‘Pon my soul

Initially fly fishing in Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago (my homeland) and other islands, introduced me to the splendor of Tarpon.  Tarpon are just so exhilarating, they’re extremely acrobatic and test your tackle, line and knots to the very limit. To coin a phrase “I was hooked” and after many years of enjoying more general fishing expeditions, I set out with purpose, to target some really, really big ones.  

With regular fishing trips to the Florida Keys over a number of years I found the “right guides”, and built my confidence.  The time had finally come to hook up with some giants.

For me, Islamorada was the destination where I would finally realise my dream. Nine Tarpon (we call them ‘pons) from 110 pounds up to 170 pounds.

Here are a few of my top tips.

Pick your dates
Tarpon, with their large eyes are predominately sight feeders, although they do, of course, have other sensors at their disposal. I picked a week when there was no moon at night.  Tarpon will feed ravenously before nightfall and also first thing in the morning, they’re hungry, as they haven't had the light of the moon to help find enough food.

Commitment to your goal

I found a guide willing to take us out in two shifts and block booked for six days.  We started casting virtually at sunrise then went back to where we were staying, at about 11am for breakfast and some sleep.  Then we were back on the salt for about 3pm, to fish for the last few hours, until an hour after sunset.  Be sure your guide is willing to put in this sort of commitment, which of course will come at a price.

Get the gear and have an idea

Have the right rod, line and enormous stuff to throw at these critters.  Develop the skills to cast effectively with this specialist equipment before you arrive at your destination, get some damn tuition to help you hit the ground running.

Pick a Pro

Make sure that your guide is also a great skipper with the right size skiff.  They will know how to position the boat during the playing of big, heavy fish so it's not all down to you, done correctly the fish will have the weight of the boat to also contend with. The guide will also be tuned in to the fight so they will always have the engine ready to chase the fish when it runs.

Safety in mind

Do not stay in the water (if you find shallow water) holding your fish too long for your trophy pics, as Hammerhead sharks are partial to these fish.  Big tarpon are heavy fish, so beware that your dream maker does not become your back breaker. 

What rocks your boat? GAIA Instructors are here to help you achieve your fishing goals.  Get in touch with your local GAIA  instructor and let them know your requirments, they will be able to put you directly in touch with someone with the expertise and knowledge to assist you.

Fishing Irish Lakes in September.

Fishing on Irish lakes in September can be great fun!  Some lakes open until 12 oct . 

After not to great a summer with water temperatures very high, just give me a nice wet windy day.  I love fishing in those conditions I take photos and videos just to remind myself and others of the wonderful lakes and rivers we have to fish and how we need to protect them.

Anyway back to fishing. In my opinion no particular method works better than the other.  Conditions dictate the way you fish.  But, I find dabblers Peters shud be on the cast this time of year, enjoy!

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Fly Fishing in Bangkok

So you're a keen fly fisher and lost for something to do in Bangkok. You can take in a show in the evening and have a few beers in some exotic bars but the last thing you want to do when it's 40C is to sit on a beach during the day, especially if you are Scottish!

So pack the 10 weight and a few pike flies and head to one of the lakes outside Bangkok stocked with real 'river monsters'. With the chance of a 100lb plus Arapaima, brute force Red Tail catfish of over 40lb and scary looking Alligator Gar that eat pike for breakfast you will have a fun and memorable day.

Throw in the chance of a Tarpon and it's a lottery with every cast. Similar to stocked trout lakes and carp fisheries these beasts get smart so expect plenty of short takes and follows before finally one grabs hold. When it does watch that line rip through the rings straight into infinity and beyond. 

Only problem is that by the end of the day fighting fish you are too exhausted to sample the Bangkok nightlife!

What rocks your boat? GAIA Instructors are here to help you achieve your fishing goals.  Get in touch with your local GAIA  instructor and let them know your requirments, they will be able to put you directly in touch with someone with the expertise and knowledge to assist you. 

Carp on the fly

Carp on the fly is rapidly becoming the go to species during the summer months.  When the rivers are at their lowest and the stillwaters are generally going through a low ebb, then the summer days and evenings are your best time to target the carp on the fly.  

