weeks and so much has happened on the water and up in the sky. One minute it was wall to wall rain and then suddenly the sun came out! Just last weekend I was guiding in shirt sleeves and enjoying flat calm conditions.

Speaking of which during a trip to London I caught up with Alasdare Lambert of Shirlaws and we grabbed a couple of hours on Syon Park Fishery near Richmond in stunning conditions. Can you believe such scenic fishing is available so close to the heart of the capital? The endless planes landing at Heathrow make it a bit of a novelty but all in all it is amazing to have fly fishing of this quality in such an urban area. Alasdare and I enjoyed a couple of quick hours with dries and buzzers flicked under overhanging trees to Rainbows that were only too happy to snaffle our offerings.

Alasdare is fast developing into a fishing junkie and I am very pleased to have him along on my next fishing adventure with Aardvark McLeod to Los Roques, Venezuela in search of Bonefish. If you are interested in coming along too give me a shout as there is just one space remaining, you can find out more here.

Just before my trip to London Neil Frost landed this very good looking Rainbow at Exe Valley Fishery during a half day course. The fish weighed in at 8lb 8oz and was his first ever Trout on a fly rod!

After this it was time to try and nail our last sequences for a programme that I am presenting for a new online fishing channel. As soon as I have more info regarding the channel I will add it to the blog. But for now here is a head shot of a very tough cock Salmon that was non too pleased to be hooked during late morning on Monday! Full story here.

After a great deal of charging around to meetings while also hosting courses and guided trips I was pleased to drop everything for a day and head to an amazing reservoir high on the Exmoor Hills. Situated not far from my old hometown of Exford, Nutscale Reservoir is owned by the National Trust and operated by Wessex Water to pipe water to Porlock village and as a back up resource to Minehead. A mysterious place I used to gaze at this high altitude lake from afar during my many bike rides and walks when I was a kid. I have had to wait around 25 years for an invite to fish it so when David Draper (a guest I taught to fly fish a couple of years back) invited me along for a day I had no hesitation accepting his generous offer.

Arriving late morning on Wednesday the wind was howling over the hills and the fishing proved to be tough. I caught a small Brown in the first hour but nothing more until well after lunch. After some experimentation I settled on fishing with a yarn indicator and two Buzzers. Nothing happened for a while and then a sudden take resulted in an explosive few minutes as this 6lb Rainbow shredded line from the reel. This fish hit the backing and had my Demon rod under yet more pressure as it also had to deal with the Monday morning Salmon. In fact I have to say that the Hardy Demon Rod range is right up there as one of my favourite rods of all time ... it just does everything so well.

Eventually the fish was netted and I admired the full fins. These fish are only trickle stocked and so naturalise well, hence they don't throw themselves at everything and take some landing ... if you manage to hook one. I lost a couple more and landed two later in the day by long casting with an Airflo 40+ Di-3 line which I had never used much. After seeing the huge distances possible with this product I will now be stocking them in the shop and adding some more densities to the tackle bag. Which leads me nicely to these ... The Greys GRXi Waterproof Tackle Bag which is very well thought out, does stay dry, its lightweight and the padded carry strap works, unlike those that always fall off the shoulder.

Finally, this time of year can seem depressing as the days close in, the leaves fall from the trees and rising Trout on beautiful rivers seem so far off. There are Grayling of course and I will soon be Fly Fishing for Pike but if you need even more of a fix check out this awesome new online magazine. Henry Gilbey is a contributor to this very cool fish porn that is bound to get the juices flowing!

A Salmon on Film .... Finally!

2008-10-13T18:50:00.006+01:00

Its been a mad few weeks and although October really marks the end of the season we still have plenty of people attending courses. In fact I reckon these folk have picked just the right time because the weather has been unbelievable! I was looking after Bill Graysmark during the weekend and spent both days in shirt sleeves!

