The salmon fishing season started with a trip to the Tummel at the beginning of May with friends Ian, Geoff and Cliff for three days on the Lower Tummel beat. It was hard going and only Geoff managed to land two salmon to 15lb and no takes to the other rods. Very frustrating.
June was time for my trip to Norway to fish the Orkla for a week. I flew to Gothenburg via Copenhagen on Friday 9th to be met by my friend Anders and spent the next two days at his home. On the Saturday we went shopping for our food supplies and visited the Systembolaget (alcohol store) for our sustenance. We met up with Goran, Hakan and Claes on the Sunday morning and travelled in two cars for the 8.5 hour trip to the Orkla. The fishing was excellent and the largest salmon was 111cm, around 30lb.
The hot spot with one of our group with a fish on and two of my best flies.
August saw Ian, Millie and I make two trout fishing day trips to the stretch of Cressbrook and Litton Flyfishers on the Derbyshire Wye. The first trip was very successful with all three catching wild brown trout up to 4lb on nymphs and dry fly including beetle patterns. The second trip was not as productive but we had a number of brown trout and wild rainbow trout that the river is famous for.
My local fishing club, Bollin and Birkin Flyfishers, holds working parties throughout the year and 2023 is no exception. Together will volunteers and the Mersey Rivers Trust we have held a number of Balsam Bashing sessions on the Birkin Brook to try to contain this invasive species of plant. Our clubs new water on Peover Eye has also seen some work carried out this year to improve access and make the water more fishable. Taking advice we received from the Wild Trout Trust when they did a survey on the Birkin and Mobberley Brook in 2015 we want to keep the river as wild as possible. This gives good habitat and cover for the fish in the river and does not make the banks to cultivated. On one of the visits we found two patches of Japanese Knotweed that was treated with herbicide spray and in October we injected the stems at low level to try to get the plant to draw the herbicide into the root system. We will check this again early next year to see how successful we have been in containing this invasive plant and treat again if necessary.
Japanese Knotweed before and after spraying and injection treatment.
In August the fishing club and the local fly tying group, North West Fly Dressers Guild, took part in two local country fairs. The first was The Cheshire Game and Angling Fare at Peover Estate, near Knutsford and the second was The Cheshire Game and Country Fare which was a two day event on the August bank holiday at the Tabley showground. Both fares went very well and we had a good uptake in club membership making our participation very worthwhile.
Members of both clubs at the two Country Fares.
In June the club had applied for a Habitat Improvement grant from the Environment Agency for work on Peover Eye and although we did not receive the full amount of the application we did receive the sum of £1000 in late September 2023. Our intention is to use the money to purchase timber and materials to construct two foot bridges and a leaky dam. This work will be carried out and hopefully will be completed by the end of March 2024.
Bollin and Birkin Flyfishers, https://bollinandbirkinflyfishers.uk/ of which I am a member, has fishing on Tatton Estates which includes Peover Estate in Cheshire. The Estate hosts the Cheshire Game and Angling Fair each year and this was the first time back after a two-year absence due to the Covid Pandemic. Our club President had asked the club to put on a stand at the Fair to promote the club and its involvement with the estates.
I was tasked, along with Terry another club member, with putting together a representation of flyfishing on the club waters and what the members did to make the rivers a good place to be.
The theme of the Fair was to involve the public as much as possible and this laid the foundation of what we would put together.
We decided that as some of our club members are also members of the Northwest Branch of the Fly Dressers Guild, and we also have two qualified casting instructors we would use these skills as part of the day’s activities. Members were contacted and the decision was made to have display boards with literature and maps about the rivers and the work the club does to maintain them. The club monitors the water quality and invertebrates in the rivers and Peter, HOME | birkin-wildlife , agreed to put on a display of species and would show this with netted kick samples taken from the lake behind the fishing marquee. Member of the Fly Dressers Guild would tie flies throughout the day and involve the public by getting them to tie a simple fly. Bernie and his son Phil Ratcliffe agreed to demonstrate the art of casting with a fly rod.
The fair organisers were contacted, and it was agreed that we would have tables in the fishing marquee for the club displays, fly tying and water invertebrate identification. For the casting we had a fenced off area, next to the marquee, for the public to have a go and hats and safety glasses would be supplied along with rods for adults and shorter rods for the younger children. Phil Ratcliffe, https://www.philratcliffeflyfishing.co.uk/ was given two twenty-minute slots on the lakes casting platform to demonstrate both single and double hand casting techniques.
On Saturday 6th August a number of the members helped to set up the tables in the marquee ready for the opening the next day and check that the casting area was set up as required and signs placed as warnings to the public to remain outside the fenced area for their safety. After all was prepared, we agreed to meet up the next morning at 8.30am to be ready for the grand opening at 10.00am.
The big day arrived and as this was the first time we had ever taken part in a game fair we did not know what to expect.
Well we did not need to have worried as the Fair went amazingly well with great feedback from the public and a possible five new members to the club.
After a lot of preparation of equipment and flyfishing gear the day had finally arrived.
Over the last few month I had been gathering together all the gear I would need for this trip to fish for Arctic Char in Greenland. I had purchased an inflatable air bed and borrowed a very high quality sleeping bag and purchased some good thermal underwear for the expected cold evenings. The organisers of the trip, had a packing list on their web site of things that would be needed and I had used this to get together all the gear needed. Fly fishing trips to Greenland & Bahamas with Outside Travels / Fly fishing trips to Greenland and the Bahamas Start
• Small first aid kit (our guide always carries this with you but if you are out on your own it is always good to have)
• Sun cream •Camera.