They are actively feeding on the surface and a variety of surface fly patterns are going to be your choice.  It’s not for the faint hearted as the carp take blistering runs once hooked.  It’s truly a magical sight to see the carp slurping your fly from the surface, although this can be frustrating at times when you strike too early. The rewards far outweigh the losses, especially when that double figure carp hits the net. 

If you’re tempted by Carp on the fly, then get in touch with one of our GAIA instructors who will assist you in targeting the fish with the correct tackle, techniques and flies for a must try dry fly experience.

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Fishing the Blackwater

When I finally convinced my wife to move to the country it was incredibly difficult to keep myself from jumping for joy, not at the prospect of peace and quiet nor the thought of building a new house, but because I was about to pull off the masterplan!  We were moving to a location near Mallow in County Cork, which would place me no more than 10 minutes from the majestic River Blackwater.

That was back in 2004 and fly fishing for salmon was not something which I was particularly good at, or confident in using as a method to pursue the king of fish. Being near Mallow allowed me to travel with ease to one of my favourite locations on the river, and spend time when no one was around trying to Spey cast or at least that’s what I thought I was doing. Sometimes it went well, not that I understood why it was working, but more often than not I was struggling to get a fly out effectively and efficiently. I picked up a lot of bad habits and when I look back now, some were not just bad but dangerous. I sometimes had helpful intervention from other anglers who knew a bit more than I, but I also unwittingly learned their bad habits. I’d reached a big barrier and knew that I would resort to putting down the fly rod if I did not get some help with my casting. I contacted a qualified instructor and in a short few lessons I had achieved a level of competency which ensured that I was now enjoying my day on the river. Importantly I now knew why I had been casting poorly and how to correct my bad habits. It was at that point that I truly became hooked, no pun intended.

Casting effectively allowed me to deal with conditions which would have other anglers heading for home or the high stool. In time I learned to cast off my left hand and this truly opened up new opportunities for me. Being able to cast off either shoulder and from either bank has allowed me to enjoy my time on the river a lot more. The pursuit of the perfect cast is every bit as much a part of my day on the river as fishing itself. Catching that elusive bar of silver is a bonus.

My fly fishing journey has lead me to becoming a Professional Game Angling Instructor with the double hand rod.  I offer my services as a guide and instructor on the River Laune and River Blackwater in Southern Ireland and cater for individuals, groups and corporate team building. I have access to some of the best beats on both rivers and design programs to suit all levels. So no matter what age, young or not so young, male or female, why not give fly fishing a go, I promise you will not regret it. I certainly haven’t.

Oh, nearly forgot to mention, I am still paying for pulling off the masterplan but it’s worth it!

Fly Fishing in May, on Irish Loughs

Some recent photos along with some useful tips for fishing for wild Browns or "Butter Bellies" as we call them on Irish loughs.

Conditions play a very important role when fishing Greene fly or Duns on Loughs. I find best conditions are when its raining and windy. This stops flies, after hatching, getting off water too quickly and Trout get a chance to feed well.

If it's bright sunshine the flys will just hatch and away. If you have long periods, days of good sunshine, it can become very hard to get good fishing. Best bet in these conditions is to wait for spent flys to fall in evening.

Anglers sometimes miss a hatch or think there hasn't been one. Always make sure to check bushes and trees for spinners. Anglers often expect to see lots of action in the form of splashy rises, the truth is that most of time this is not so. I've seen big trout taking greene fly off the top and making a ring no bigger than china cup.

In Kingsmill Moore's book "A Man May Fish" he refers to a fellow angler who has an eye like a "Traveling Rat" sometimes that's just what you need.

Wind conditions play an important role in deciding where to fish. Watch for the direction the flies are being blown. If you get a lot of greene fly just follow them to shore line and you'll have a good chance of a fish.

Similarly you can have some great fishing but the following day the wind changes. You'll be no good staying in the same place, follow the wind and find where they're feeding.

Personal preference is long tapered leader 18ft to 6lb tippet 2 flies 6ft apart oiled and pulled across a big wave. On a bright calm day I'm happy to dibble with just the one fly.