I will catch up on all the latest catches and news very soon but as Scarlet is one tomorrow (can you believe that too ... a year old already ... where does the time go?) I had better sort this post and get home. We will be celebrating in the evening as tomorrow I have Carp and Pike to catch to complete my filming with Shaun Fenton of Diesel Films.

We were both out today and by 10am, could breath a huge sigh of relief. Catching a Salmon on camera was always going to be a tough task with the recent weather and water changes. However on our first shoot I had a rush of blood to the head culminating in the loss of a fish after just 2 hours of fishing. Nothing transpired again that day. We met again for a second and third day and that's when the rubber hook syndrome began. A further 3 fish were hooked and all came unstuck. Watching the rushes at Shaun's studio in London it was evident that a fish was desperately needed.

Fortunately the season has been extended on the Exe by the Enviroment Agency for research purposes and so today we were out very early in the hope of putting this episode to bed. The first couple of hours shot past and despite the water looking good nothing came of our efforts. I got on the walkie talkie to Neil who was fishing a mile above us and he reported lots of fish showing so pretty sharp we were on our way. I say we as Andrew Maund who has caught a staggering number of Salmon in his lifetime was also out on a last dash mission for the king of fish.

Arriving at Blackpool it was evident that fish were in residence but Neil reported that autumn leaves flowing down the river were causing real problems. To combat this we armed our tube with a very sharp single hook and got down to business. It was right at the back of the pool when the line just stopped, pulled steadily tight and then I experienced that wonderful "thud, thud" on the tip of the rod as my fish realised its mistake. The battle took place over deep water and I have to say that when this particular fish hit the net I have rarely taken should a relieved breath! The fish was in the region of 7lb + and pretty red after a good amount of time in the river. But an aggressive cock fish in spawning colours is quite a sight and taking these fish on single handed rods is truly awesome fun.

I did my waffle, the fish went back and we then just had to shoot a few fill ins to complete the day. One of these sections involved discussing the use of varying hook types when dealing with leaves flowing down the river. Stepping back into the river I chucked the line across stream and nonchalantly said to Shaun "you watch this, a Salmon will take". Of course I didn't really believe this for one minute so imagine my surprise when the line ripped tight as I was stripping back across stream! Shaun took a few seconds to realise that I wasn't kidding around and again we set off in pursuit of another fish that was charging off downstream. I played that fish for a while and had it close to the net when it it threw the hook but this time instead of despair I was happy to have enjoyed such a thrilling few minutes. How strange this fishing game is. 3 1/2 filming days for 4 hooked and lost fish when we could have had it bagged in under two hours. Then two Salmon decide to take in two casts ... that's why I love this game, you just never know ....

Saying NO to the close season

2008-10-01T17:10:00.006+01:00

In a way I guess having a close season is cool. As a kid I spent many winters evenings tying up flies and reading books, preparing myself for endless adventures on the river bank. Those memories are great but I also remember the "close season blues". These were dark days when 15th March seemed a lifetime away. All I could think about was another plump Brown Trout, nothing else mattered. In fact I reckon I was far more excited about the open day (even if it was bitterly cold and wet) than I was about Christmas. Today things are different.

We had our now annual close season bash yesterday to mark the official end of Trout fishing for another year and got very wet in the process but while I enjoyed every minute of the day I must admit that my mind had started to think about all the winter opportunities such as Pike on fly or even searching for a big Bass with a plugging rod. Plus of course there are trips such as Los Roques in Venezuela to look forward to. In fact I reckon my close season is about as busy as my open season these days!

So although I maybe resting the 8'0" #4 stream rod for a while the 9' 0" #10 will be soon take to the open seas, a canal or a lake. There are Grayling too on a chalk stream or even here on the Exe where stocks seem to be at a record high. This season has seen specimens to nearly 3lbs captured and during the winter bugs and a long rod will produce some excellent sport. Then of course we are able to head to Scotland in mere hours these days in search of Salmon. There is actually so much fishing ... where do we start?