I had arranged to meet my Swedish friends, Anders, Goran and Fedrik at Copenhagen Airport on the Monday morning to book in for the flight to Greenland. As the flight left at 09.00am it meant that I had to book a flight from Manchester and this was a late flight on the Sunday, 24th July, that arrived in Copenhagen airport at 23.30pm. This meant a time spent in the departure lounge until the check in desk opened at 06.00am on the Monday morning. The others arrived at 06.45am and by 07.30 we had made our way through security and ready for the flight to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, and then an internal flight to Nuuk the Capital.
Kangerlussuaq airport with both planes used on the trip to Nuuk.
On arrival in Nuuk we were picked up in a minibus and taken to the harbour to meet up with our guides for the week and the captain and mate of the small boat that would transport us to our camp 4 hour north of Nuuk. We loaded the boat with our baggage and the catering supplies for the week. Our party now consisted of our group of 4 plus two other anglers, brothers Ulf and Peter from Gothenburg, our fishing guide Mattias and our camp chef Hasse a very interesting guy. More later.
We arrived at the landing point around 17.00pm and after securing the boat to a very steep ladder we unloaded all the baggage and supplies onshore ready to be transported to the camp. The camp was over a steep hill and after a very strenuous trek we managed to move all the gear to the huts by 18.00pm and it was time for a well deserved beer.
Monday25th July The evening was spent setting up the sleeping huts and Hasse prepared a meal of pasta with sausage and a cream sauce, delicious. After the meal Goran and I had our first walk over the hill to view the river and took a rod with us but did not have any contact. We arrived back at camp around 22.30pm both very tied after a very busy day and it was not long before I was fast asleep.
Tuesday 26th July Breakfast was at 08.00am in the catering hut and we had cereal, fried eggs, cheese and cooked meats with bread and coffee. We made up sandwiches and fruit for our lunch and I had a flask of coffee made up along with a bottle of water filled from the mountain spring. We split into groups of 3 and I accompanied Mattias our guide and Ulf and Peter as we would go by rowing boat to the top half of the beat and the others would fish the bottom half of the beat.
Mattias rowing up to the top of the beat.
We beached the boat and started our first real fishing session and it was not long before we had all caught our first Arctic Char. We moved on further up the beat fishing various pools and finally reach the top by a waterfall. Peter had crossed the river with Mattias and was soon into what proved to be the largest fish of the week at 2.4kg. We were all fishing 6# and 7# single hand rods with floating lines with 10ft sink tips of various sink rates. This combination along with intermediate lines was the main method used. Flies were mainly nymphs and streamers and Woolly Buggers. The other method of floating wake flies did not seem to be a success for our group although fast stripping was and to see the Char follow your fly in the clear water was very exciting especially when they hit the fly. The scenery is spectacular and photos do not do it justice but I will post some for you to share.
The falls at the top of the beat.Peter with his first fish.
When we arrived back Anders informed us that he had caught 6 fish, 3 for the meal and 3 returned. Hasse needed 6 fish for our meal and he had only caught 1 so we fished the bottom of the beat and Anders and Peter caught the 2 fish that were needed. Hasse cooked the Char and served the meal with boiled potatoes and a fish sauce along with a tomato and cucumber salad. After dinner we had coffee outside and this was accompanied with a tot of whiskey. Most of the day was overcast and raining but we had a beautiful sunny evening and spotted whales blowing plumes of water into the air. We also had a visit from a family of Artic Foxes who had come to a feeding table on a rock near the cabins. Bed was beckoning and I retired at 10.00pm.
Wednesday 27th July After breakfast Goran, Anders and Fredrik went in the boat with Mattias to the top of the river and Ulf, Peter and I fished the top half of the bottom beat. We had a good catch of Char with Ulf taking the best at 2.2kg and my best two fish were 1.2kg and 1.4kg. The Char put up a good fight on our light tackle and do not come to the net easily , even the smaller fish around the 3/4kg range. Almost all the fish we caught over the week were fresh fish and only the odd one had changed their markings to the flush of red.
Ulf with a nice Artic Char
After a long day we arrived back at the camp about 17.00pm and the others followed shortly after. Hasse had cured some Char with lemon juice, salt and sugar and served an aperitif on a home made flat bread and together with a nice whiskey was appreciated by all. The main meal was a pancetta and mushroom pasta in a nice sauce and served with a vegetable mix of peas and carrots. Second helpings all round, delicious.
After dinner and a coffee we decided to try our hand at fly fishing off the rocks for the plentiful number of cod that were in the deeper water. We rigged up with 7# and 8# single handers with fast sink tips and bright heavy weighted flies to get down deep. Anders was Spey casting with a waterborne cast to avoid the rocks and was soon into a cod that was landed and released in the water. I mastered the cast after a few minutes and managed to land a couple of cod. Anders was the master and landed and released a few more cod before we returned to the camp. It had been a long day and I retired to bed at 21.30pm.
Cured Arctic Char on home made flat bread ( Tunnbrot) and Wasabi paste.Anders casting for the Fjord cod.
Thursday28th July 2022 Breakfast at 08.00am and after making a packed lunch we left for our days fishing. Goran and Fredrik took the boat for some sea fishing, Ulf and Peter took the rowing boat to the top of the beat, Anders and I decided to fish the middle of the beat. The walk is challenging and has some ups and downs that are steep and is tiring on the return journey after a days fishing. We reach the beat and set up. Anders had two fish on in less than 10 minutes but lost both. The sun came out and the wind dropped and the water surface was flat calm and the water crystal clear. The fishing goes dead.