Tight lines!

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Casting Efficiently

There are many ways to cast a fly, and there is no right way or wrong way, or even one way that suits everyone. I’m not talking about the vast array of casts available to use in different situations (that’s a big subject for another time), but the actual physical way in which we cast with a rod. Injury, health issues, physical build and environmental conditions can all affect how we cast. We are all put together differently and we all choose actions that feel right to feel comfortable or ‘self-optimise’. For example, even expert casters differ from one another as far as the grip they choose to hold the rod with, the stance they take: open, closed, square to target (or standing on one leg), the amount of wrist movement they use and the casting arm position they adopt. This is what we call fly-casting ‘style’ – and, as the French say: ‘Vive la difference!’ Having said all that, it stands to reason that, naturally, some actions are more efficient and others less efficient. This is what we call fly-casting ‘Substance’ – in other words, there are certain things we must do to cast efficiently, whatever our style. This breaks down into five essential areas. A simple way to remember these is to use the acronym SNAPP. So let’s take a closer look at each essential.

S – Straight-line path of the rod tip
The line will always follow the path of the rod tip. To create the most efficient, aerodynamic loops and direct energy towards the intended target, we must move the rod tip in a virtual straight-line path.

N – No slack line
Slack line should be kept to a minimum; any slack in the system is inefficient and will waste part of the casting stroke before the rod begins to load. Imagine trying to tow a car with slack rope between the two vehicle and the wasted energy expended before tension kicks in. So, always start the cast with the rod tip low to the water. A good reminder is to very lightly tap the rod tip on the water’s surface.

A – Arc (and stroke)
Arc is the amount of angle that the rod is rotated through the casting arc. Stroke is the linear distance the hand and rod butt moves through the casting stroke. We need a variable casting arc that increases or decreases depending on the amount of bend in the rod or the amount of line outside of the rod tip. In other words, short line, short stroke. With a longer line, everything increases, stroke, arc, power and pause. (See diagrams)

P – Power (acceleration)
Power must be applied in the right place, in the right amount; a constant, smooth acceleration to a crisp stop. Simply put, start slow, finish fast.

P – Pause (timing)
There must be a pause at the end of each stroke that varies with the amount of line outside of the rod tip. Short line, short pause – longer line, longer pause.

These five essentials are the observations of the American fly casting instructor Bill Gammel and his father Jay.

So next time you’re out and your cast goes wrong, remember to apply SNAPP. 

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Welsh Dee

The Welsh Dee, near on 70 miles long, offers the fly angler a multitude of species to target. Rising in Snowdonia and travelling through breath-taking countryside it finally discharges to the sea in an estuary between Wales and the Wirral Peninsula in England.  The Dee is one of the most renowned rivers in Europe for Grayling.  The Hanak Grayling Festival is held on the river every year and reported catches of over 800 fish are a regular occurrence in the two-day competition.  It’s not just the Grayling that attracts the fly angler, but also many Trout, Salmon and Sea Trout.  From June onwards the annual appearance of the sea trout tests even the most experienced of angler.  Salmon have increased steadily over the years. The odd springer is caught early season, but the vast majority of larger species can be found towards the back end of the season in the Autumn months.

The Welsh Dee is a favourite fishing destination of several GAIA instructors whom regularly fish this river for all species.  If you're new to river fishing then our instructors can point you in the right direction.  New tactics such as French or Czech nymphing can be learned, as well as tactical spider or dry fly techniques. If your looking to target Salmon with a double handed rod then our instructors can guide you through the process and help you target your quarry.

The Welsh Dee really does have a huge amount to offer.  It's a great place to try new things and develop new skills and we have GAIA instructors on hand to help you achieve your goals whatever they may be.

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Fly Fishing in the UK

I love fishing for Salmon and Trout. The Tweed is my favourite Salmon river in the UK. I can’t make my mind up which is my favourite beat though? The Derwent at Chatsworth house is probably my favourite trout beat, it’s not just the fishing at Chatsworth it’s the magnificent views that are stunning with Chatsworth house being the main focal point. When I’m fishing I get a real buzz when you feel that pull on your line.