For me it will be at the keyboard as I have a few features for Trout Fisherman to catch up on and I also need some time at the tying bench. There will be much to be done in readiness for 2009 too but I intend to fish as much as possible. Life's too short for a close season!

The sun has been shining on Exe Valley and some decent specimens have continued to be captured. However the autumnal orb has little power in it and during the last week of the season I guided regularly on the river but never witnessed anything like a decent hatch. But bugs caught fish and big dries scored too. I am still kicking myself for not picking up the camera when I looked after regular guest Jon Hettle. We headed out to the Lyn last Friday and although we had to work for the fish, the scene before us more than made up for it. This place has to be one of the prettiest places on earth and I feel privileged to guide there. Perhaps my lens does not show it off in all its glory anyway so check Henry Gilbeys website here to see some stunning images of this very special place and his blog to see some truly amazing African fishing.

Its not all just dreams for the moment because I am very pleased to learn of the Salmon season extension on the Exe and the Torridge systems. This scheme allows us to continue fishing on a special licence on a strict catch and release basis for the next 14 days! Enjoy the close season? Yeah right!

Meeting Chris Yates

2008-09-21T08:22:00.006+01:00

On Saturday we were all up early and away to Barnstaple so that Chester could have his first hair cut at Unique! He was as good as gold and let Dee tidy up his lovely locks ready for nursery on Monday. As a treat we took him and his sister Scarlett to a theme park. I won't name the business in question other than to say it involved "sheep". We should have kept our money and gone feeding the ducks or catching crabs at the harbour side! It was the worst £19 I have ever spent ... enough ranting!

We actually had a great day otherwise and mine was all the better for meeting Chris Yates in Torrington at a book signing based at the River Reads store. To some this name will mean nothing but if you are an angler who was fortunate enough to tune into the BBC series, "A Passion for Angling" you will know Chris as one half of the duo who got up to all sorts of piscatorial adventures even meeting Mr Crabtree along the way! It has been a long time since Chris and his co presenter Bob James graced our terrestrial screens although occasionally the satellite channels will re-run the episodes(look out for them, they are not to be missed). There has never been another series that captured the magic of fishing quite like a Passion for Angling and having seen the disgraceful rubbish (Extreme Fishing with Robson Green) masquerading as entertainment recently aired on Channel 5 I wonder if we will ever see the likes of it again! Crikey more ranting so I had better get back to Chris Yates an altogether calmer man than Mr Green who in amongst signing copies of his new book managed a few minutes to talk fishing with me.

We discussed various things but it was mainly the subject matter for his book that interested me. Chris has become well known for his devotion to coarse fishing and for his use of old, traditional and even antique tackle. Some may find this eccentric and I am not about to swap my carbon for cane but I found his whole approach to fishing to be charming. He is still using vintage tackle but now he has found his passion has swerved to the ocean. His new book "Out of the Blue - On Fishing at Sea" charts his journey into the unknown and a new love affair with Bass. I have not had chance to begin reading the first chapters just yet of my signed copy, but I hope to change that tonight (hope you are listening Scarlett!!!). I also have a signed first edition copy of a Passion for Angling which I picked up on Saturday and relish the chance of reading at the earliest opportunity. Check out River Reads here, you won't be disappointed. They have a very cool shop including some very rare fishing memorabilia such as Fred Bullers cased Pike and rods used by famous names such as Sawyer or Halford. Out of the Blue is published by Penguin, priced £14.99 and available through River Reads.

OK, enough about books and hair cuts, what about some fish Nick! Well the sun is out as I reported last time and the rivers are switching on. Yesterday Andy Warn hooked up with this lovely plump wild Brown during a guided trip with me. The fish took a Copper John fished New Zealand style and put up a serious scrap on our 8'0" Greys Streamflex. Plenty more fish followed although virtually every take came to the deep nymph.