We stopped for lunch at 12.30pm and Anders topped up the coffee with a tot of whiskey. The sun is still shining and just the odd fish showing interest in following a striped fly , both on the surface and below, but would veer off as the fly came nearer as if they could see us in the flat calm water. At 15.30pm the clouds started to build up and the wind put a ripple on the water and all of a sudden the fish switched on to the fly again. Anders had two good fish, 1.8kg and 1.2kg, then I had one at 1.6kg. Anders then had another at 1.3kg and I landed one at 1.4kg all caught in the space of an hour. At 16.30pm we started back to the camp with the five fish that would be used in tonight dinner of fish stew. Goran and Fredrik had contributed catfish (wolffish), cod and a flat fish and along with our Char made a very tasty fish stew served with potatoes and vegetables. Lots of celebrations and a few whiskeys before the meal and three coffees to sober up. After the meal it started the rain lightly and then the Artic Foxes came to the feeding rock and allowed a few photos and videos to be taken. Bed at 20.50pm.
My second Char.The first Char.Anders fish with a nymph fly that proved to be his best selection and caught most of his fish for the week we were there.My most successful fly a Gold head Woolly Bugger with a set of legs in white and also tied in orange.Arctic Fox on the feeding rock.
Friday 29th July 2022. Breakfast at 08.00am of muesli, cheese and cooked meats and coffee. Made up sandwiches and a hard boiled egg and a flask of coffee for lunch. Set up my 4# Switch rod as my left elbow was causing me a bit of trouble with “tennis elbow” and being left handed the Switch rod could be used right hand up. I walked up to the top of the bottom beat with both my single and Switch rods. I did not start fishing until 11.30am as all six of our group had decided to fish the same stretch probably due to its catch success the previous days. I started with the Switch rod but soon realised that I had loaded the rod with the wrong reel and line and long casts were not turning over very well. I reverted to the single hander and decided to practice casting with my right hand and after about an hour I could put out a decent length of line and as the day went on the casting became better and I could shoot line. At 13.00pm I stopped for lunch and a coffee and looked at the best spot to start fishing.
I walked back down river to the first rapids and fished down into the tail. No fish at first then one lost down into the rapids. Then one landed and then another, one more lost then another landed. By 16.00pm I had landed five and lost six. Anders had walked back down with Fredrik and as I had stopped for a coffee I told him to have a cast in the neck of the pool. Fredrik was fishing higher up the run that flowed down to the rapids and had not had much success then a bend in the rod and after a short fight a nice Char was landed and I took a few photos for him. As I walked back to were Anders was fishing Fredrik hooked and lost another fish and then had another on the next cast. He managed to land this successfully and was now all smiles. Anders and I started back to the camp and when we reach the top of the hill we looked back down the hill to see Fredrik with another bend in his rod. Back at camp I changed into something more comfortable and sat outside with a nice beer enjoying the views. Ulf offered whiskeys all round ( very large ones ) before dinner. The dinner was sirloin steak (2 each ) served with potatoes and vegetables and a coffee taken at the table outside and two beers before retiring to bed at 21.15pm.
Fredrik looking very happy.Fredrik playing his second fish.Anders landing a fish.One of the five I landed on the bank as I forgot my landing net.
Saturday30th July 2022 After breakfast I sorted out my fishing gear and loaded my day bag with lunch and a flask of coffee. It was very slow on the fishing front as the sun was very bright and no wind to ripple the water. The scenery certainly made up for the lack of action on the fishing side. I managed to land a fish of 1.4kg at 15.30pm and Anders had one of 1.9kg. Fredrik and Goran had taken the boat out on the Fjord in the morning and had caught a number of different varieties of fish including catfish (wolffish), cod and two different types of flat fish.
Back at camp for 17.00pm and after shedding the waders, a nice beer before dinner. The dinner was smoked Char that Anders and I had caught the day before and Hasse had smoked in the D.I.Y smoker built into the hill behind the huts. The fish was served with two sauces, one with a mayonnaise base and the second a garlic base and boiled potatoes and home made flat bread (tunnbrod). After dinner we all sat outside with nets on, as lots of flies, and a nice whiskey and coffee and group photographs. Peter, Ulf, Anders, Goran, Fredrik, Mattias our guide and Hasse our camp organiser and chef. Hasse is a real character who has been on an expedition to the Artic (North Pole), Alaska, and every day after breakfast he hiked to some high points on the coast to sit and take in the beauty of the landscape.
The smoker. Looking uphill to the camp with the shower on the right. Anders, Goran and Fredrik relaxing. Looking down on the camp with the dining hut to the left and the two sleeping huts with rod rack. The rapids and the hot spots in the top right of the picture.
Sunday 31st July 2022 After breakfast we spent the morning packing up our bags and then taking them down to the landing stage ready to load the boat when it arrived. This also included all the refuse bags , beers crates and a small fridge that needed attention back in Nuuk. The rest of the morning and until the boat arrived was spent taking photographs of the beautiful area that we had spent the last week.
The boat arrived at 13.45pm and it was a bit bigger than the one we came in. The captain did not want to come to the ladder as the water depth was lower as the tide was out and so the mate launched the rubber dingy to come into the ladder. It meant that we had to ferry all the luggage and refuse to the boat and this took 5 trips with one of us going over to help unload the dingy. The last trip was Ulf and myself with two beer crates. Mattias waved us off at 14.15pm and we started our 4 hour trip back to Nuuk.
The landing point with all the baggage ready to load on the boat.Baggage and trash ready to load on the boat.The ladders down to the water with the boat and the dingy off shore.Preparing to leave the mooring with the landing area to the left of centre.