As one of my friends Leslie Holmes always says “the tug is the drug”, that’s what keeps us coming back. It’s not just catching fish yourself though, I take great pleasure when a client contacts me to tell me how pleased they were with your tuition or how they have now started having success out on the water with their catch rates. I recently had a client for double handed lesson who was going to the Tweed on a works fishing trip. He had been the previous year and struggled, so decided to take a lesson which would hopefully help him be better prepared for his trip. I worked the guy really hard and by the time we had finished he was comfortably casting a long line and had the ability to change direction in different wind conditions.

He left the casting pools promising me he would work hard on what we had covered. Approx three weeks later I received a photo message from the gentlemen. When I opened it, there was not one, but two pictures of Salmon both about 15lb he had caught on his three day trip. I must admit this also gives me a real buzz. It’s great when you get a client who is super focused and prepared to put some work in.

The hard work paid off. Two Salmon in three days is excellent by anybodies standards!

If you would like a GAIA Instructor to help you put theory into practice, use Find An Instructor below to get in touch with your local GAIA instructor and have a chat about your requirements.  

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Casting into the wind

How often have you heard fellow anglers say that they didn’t go fishing yesterday because it was so windy? As game anglers, there are a few techniques we can use to defeat the wind and make it our friend. We should also consider that if it has been windy for a while, all the natural food has been blown towards the bank, so long casts are not necessary. A lot of anglers think they need to use more power and effort to cast into the wind. This is not the case, and is in fact the worst thing they can do. By adjusting their technique and still allowing the rod to do the work, they can achieve a reasonable cast despite the conditions. The normal casting arc for an overhead cast is 11am to 1pm on an imaginary clock face. If we do a normal overhead cast into a headwind, there’s a good chance it will blow the line, leader and fly back towards the caster, making the cast not only inefficient, but also dangerous. It’s important to wear a cap and glasses to protect our head and eyes. Safety must be our first priority.

High Back Cast, Low Forward Cast
So when you’re casting into a headwind you need to alter the trajectory with a high back and a low forward cast. So, if you have an oncoming wind, simply advance the casting arc forward to either 9am to 12pm or 9am to 11am, depending on how strong the wind is. In doing so you will drive the line into the wind, thereby giving it less chance to take hold of the line. We should also use shorter and stronger leaders and tippets because very long leaders tend to tangle. Keeping our loops tight is also more efficient.

Single Haul Forward
If the wind is really fierce we can also introduce a ‘single haul’ on the forward cast. A haul is simply a tug or pull on the fly line as near to the forward stop position of the rod as we can achieve. This is to increase the line speed and not the power. When employed with the advanced position of the casting arc, this is a very effective way of firing the line out into the wind. We must understand that because of the windy conditions, the delicate presentation of the cast is not our first priority.

Side Cast
Another technique we can use is the side arm cast. Because of the dynamics of the wind, there is a layer of air, approximately 18 inches to two feet in height, which is not blowing directly towards us but is swirling. We can use this to our advantage, as long as we have sufficient free space from obstructions behind us. This is basically a normal overhead cast that is carried out in a horizontal plane. We must, however, speed up the cast to take into account the effects of gravity. This particular cast may take a little more practice. Care must be taken to keep the rod tip in as near to a straight-line path as possible and not to twist the wrist while casting. This is quite a satisfying cast when done correctly and we realise how little effort we actually need to defeat the wind. 

If you would like a GAIA Instructor to help you put theory into practice, use Find An Instructor below to get in touch with your local GAIA instructor and have a chat about your requirements. 

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Fly Fishing Demonstrations

Qualifying as a GAIA instructor opens up a whole new world to the fly fishing enthusiast. The knowledge that is gained on your journey, once qualified, can be shared with anyone keen to listen.  Engaging and entertaining an audience can be a highly rewarding activity. County and Country shows and Fly fishing exhibitions are the ideal place to pass on your knowledge. Casting & Fly fishing demonstrations are part and parcel of becoming a GAIA instructor and delivering a good one is a thrill. It’s all about giving something back.  Attracting new anglers into the sport as well as teaching the seasoned anglers a few nifty tricks is what makes becoming an instructor worthwhile.