Today was different however for Neil Keep who many of you will know as an instructor here at the fly fishing school. Neil was on a day off today and so naturally ... he went fishing! Returning in baking September sunshine his beaming smile said it all. A haul of over 30 fish, mainly Grayling and some of them approaching 2lbs! All took a dry fished TG emerger and I have the beat myself tomorrow. Hopefully work will release me for a few hours play! Just look at the quality of this River Exe Grayling ... does it get any better?

Fly Fishing in the Sun!

2008-09-19T19:18:00.007+01:00

The River Exe has suddenly come into fine form and at last the sun has arrived. However autumn is in the air and although we have had a day or two of bright blue skies and gorgeous sunshine there is a definite nip in the air. The water temperature is also low and on the river the fish seem to be staying down with heavy nymphs the best tactic.

Last week I spent a few days on Clatworthy Reservoir. I had not been for a good while favouring Wimbleball as it has a catch & release option. However the Wimbleball boats were out of action so I booked Philip Bradney in for a day spent casting over the beautiful expanse of Clatworthy high up on the Somerset Hills. It was not easy fishing but Philip who only began fishing just over a year ago did a great job of tempting the resident Rainbows including these fine specimens.

"I really enjoyed our fishing last week and learned a lot which I am looking forward to putting into practice on a regular basis." Philip Bradney, Leicestershire, 2008

A few days later having landed these fish for Philip I took to the lake myself in the company of good mate James Warbrick-Smith. We spent most of the morning cruising the bays looking for fish but by lunchtime had just a pull between us. At the start of the session we had noticed a few fish moving in the water immediately opposite the lodge and returned in the hope that we would at last hook up with the kind of quality fish that Philip had enjoyed just a few days earlier. We were not to be disappointed and after a few tactical changes I realised the fish were really high and that in fact we had been below them.

The next few hours heralded some brilliant sport as we took several fish, all on dries. Just look at the fins on these fish. A credit to Dave Pursey who manages the fishery and grows on his own fish. Spooning the Trout we found them stuffed with food but virtually all of it was beetles and other terrestrials. Head up there with your dry fly box, take a boat and enjoy the action. We found the best sport was during the warmest hours although a little cloud cover will help. There are also some very nice pound plus Wild Browns to be had which of course should be returned unharmed.

The rivers are also in fine form and following on from Matts success his girlfriend Adele better known as "Browny" has been practicing all year and can now chuck a serious loop. After some casting in the morning we took off to Badgworthy Water and as usual the fish were only too happy to play ball. Short lining we found dries were consumed with confidence, the fish very willing to feed after a summer of high spate conditions. The fish maybe small at this venue but the sport can be explosive and the scenery is breath taking.

Thankyou again for a great weekend we both really enjoyed it and can't wait to get to NZ and put it all into practice. Matt & Adele, London, 2008

Closer to home the River Exe is also getting back into form. I lost a Salmon myself on Tuesday but we won't talk about that! Instead look at this superb Grayling that was caught by Jim Self on a short lined dry at the top end of our beat. He latched into another of similar quality plus another smaller. We also hooked something very big (possibly a Grilse) that took a very deep fished nymph. All we do know is that it charged off downstream breaking our 2lb fluorocarbon tippet with ease!

Today I am out on the water again and really looking forward to meeting and guiding Mike Latham on the river. Tomorrow I have a very rare weekend day off as my young lad Chester is due for his first hair cut! I am also taking some time off to visit Torrington as tomorrow Chris Yates will be there at the River Reads bookshop. He is signing copies of his new book "Out of the Blue" between 10am & noon and then again from 2.00pm to 3.00pm. £2.00 from each signing will go to Wateraid. Anyone who has ever seen the amazing BBC series "A Passion for Angling" will know that Chris is a legendary angler. In fact at one time he held the British Record Carp from Redmire Pool, perhaps one of the most famous fishing venues of all time. For further information check out www.riverreads.co.uk or call Sandy on 01805 625 888