The trip back was approx. 4 hours for this larger boat and the captain navigated the course through the off shore islands by use of a Garmin navigation screen that had plotted the way back. At times we were very close to islands and at other times in open sea with a swell that lifted the boat up and down at times with lots of bangs to the hull as the boat crashed back down. All very exciting and lucky that nobody felt sea sick. We had a stop on the way in calm water for a convenience break and a cigarette for the captain and mate. None of our group smoked so it was more of a leg stretch and walk round the boat.
On our way back to NuukSailing back down the coast.Arriving in Nuuk.
We arrived in Nuuk just after 18.00pm and after unloading all the gear we walked up the hill from the dock to the hotel we were to stay in before going to the airport in the morning. We checked in and we each had a single room were we could shower (luxury at last) and change before dinner at 19.00pm in the hotel dining room. After dinner we had a coffee and retired back to our rooms and Ulf and his brother Peter decided to check out the local hostelries. I had a WhatsApp video chat with my girlfriend Maureen thanks to the free hotel Wi-Fi as this was the first communication for over a week. Bed at 21.30pm with alarm set for 06.30am.
Monday 1st August 2022 Breakfast was at 07.00am and the taxis came at 08.00am and took us to the airport in time for check in. The plane left an hour late and this meant that we had very little time in Kangerlussuaq and in fact delayed the take off of this plane back to Copenhagen. My luggage came through very quickly and as I had a short time period to check into my flight back to Manchester I said my farewells to Anders, Goran and Fredrik and headed off to find my check in desk. The Manchester flight was delayed and when called to board two hours late the security desks that it said to go through was closed. There were 120 people trying to find another security area to be able to get through to the plane. Very bad communication and after a search another was found and people were running the long distance that needed to be covered to reach the boarding gate. Because of this the plane was further delayed and I did not arrive back in Manchester and a taxi home until 02.00am on the Tuesday morning.
I seem to be getting into delayed flights and long queues at security areas and bag checks. So all the complaints that we hear about the UK airports are in fact European wide.
What a fantastic experience and adventure in a country most people will never visit. I thank my Swedish mates for their great friendship and hospitality and look forward to our next fishing adventure together.
A few more images of this beautiful area of Greenland.
The FallsWhale bones
Back in the UK I will be attending the Cheshire Game and Angling Fair at Peover Hall Estate on Sunday 7th August. The angling club, Bollin and Birkin Flyfishers, of which I am a member have been asked to put on a representation of game angling and along with a few others have managed to organise a good show for the public. More of this to follow along with news of another fair I will be attending on the 28th and 29th August at the Cheshire Game and Country Fair at the Cheshire Showground.
In November 2021 I had applied for a grant from the Angling Trust to help with Training and the purchase of equipment for the control of Invasive Species like Himalayan Balsam, Giant Hogeweed and Japanese Knotweed. This was for our club waters on the Rivers Bollin, Birkin and Mobberley Brook and a recently aquired new fishery on the Peover Eye. The training was taken in early April 2022 and I attended the three training days with another of our club members. We took the assessment on the 19th April and both passed all parts. After receiving the certificates I applied to the Environment Agency for permission to spray on our club waters and the permission was granted. I had also been purchasing Backpack spray units and all the relevent protection wear for two people to be fully equiped and a concentrated herbicide, Roundup, and safe storage and transport boxes. A big thanks to the Angling Trust for the grant to make this possible.
On Sunday the 1st May I drove up to Pitlochry to meet up with three other anglers for our three days, 2/3/4, May, on the Lower Tummel stretch of the river. Not a very successful trip as none of us touched a fish over the three days and our four other friends who fished the 5/6/7 had the same experience.
River Orkla, Norway10th June 2022
On Thursday 9th june I went on line to book my boarding pass for my trip to Gothenburg via Amsterdam to meet up with my friend Anders. No problem and I printed off the boarding passes for the two flights. Three hours later when I checked my emails one of the flights had been cancelled and adviced thatI rebook the flights. It turned out that the cancelled flight was from Amsterdam to Gothenburg and my only flight available meant a 7.5 hour stop over in Amsterdam and my arrival in Gothenburg wouild not be till 22.45 pm.
My friend Anders was at the airport to pick me up and we arrived back at his home at 00.30 am on Saturday morning. After a nice sleep and then breakfast we went to pick up the mini bus that we had hired to take our group to the fishing at Joholen on the River Orkla. We then went to the supermarket to purchase our supplies for the meal that each of us would have to cook and a few extras like crisps and treats. The next stop was the alcohol purchase at the Systembolaget store which is the only place you can buy alcohol above 3.5%. On Sunday morning the other three anglers, Goran, Claes and Hakan arrived and we loaded up the bus with all the tackle, food and alcohol for our long 10 hour drive into Norway. We left at 6.00 am and we stopped twice on the way for food and fuel and arrived at the beat at 16.50 pm. After unloading the bus and putting away the food and alcohol we set up rods for an evening session on the river.
My set up for the week was a Guideline LXi Tpac 13ft 9″ 9# 6 piece rod with two Danielsson Control 8thirteen reels loaded with a floating line and a triple density line. The main flies I tie are Hairwing, Cascade and Sunrays with smaller shrimp and stoats tails on single and double debarbed hooks.
During the week we each cook a meal for everyone and we have some very good cooks who provide meals that you would buy in a restaurant. I served Beef with a pepper sauce and sauteed potatoes and a mix of vegetables. A nice Rioja was served to help wash it down.