You can start your journey towards becoming an Instructor today.  Simply click the become and instructor link below. It’s a fun and enjoyable experience, set your sights high and you never know, perhaps we'll be watching you demonstrate at a future London Fly Fair or British Fly Fair International Event.

Furrowing the Fly

The beauty above was 17lb and caught furrowing the fly earlier this year.

Sometimes in fishing, things happen to you that only your mother would believe while telling the story. It's not until mobile phones came along that we had proof of dates and times. One such thing happened to me last year, 16th June to be precise. Having met up with one of my friends who is a fine angler, I had previously showed him a technique of furrowing the fly. Casting 90 Degrees letting the belly of the line do the work. If the water is slow give a little hand line pulling 6" of line at a time, slowly.

I knew there were five good pools on this stretch of water as I had arrived the night before and walked the river.  In first pool, I saw 3 fish about one cast away from each other. Anyway we met up the next morning and I gave him first choice and he picked the 1st pool. I told him he'd made a good choice as I had seen 3 fish the night before and I hadn't fished them. So we parted and I fished the last pool, furrowing the fly.

I got a bar of silver, 13lb and released.

We met for lunch and I showed my friend the photo. He had just got one to follow using his method casting 45 degrees and mending the line up river. A bit like myself, he just loves fishing and was happy to be there. At 13.15, we parted and he went to 3rd pool. I said I'd start at first pool bearing in mind my friend hadn't fished it for two hours. 

I caught and released a 12lb fish at 13.43 (above)

Then caught a 13lb fish at 14.06 (above)

Then another 13lb fish at 14.32 (above).

When we met that evening, my friends jaw dropped when I showed him the photos and times. I'm not sure that he would have believed me if I hadn't got the photos with dates and times on my phone. But the day was not yet over.

Now people say you don't have to be a good caster to catch fish, I agree!!  But in my book, it greatly increases your catch rate and technique.

Small tube fly perfect for the job.

Setup. I use a floating line with an 8ft leader 15lb Maxima Greene with cone head 1" tube fly or Floating line with a 5ft intermediate poly leader, 6ft leader 15lb Maxima Greene with 1" tube fly.

P.s. My friend had two fine fish the following week, 9lb & 13lb furrowing the fly. Lesson learned, it pays to try different techniques!

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Catching trout on spent may fly.

Some of the biggest trout I have caught, to date, have been on spent may fly.  Stalking these large trout, following them as they pick up spent flies, is some fun.

Some of the big fish swim with their backs out of water like dolphins, picking up spent fly as they swim along, they might cover distance of around 100 metres.  Then turn back, feeding again. As you follow them the trick is not to let the boat get too close.

Big fish.

I was on my own this year when I landed my biggest fish, 7 lb 9 oz weighed him in the net. The nets weight was 1 lb 4oz

My fellow GAIA instructor Kevin Sheridan's pattern had worked again.  I followed that fish for surely 20 mins before I got to put the fly where he and I wanted it.

Measuring up... Now cover your eyes!

Flies having sex, ha!  The bigger female on left smaller darker male on right.

First thing to do is check the shoreline or Islands for spinners, like in the video above.  After dancing and mating females usually go out in the same direction as the wind, laying their eggs in various places.  After that, they just drop on the water and die. Sad, but not for the trout.  This glut of readlily available good can result in some great trout coming up to the surface to feed.

Wind Lanes -  Look at photo above closely, can you see corduroy ripple on the right and on left?  In middle, you see the shiny water?  We call them "slicks", fish love to move up and down feeding in this area.  Or if you have a wave causing foam to build, flies get trapped.  Fish love to feed in these wind lanes.  Don’t do too long of a cast!  Fish can come down these lanes very quickly and if you have to pull fly line in, you can put fish down.

I always use a single fly, after all you're only trying to catch one fish!   Listen out for fish sipping down flies. We usually end up whispering "Did you hear where that sip came from?" Ha!  I use slightly bigger fly at dusk not type of spent that sits flat, too hard to see.

