A life of travel in the field...
I have a long history with Alphonse Island. I wish I had known what we have all learned over the past 20+ years about fishing the extraordinary atoll when we were bobbing about living on the catamaran Tam Tam before any hotel had been built. When I was there recently, a small part of their presentation was about how much …
Let’s address what might be the elephant in the room right from the start. There has been much talk in the press about tourism in remote places. We have to travel further and further, and deeper and deeper into the wilderness to experience proper wildness. Cosmoledo might be a case in point for such a debate. A very remote atoll …
“An earthly paradise of snow-capped peaks, turquoise-green rivers and Venetian-style coastline, Slovenia enriches its natural treasures with harmonious architecture, charming rustic culture and sophisticated cuisine.” Lonely Planet We have sent clients to Slovenia for 20 or more years and to-a-man, and woman because many lady rods have visited it too, they have really enjoyed it. We have a wonderful operator …
“It’s all about the birds” Nick said. We were in Dubai and for a brief moment I was wondering what the association was between people lying on the beaches and catching queenfish. Of course he was talking about the sea birds and he was right, it is indeed all about the birds. There is now a British Airways direct flight …
What do a couple of Lincolnshire farmers, a retired Colonel, a retired banker, a tailor, a diamond dealer, a film critic, a retirement home owner and, finally, a tackle shop owner, have in common? The clue is in the last occupation – a love of fly fishing. And so, it was with great ease that my team settled down to …
How many fly-fishing spots do you know that have become mythical or legendary in the past decade? Rivers like the Ponoi in Russia have risen to greatness in the modern era but over the past 20+ years. Lake Thingvallavatn in Iceland has had a meteoric rise to fame for its extraordinary trout but there are not many… however Astove is …
Before we get into the details, warning: strap up your fingers for this adventure – stripping gloves do not cut it. Bring a roll of tape – the type that sticks to itself not to skin or hair – Vetrap is perfect. This is also good for saltwater flyfishing. You need a roll or two because it can start to …
Would Greenland be an excuse to go fishing or would fishing for arctic char be an excuse to go to Greenland? Either is possible and both are excellent excuses. I went to Greenland this summer because I am asked regularly ‘what about Greenland?’ So I thought it best to go and see for myself. I examined quite a few operations …
‘Such armaments were often found wanting on the Aaroy steeplechase, like the parade of defeated anglers that had fished its Platforms of Despair. The outbuildings behind the fishing house concealed an elephant’s graveyard of smashed rods and broken tackle.’ Ernest Schwiebert – ‘Extract from Platforms of Despair’ in the book Death of a Riverkeeper. I had read these words and …
My visit to Ryabaga Camp on the Ponoi – 3rd to 10th June 2017. Atlantic salmon fishing in Russia has been a phenomenon that all those that have been lucky enough to enjoy it are thankful for. Let us cast our minds back to the early 1990s. Scotland was in dire straits with the north-east drift nets still active. Catch …