On the fishing front we landed 5 salmon, the largest 10.4kg, caught by Hakan and 3 caught by Goran after a very lean spell of not landing a salmon. The pleasure was obvious to see and well deserved. We also lost 6 fish in the week and I managed 2 of those with a very large fish bending the hook before pulling off. The worst was to lose the second fish in exactley the same way and after checking a batch of flies tied on the same hooks I disgarded at least 40 flies. Norway salmon need top quality hooks and I have learned a big lesson.
On Sunday 19th we had an early breakfast a set about cleaning the cabins for the next guests to visit. By 8.30am the bus was loaded and we set off for the drive back to Anders home. We arrived back at 7.00pm and we said our goodby’s to Goran, Hakan and Claes. On the Monday morning we took the mini bus back to the rental firm and on returning to Anders home we had a light lunch before we went to the airport for my flight back to Manchester.
The flight from Gothenburg to Amsterdam was delayed and did not take off till 21.15pm which ment that I would miss my connecting flight to Manchester. This meant a 10.5 hour wait overnight in the airport before my rebooked flight at 08.00am. The airline informed me that there where no hotels available and I received no meal vouchers which would hasve been of no use as all the food outlets had closed. I arrived in Manchester to find that my luggage was not on the flight and so had to fill in an on line lost luggage form. This was 08.30 am on the Tuesday Morning 21st June and I got my luggage back on the Friday at 16.45pm.
A great trip with my Swedish friends that I would not have missed for the world.
Our home for the week.
The BBQ
The hot spot
The oldest of the Cabins with sleeping accommodation and a nice log burner.
Since my last post in July 2021 I have taken over the treasurers posts in my local fishing club, Bollin and Birkin Anglers, and the North West Branch of the Fly Dressers Guild. I must be mad but as they say someone has to do it and after the initial problems of sorting the bank paperwork out all is well and running smoothly.
I have had my name on a waiting list for Eaton Flyfishers https://www.eatonflyfishers.co.uk/ who have beats on the River Dane in Cheshire and holds Trout and a good head of Grayling that will give good winter fly fishing. My application has been accepted for 2022 and I have access, via the website, to the clubs members section that gives beat locations and parking areas and a catch return page. Really looking forward to fishing this river that I last fished about 25 years ago.
My May salmon fishing trip to the River Tummel, a tributary of the Tay, has been cancelled for the last two years due to Covid but has now been booked. The beat is The Lower Tummel https://atholl-estates.co.uk/activities/country-sports/fishing/ and our group take the 4 rod beat for the 6 days. I will fish the first 3 days from Monday 2nd May with my friends Ian, Geoff and Cliff and we will stay in a b and b in Pitlochry. The second half of the week will be fished by Dave, Jim, John and Dave M.
The second trip that was cancelled in 2020 was to fish the River Orkla in Norway. This trip has been payed for and the owner of the beat at Joholen has held our booking for this year at the same price so all I needed to do was to book my flights. I fish with 4 Swedish friends that I met on the Scottish River Dee 9 years ago and I have fish with them at least once each year since. I fly out on Friday 10th June to Gothenburg via Copenhagen and my friend Anders meets me at the airport and takes me to his home where I stay for two night. On the Sunday morning we all meet at Anders home, myself, Goran, Claes and Hakan and drive up to the Orkla in a “minibus” for a weeks salmon fishing.
After missing this trip last year one of our group, Fredrik, suggested a change of venue for 2022 and we decided to make it an extra trip and after some investigation we decided on a week in Greenland fishing for Arctic Char. We go out from Copenhagen on 25th July and fly to Kangerlussuaq and then on to Nuuk on the west coast. We are met at the airport and are then transported by boat to our camp for the week at the mouth of the river that flows into a fjord and we have access to fish for both Arctic Char and a variety of sea fish. This is a new location for all of us and I have been studying the type of equipment and flies needed. The people we are using for the trip have put a very comprehensive explanation of the camp and the packing list required including rods. reels and flies and the type of clothing to wear. I have now got together all the kit I need and am busy tying flies for the trip. These include Streamers, Nymphs and Surface flies to create a wake on the surface. I have found a great pattern for the surface that is used a lot in Greenland and that is the Gartside Gurgler. The trip was orgsnised through https://www.outsidetravels.com/gronland
It’s been 12 months since my last post and although not a lot of fishing has taken place there are a few things to report.
After my two visits to the Derbyshire Wye last July there was an opportunity of three days salmon fishing on the River Tweed on the Nest beat on the 8th 9th and 10th of October with my friend Geoff. I travelled up on the Wednesday and met Geoff at the Kingsknowes hotel we had booked for a three night stay. Due to the pandemic the hotel was operating a strict set of rules for the rooms, bars and restaurant for its guests safety and this worked very well. We both thank the staff for the good service they provided during our stay.
The Nest beat, https://fisheries.asfb.org.uk/fisheries/nest/ , is situated on the A72 East of Innerleithen, through Walkerburn and either side of the roundabout at the junction with the A707. Its a nice fishery with a gillie who will take you out on the Boat Pool. The fishing for me was not very good and over the three days only the Saturday produced salmon. I had two good pulls but Geoff had more luck and landed two salmon with the best about 12lb.