In the early stages of may fly season, when you get the first big fall of spent may fly, they got out early this year, we were fishing spent at 1pm in the day and had some cracking fish.

Please remember holding the fish in water, until they swim away, is very important.

Tight lines.

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Fly Fishing Expertise

The Game Angling Instructors’ Association (GAIA) is one of the oldest and most respected fly casting and instructing organisations. With more than 350 members throughout the UK, Europe and the USA, there is a vast wealth of experience in all aspects of game angling. Whether you are a total beginner who wants to learn the correct techniques from day one, an experienced angler looking to iron out a small casting niggle, or you simply fancy some fine-tuning before an upcoming trip, having a lesson with an experienced GAIA instructor can save you frustration and wasted time. All Full Members of GAIA hold the Game Angling Instructor's Certificate (GAIC) and some, additionally, hold the higher certification of Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors’ (APGAI). So you can be assured that all GAIA instructors have been tested to a very high standard of technical and practical knowledge, ensuring you receive the finest quality of tuition to make your fishing experience more pleasurable, successful and safe.

 
What you might learn from a GAIA Instructor

• Understanding the importance of a correctly balanced outfit, the correct casting techniques and methods required for river, bank, boat, reservoir and saltwater angling.

• Learn how to present a fly accurately, even in difficult conditions and with limited casting space.

• Understand how to achieve distance with the double haul and learn other advanced techniques.

• Spey casting including the roll cast, jump roll, single spey, snap-T, double spey and snake roll.

• Learn how to make your own flies on demand, using unusual or otherwise unobtainable patterns.

• Help with keeping up to date on the latest fishing techniques and tackle advice.

River and Stillwater Guiding and Fishing Club demonstrations.
GAIA members hold open days as part of their continuing professional development.  Come along and watch a casting or fly-tying demonstration or have a go at both in a friendly atmosphere. 

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GAIA in association with Bewl Water

Following a sucessful meeting with Bewl Water activities manager, Phil Daley, I am very pleased to announce that GAIA will have an exclusive association with Bewl to hold regional meetings, events and other activities to help promote GAIA.

Bewl Water has a footfall of over 150,000 people per year with excellent facilities, including meeting rooms, tackle shop, restaurant and a cafeteria that reflects a forward thinking management that is willing and eager to work exclusively with GAIA.

Phil is keen to see us use the facility to develop our members and educate the public on fly fishing - his words were a “centre of excellence” and he emphasised “education”.

To see Bewl water, please click on link.

https://www.bewlwater.co.uk/

Pictured from left to right.

Bob Goble -  Bewl Water resident guide & instructor. Bob has fished Bewl Water since it opened in 1978 and knows the water intimately.

Roger Miles - GAIA Associate Members' Coordinator

Phil Daley - Activities Manager for Bewl Water

Bob Burbidge - Vice Chairman of GAIA

Garry Poole -GAIA Regional representitive.

Choosing the right fly

Hmmm. What fly should I to put on? Learning a bit about insects (entomology) will help you to make the right choice.

There are four main groups of flies on which Trout and Grayling concentrate. To get started let's look at the "up winged flies" or ephemeroptera. There are a number of specific stages that these insects go through. Fish are triggered by these stages and when you learn to spot them occurring it will increase your likelyhood of tricking a fish no end. In the diagram below you will see the different stages that the fly, in this case a "Large Dark Olive" develops through it's life cycle.

Weighted nymphs are fished deep in the water if not near the bottom of the river, unweighted nymphs can be fished when the nymphs move from the deeper depths to the mid levels of the stream further towards the surface in anticipation of hatching.

Some patterns represent emerging duns which are fished in or on the surface, often part nymph and part dry fly.

Duns or true dry flies imitate flies that have died, or are near to death, following the failure to emerge completely from the nymphal shuck or those that become trapped by the surface tension of the water.

