Let us get the monkey out of the room now. Salvelinus (named after a genus of Salmonidae distinguished chiefly by their small scales. These include the brook trout, lake trout, Dolly Varden, bull trout, and Arctic char) are the more expensive fishing operation in Pyrenees. But let’s look at the details. Who else pays its guides all expenses to go and scout and …
The Blend of Blanda
Some will and some won’t have driven through the north-western Icelandic town of Blönduós. Always a happy place signifying progress while driving north. Even the most senior policeman is a very happy, positive man and a wonderful guide, fisherman and photographer. His stories of drug manufacture in remote farm locations in his area and incompetent Chinese tourists wrecking cars left, …
Payara Mania
“Right, we are headed to Barranco Minas, flight time will be about 90 minutes, is that correct?” “I don’t know mate, if you say so, I have no clue,” came our host Mark’s reply. Approximately 90 minutes later… “so, are you being met or what is the plan?” asked the pilot. “No idea,” said Mark, “I hope so but no …
Milkfish Mayhem
“It’s gone,” Toby said with a melancholy look on his face. We had been well and truly defeated. “Did we make the wrong call on which way to go around the coral head?” I asked. The answer was there in the expression on his face. Toby had just hooked and, thirty minutes later, lost his first milkfish. Veteran guide Wayne …
Alphonse comes of age…
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 …
Considering Cosmoledo…
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 …
Subtleties of Slovenia
“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 …
The Queens of Dubai…February 2018
“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 …
Farquhar Atoll Adventure…Seychelles April 2018
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 …
Astove Atoll, Seychelles February 2018
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 …