I am a member of the North West branch of The Fly Dressers Guild and the monthly club meetings had been postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic and we discussed ways of meeting up and being able to give demonstrations. We decided to start using Zoom and set up for the free meetings of 40 mlnutes and then relogging in if we needed more time. This worked well but the inconvenience of the short sessions decided us to take out a subscription account which then allowed us to hold meetings without time limitation. After a chat with their admin. we got a good improvement in video quality and this made close up of fly tying demos of very good clarity. The camera used for the demos needed to be able to zoom in and one of our members was able to give some very good demos and at one of our committee meeting I was persuaded to give a demo. I had purchased a new camera with a downloadable app to give better control over zoom facility and after a few dry runs I found that a manual zoom and focus worked best. Earlier in 2021 we lost one of our members who had written two articles for the clubs on line monthly magazine explaining the uses of the Norvise and was due to give a demo at the club. This gave me the idea of giving a Zoom demo as a tribute to him. As this was my first live demonstration I was very nervous.
I started the demo with a run through the workings of the rotary vise and the different attachments that I had purchased including the standard inline jaws, the tube fly system and the fine point jaws. I also showed an adaptation to the tube system with the use of a pin vise and a HMH tube fly holder. The second half of the demo included the tying of three salmon flies that I use in Canada for Pacific salmon. The demo finished with a Q and A and was well received by the membership.
We had heared that Don Stazicker was available for a Zoom talk and his presentation was brilliant and was an introduction to his and Peter Hayes ebook “Trout and Flies -Getting Closer”. I have purchased this and it is the most detailed look at trout behaviour and the best type of flies to use for all types of circumstances and has a large number of superb videos.
A month later we had a talk from a South African fly tyer, Gorden van de Spuy, who is an author and professional thespian. A self taught fly tyer from the age of 14 the theme of his talk was that “Form follows Function”. The club also hosted a Zoom meeting for Gorden this month which had a wider audience and was about his passion for tying classic salmon flies and was a real eye opener for me as to the work involved in sourcing and selecting materials. Gorden has had a book published entitled “The Feather Mechanic”and I have just received a copy from Coch-Y-Bonddu books and at first glance looks very ineresting.
All the club meetings are in the on line magazine and can be found here.
On the fishing front my normal trip to the Tummel in May was cancelled and the 2020 trip to Norway that was rearranged for June 2021 was also cancelled. I have managed two days on the River Wye in Derbyshire on Cressbrook and Litten day ticket water with three friends. The two days were booked for the 23rd and 24th of June which is a bit late for the mayfly but the fishing was good. On the Tuesday with the water a bit on the low side I managed 5 wild brown trout with the best 1.5lb and beautifully marked. The Wednesday was a little slower and came to life around 5.30 pm with a hatch of Yellow Matfly and we started to catch on a nymph version and then the dry. My last brown trout of the session was caught on a dry fly and I was targeting a fish holding in the shallower water at the side of the stream. After making about six casts over the fish it rose in the water and I tensed in anticipation and to my surprise another trout appeared from the deeper water and took the fly inches away from my target fish. After a short fight on my 7ft 6″ 3# my friend netted the fish using his long handled landing net which saved having to slide down the bank.
My local club water was unavailable during most of 2020 and into 2021 and when we did managed to get back on the water the winter floods had caused bank erosion and trees had fallen into the river. We also had a problem with invasive species of himalayan balsam, giant hogweed and knotweed which needed to be controlled. We organised a number of working parties to sort out the blockages in the river caused by the fallen trees and also lifted the tree canopy in places to open up the runs. The work is on going but we have made huge strides into clearing some of the blockages and our weekly working parties will continue.
We also have contact with BEACON (Bollin Environmental Action and Conservation) which is a group of people working towards controlling and eradicating invasive non-native species (INNS) and improving water quality within the Bollin catchment, which includes all the tributaries, meres, brooks and streams connected to the River Bollin such as the River Dean, Birkin and Mobberley Brooks and we had organised a Balsam bashing day for the 9th June which helped clear a section of the river.
BEACON joined the Mersey Rivers Trust in 2016 to use a more co-ordinated approach in tackling invasive species and improving water quality in the Bollin catchment. https://www.merseyrivers.org/index.php/projects/beacon
Well I think I am up to date with my blog and will get back soon with any updates on the fishing front.
My friend Ian had booked two days fishing on the Derbyshire River Wye on the https://cressbrookandlittonflyfishers.co.uk/ day ticket water with the first visit on Wednesday 1st July. The booking was for four rods , myself, Ian and his friend Millie and another friend Terry and we had arranged to meet up at the car park by the river at 08.30 am. When I arrived Ian and Millie had set up a camping stove and had boiled water for a hot drink of coffee and bacon sandwiches. Terry arrived later and missed out on the bacon and at around 09.00 am the clubs bailiff arrived to go through the rules and to inform us of the flies that had been successful earlier in the week.
I had set up a 10ft 3# rod and had attached a Hends Camou French leader, 4mts long, to the reel. To the leader was attached a two colour indicator and a Stroft tippet material of 5x. I attached a tungsten bead nymph and set off to a streamy part of the river to try out the upstream nymphing techniques that I had been reading about on the two websites I mentioned in my previous post.
After fishing a number of different runs on the river I had managed 4 small trout on this new method and had managed to master the casting technique which feels strange at first as you have no weight as with a conventional fly line. It was lunch time and we met up at the car park to discuss the mornings action and we had all managed to land fish and the best was a brown trout of 3.5lb caught by Millie on a weighted nymph.
After lunch I decided to remove the French leader and set up with the Rio Gold 3# line and a 7.5 ft 5X tapered leader and a 5 ft length of 4x tippet. This was to be able to fish the far side of the river from the bank with a variety of dry flies, spiders and nymphs. The fish seemed to think it was siesta time and the early afternoon was a very uneventful time and around 17.30 pm we met back up at the carpark for a drink of tea and coffee and a few biscuits. We could view the river from the carpark and noticed that a few fish had started to rise to a fly hatch and so returned to the bank to see if any could be tempted to a dry fly.