Once the hatched fly has left the water many species complete metamorphosis, (for interest this transitional change is known as an instar) to become sexually mature (Imago) where they will be seen dancing in clouds above the banks. Once male and female have mated the females return to the water to deposit their eggs and die through exhaustion. This is often referred to as a fall of spinners and can result in fantastic sport for often-larger fish. These falls occur when the light is faded, either at the end or beginning of the day.

So, as you can see, for just this one category of fly, the "up winged flies" or ephemeroptera, we now have several promising patterns to choose from.  If we can spot the stages of its life cycle occuring then we stand a good chance of picking a fly that will, with a little careful puppeteering, fool a fish into taking.  Hooking up?  Well that's another trick altogether! 

GAIC single handed casting instructors and fly dressing instructors are very knowledgeable about these things. If your interested in learning more why not contact a local instructor? 

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Fly Fishing for Kingfish in Sydney Harbour

King for a day!  I had made the journey once again to other side of the world, and this time round, I was not going to miss the opportunity to hook up with Justin Duggan (JD) from ”Sydney Fly Fishing” . Justin made the booking process a breeze from the UK, all done through email and secure online payment. We had put a couple of possible dates in the diary due to changeable weather in Sydney over winter. It certainly wasn't cold averaging 18-22 Celsius most days.
The day had arrived following what had already been a fantastic holiday to date, having set off early from our Manly apartment I took a half hour or so taxi ride to Newport to meet up.
It had just turned 7.30am and I met Justin at the end of Jetty, all the equipment was supplied and like myself JD is a pro guide for Sage & Rio products so I was more than happy with that. I stepped aboard the fully customised Edgewater 188cc and was made very welcome. The usual safety brief and we were off in search of the huge Shoals of Kingfish.

Justin who is also an instructor, we had plenty to talk about during our search and it was just great to swap ideas and learn from someone whose office is on the salt 24/7. We hadn't gone far and Justin had spotted the tell-tale signs of bait fish being smashed from an aerial bombardment and Kingfish a plenty. I was rigged up with a #9 and 20lb leader with an EP flex calamari fly at the business end.
It was only my second cast through the fish on a feeding frenzy, they were hitting the anchovy and bang this thing hit the fly like a freight train. The rod bent double and I was into my first Kingfish of the day. After only a short spell and one unbelievable run, the jubilation had turned to disappointment and a few choice words. The hook had come clean out, and these fish will do almost anything to rub the hook out or take you to snags to shed the hook. Still it was a good start the day.

The morning proved to be more frustration and the fish appearing then disappearing in and around us in seconds. Tracking their movement even with the aid of a fish finder was certainly a big frustration. A decision was made to go out near open water and look for Salmon. After plenty of searching nothing! Wrong conditions and a bit too early in the season.

The tide however had turned so after a brief spell and a stop off at the local on water restaurant for flat whites we were back on the search. The change of tide had done the trick and Justin quickly put me on the fish.

The fly was one again smashed and this time I was determined not to let this one go, the relief from Justin was evident that he finally got me on fish. I can appreciate his relief, as I know there is nothing more frustrating than seeing your client miss fish and conditions not quite right.

Kingfish are hard fighting and give a fight like no other I have experienced to date. The afternoon saw me hook and land another four Kings the biggest over 70cm. There are some huge fish to be had but I wasn't lucky enough to hit into them. Still a good stamp of fish .

My hat goes off to Justin for a day that will never be forgotten and most certainly will be repeated on my next visit to Oz. The day was a great craic and full of banter and good laughs, chilling to his Bob Marley tunes along the way. If your visiting Sydney on your travels be sure to book on with “Sydney Fly Fishing Tours". You can find more information by clicking my profile below and visiting my website.

To learn more about fishing the salt and the necessary casting required then please get in contact with your local GAIA instructor.

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Going for GIAC

I first cast a fly when I was 6 years old and I’ve been hooked ever since…

It wasn’t until the age of 24 that I decided I wanted to challenge myself and apply to become an instructor, afterall, fly fishing and teaching people are two things I love so what better way to try and combine both! GAIA had been recommended to me by a lovely fisherwoman I had the pleasure of meeting and so that’s how my GAIA journey began.