The sport really picked up and I caught 7 more brown trout averaging around 3/4 lb and the largest just over 1 lb all on a selection of dry flies with the best being a BWO tied on a size 14 hook. The total catch for the session was over 40 fish to our 4 rods which was a good result considering the very slow afternoon session. The hatch slowed down around 19.30 pm and we met back at the cars around 20.00 pm and after an exchange of information we said our goodbye and arranged to meet up on Sunday the 12th July for our second session on the same beat.
Sunday 12th July.
We met up at the beat around 8.30 am and we were joined by Peter another friend and Ian had made a very welcome brew while we tackled up. It had rained in the night and the river was carrying more water and a tinge of colour which clouded the water. I tackled up my 10 ft 3# rod with the Rio Gold line and a 7.5 ft tapered leader and a 6x tippet. A heavy nymph was tied on the tippet to get the fly down to the river bed in the faster flow.
During the morning a variety of flies were used, including Hares Ears, Pheasant Tail Nymphs and a variety of beaded flies, but the coloured water seemed to put the trout off and only one small brownie came to the net and a few takes were missed. Back at the cars we had all had a similar experience but one of the guys did manage a Rainbow Trout around 3lb from the deep hole at the top of the beat using a heavy nymph retrieved in a slow figure of eight.
Ian had brought some fantastic beef burgers from a specialist shop near his home in Wilmslow to cook for lunch along with fried onions and cheese topped “barmcakes” (also know by various other names dependant on which part of the country you come from). We all enjoyed them and thanked Ian for providing such a delicious meal.
The afternoon and early evening session was much of the same and around 17.30 pm a small hatch of olives seemed to tempt a few trout to the surface but not in the numbers expected and I managed only two more small brown trout. One more brown trout was caught weighing about 2.5lb and a number of smaller fish to the other rods. The session was a little disappointing after the success of our first visit but that fishing and we had all enjoyed our visit to this day ticket water on one of the best rivers in the North of the country.
Salmon fishing has taken a bit of a back seat at the moment due to the restrictions and worries with regard to travel accommodation and so we with be concentrating on trips to our club water on the Welsh Dee. The Welsh government has opened up the border to England and this will allow us to travel to the beats on the club water. https://www.corwenanddistrictanglingclub.co.uk/
Early 2020 and I had not been fishing due to the weather but had a three day salmon fishing trip booked for the first week of May on the River Tummel at Pitlochry on the Lower river beat.
As we all know along came a certain virus that has had a devastating effect on all our lives in the workplace and in our leisure activity. Fishing was closed down and my partner and I went into isolation and social distancing on the 16th March followed by the whole country a week later. The beat owners on the Tummel reimbursed our monies from the weeks booking and the hotel accommodation was cancelled at no cost which was much appreciated by our two groups of four anglers.
Not having experienced anything like this before in all my 70 years the situation took some time to adjust to and after a couple of weeks I had a new system in place and the internet was a very useful place to order shopping for delivery and purchase all the things that I thought I didn’t need, especially in the fishing tackle department.. Exercise has been ok as I live close to some very nice country walks and this has been a bonus apart from dodging cyclists and joggers who seem to have their own rules with regard to time and distance traveled from their home and how close is two metres. I digress.
June was fast approaching and my trip to Norway to fish the River Orkla was looking in doubt. My Swedish friend Anders, who had organised the trip, was in contact with the beat owner at Joholen and it looked like the trip would have to be cancelled as Norway had closed its borders. We had paid half the fee for the fishing and Anders had the balance ready to pay. The beat owner was very good and offered to reimburse the money paid but we decided to book the beat for the same week in 2021 and for him to hold the deposit. I had booked my flight to Gothenburg via Copenhagen and after contacting the airline, SAS, I decided to take a credit to my account for the money paid and this could be used when I book my flight for 2021.
Fishing in England has now resumed as long as people follow the guidelines set down by the government and this has allowed myself and three friends to book two dates in early July to fish the Derbyshire River Wye for trout. I have been tying trout flies during the lockdown and also reading up on Nymphing styles and found two excellent sites with endless information in both text and video. The sites are administered by Dr Paul Gaskell and John Pearson and can be found at these links.
I purchased a number of products from them and the quality of information is outstanding. Well that’s all for now and I will post an update when I return from the River Wye.
After returning from the Orkla, Norway, in July I had four trips left in the UK.
Three days on the Spey 25th/27th July. Three days again on the Spey 19th/21st August. Three days on a small Highland river 14th/16th Oct and three days on the Tweed 28th/30th October. With near perfect water on all the rivers during the trips I would have expected a good catch return but this was not the case. one small salmon of about 4.5lb was caught on the Highland river and apart from a few tentative pulls no other salmon or sea trout were caught. The reasons are pure theory and I put down to a total lack of salmon and sea trout numbers in the rivers. This is a problem that is getting worse and lots of research is being done by a number of organisations to try to improve the wild salmon and sea trouts lot. The findings are uncovering lots of different reasons including the effects of salmon farming, predation of the fish fry from large numbers of mergansers , goosanders and cormorants in the rivers, colonies of seals at the mouths of rivers along with pods of dolphins and the salmon and sea trout survival at sea and in the feeding grounds.