John Reynolds was appointed as my mentor and I can safely say that he has been the most fantastic teacher and I couldn’t have achieved what I have done without him. It took a year of tuition to get to the stage where we both felt comfortable enough for me to embark on taking the single handed assessment, that year was filled with learning many different casts (most of which I’d never heard of before) and completing the GAIC Portfolio - a great way to learn about various fly fishing terminology (it’s like a fishing bible!). It was difficult, especially as I was new to most of the casts on the syllabus and also due to the fact I’d mostly been salmon fishing with a double handed rod in the recent years but despite this, it was thoroughly enjoyable and great learning so much.

On my assessment day I was pretty nervous as you can imagine but my assessors (Tony King and Roger Miles) quickly put me at ease and I was able to control my shaky hands in order avoid casting a pile cast every time! Just over an hour later the exam was over and the results were in… I passed!! So I’m now officially a GAIC instructor, all thanks to John who put so much time and effort into mentoring me so thank you, John.

The whole GAIA experience has been brilliant, I would do it all over again if I could!

I would highly recommend anyone wanting to be an instructor to go for this qualification.

Claudia Audley

Are you thinking of becoming an fly fishing instructor?

If you would like a GAIA Instructor to help you put theory into practice, use Find An Instructor below to get in touch with your local GAIA instructor and have a chat about your requirements.  

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Doing a Demonstration 

I have demonstrated both in the UK and abroad covering both single and double handed techniques. When demonstrating I like to hopefully give the audience some new ideas that they can take away and use in their everyday fishing. I like it to be relaxed, preferably have an audience that will interact and ask questions. You then know that they are taking something away from your demonstration.

I also try not to baffle the public with technical jargon often used by casting instructors which they don’t understand. I am often asked if I get nervous when doing a demonstration.  My answer is that it’s always good to have a few nerves, it keeps you on your toes and you do get better the more you do. The brain is an amazing thing, it starts working the second you are born and stops working the second you stand on a platform and start a demonstration. 

Fly Fishing for Trout

If you are looking for a new hobby or pastime why not take up Trout Fly Fishing?  Join the many fly fishers that not only get to fish in some of the most beautiful places, but benefit from the tranquillity and pleasure that fly fishing brings. Fly fishing is known to improve your personal wellbeing and health. It offers gentle exercise, relaxation and the thrill of  taking fish - a combination that is hard to beat.

The ability to cast a fly to a rising fish is one of the most pleasurable of pastimes, the excitement of catching that fish is the icing on the cake. The ability to do this often means a stealthy approach and the expertise to gently place the fly in the correct place without spooking the fish.

Fly fishing is often called the Gentle Art and it is certainly not a question of strength but one of technique. GAIA Instructors are trained to highest standards and are all capable of imparting their knowledge of the technique of fly casting so that you can get the maximum from your fly fishing. GAIA instructors can quickly assess your casting action and tutor you on how to overcome any minor or major casting faults.

If you would like a GAIA Instructor to help you put theory into practice, use Find An Instructor below to get in touch with your local GAIA instructor and have a chat about your requirements. 

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Grayling Fishing

Once persecuted, Thymallus Thymallus is now cherished by the modern fly angler.  The "lady of the stream" can be caught in the harshest of winter months and readily takes the dry fly through spring and summer.   A variety of tactics can be adopted in targeting the Grayling when nymphing.  The French leader set up is now the go to method, allowing you to fish clear and skinny water in the summer months as well as trundling the nymphs at close quarters during the autumn and winter.

The French leader technique has developed from the Czech nymph style setup which was adopted and used to its full potential in the World Championships back in the 90s. UK competition anglers learned how deadly this Czech style was used to its full effect after a master class form the Czech team in Wales in 1990.  It achieved global recognition and still accounts for many Grayling caught on our rivers today.

It’s not only the nymphs that the Grayling are partial too, but also dry fly and spider techniques.  Spring and summers will see the dry fly being taken in earnest and the all-important “drag free” drift casts come into play.

If your interested in targeting grayling as a species or learning more any of these techniques get intouch with a GAIA instructor and make a plan.

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