My salmon and sea trout tackle are now being cleaned ready to be put away for the winter and my thoughts have turned to some grayling fishing on the Welsh Dee. My friend Ian and I will visit our club waters around the Corwen area and are hopeful for some good fly and coarse fishing. The Dee is one of the UK’s finest grayling waters and we are both looking forward to the fishing. I much prefer fly fishing for the grayling and use both nymphing techniques and wet and dry fly if there is a nice fly hatch. The club water only allows coarse fishing using worm on a float rig and not other types of bait or feed. The worms will be supplied by Ian from his endless supply from his compost heaps on his land where he has horse stables.
We visited the Dee on Wednesday 4th December and fished two beats on our club water around Corwen. I picked up Ian at 8.00am and we drove to our first stop on the Dee at the St. David’s beat and met another friend who was there when we arrived. Terry comes from the same area as Ian and I and we had arranged to meet up at around 9.30am. After a short chat we changed into waders, with warm undergarments, and set up fly rods and float rods to take down to the river. I put up a 10ft 3# single hand fly rod with a fly line fitted with a furled yellow leader with an orange section connected to the fly line to act as a strike indicator. The tippet was made up of 6lb and 3lb fluorocarbon and I decided to fish with weighted nymphs like hairs ear, czech and gold heads. I had also tied some tungsten bead and very heavy leaded flies to reach the river bed. My float rod is a three piece 13ft with a 1.5lb test curve with a line handling capacity of 2lb to 10lb. I fitted a centre pin reel and an Avon float shotted to get the worm down on the river bed. The hook was size 16 Red Drennan hook to 3lb nylon which was connected to the tippet with a loop to loop connection.
Very heavy weighted Czech Nymph tied on a size 12 Partridge Patriot barbless hook.
I caught about 12 grayling up to 1.5lb in weight with 8 caught on fly and 4 on float tackle. Ian had a similar number with grayling up to 1.25lb with most of his fish coming to worm on float tackle. We had very good weather condition with only a slight wind and a maximum temperature of +9c and the light was good and allowed us to fish to just after 16.00pm. We walked back to the cars and changed out of waders and tackled down the rods and loaded the cars ready for the drive home. We set off about 17.30pm but the trip home took longer than normal due to a crash on one of the country roads which delayed us for about 30 minutes and so after dropping Ian off in Wilmslow I arrived back home around 20.00pm. It was a very enjoyable days fishing and a great way to finish this years fishing.
I had booked a taxi for 8.00 am to take me to Manchester Airport Terminal 1 for a flight to Gothenburg via Copenhagen. I had checked in on line and so only had to check my bag through at the desk and then proceed through to the departure lounge. The flight left on time and I arrived in Copenhagen with a 1hr and 40 min wait for my flight to Gothenburg due to leave at 14.40 pm. There was a delay for a technical hitch which turned out to be that the cabin crew had arrived late and after a bit of a wait we finally took off and landed in Gothenburg 20 minutes late. After collecting my luggage I went to meet my Swedish friend Anders who had organised the trip and who I was staying with Friday and Saturday night before departing for the Orkla in Norway early Sunday morning.
We got some food shopping on the way home as Anders was preparing a meal on the BBQ and he purchased a nice fillet of pork and produce to make a salad to go with it. Anders coated the pork with a homemade spice rub before cooking and served it with a mixed salad of beans, avocado, mozzarella, red onion, radish and mixed salad leaf.
Saturday 29th June.
We picked up a mini bus that we had decided to travel in and then went shopping for all our food and beverage for the week in Orkla as it is much cheaper than purchasing in Norway. We were travelling with three other friends and two, Hakan and Goran, would stay at Anders home on the Saturday night as we wanted an early 3.30am start. They arrived about 18.30pm and we ordered an assortment of pizza’s to be picked up from a take away and had a catch up over dinner and a small tester of single malt that I had acquired for Anders from the Edradour Distillery when I was up fishing the Tummel earlier in the year. We then loaded all the food and fishing gear into the vehicle before retiring ready for our early start.
Sunday 30th June
We left Anders home at 3.30 am and drove up to Gothenburg to pick up the 5th member of the team, Claes, and then carried on to Oslo on the E6. We stayed on the E6 until turning off onto the E3 and then the E39 towards Tynset. We followed the River Glomma, the longest river in Norway at 621 kilometres long, then the River Tunna at tributary of the Glomma for a short distance passing a nice waterfall and then high up on the Orkla above the dam. We stopped at Tynset for a meal and I had my most expensive beef burger and chips ever (method in buying most of the provisions in Sweden) and then set off again and then re-joined the E6 and later the E700. After two U bends on a steep descent we dropped into the valley and soon passed the dam and then picked up the Orkla River on our way to Orkanger and the fishing accommodation at Joholen beat. We arrived just after 15.00 pm and unloaded all the food, beverage and fishing equipment and sorted out waders, boots, reel and rod to take to the disinfection centre at a local camp site. This is mandatory in Norway to avoid the transfer of infections from other rivers and costs 150NKr. Back at base camp Goran bbq’d some sausages and later we set up rods for our first cast of the weeks fishing. The rain had fallen all day and the river had risen 5cm since we arrived. No fish were caught that evening and after a few drinks we retired to our beds ready for a full days fishing on Monday.
The mini bus with the cabins in the background.
Swedish meatball sandwiches for breakfast on Sunday morning.
Monday 1st July
It was still raining and the river was up another 5cm overnight. We gathered for breakfast around 8.00 am and cereal, cheese, boiled eggs and bread were consumed with a glass of orange and coffee. After breakfast we set off for various locations to start our days fishing and I chose a fast run at the bottom of the beat that I had caught a salmon the year before. I was fishing with a Guideline 13ft 9” 9/10# 6 piece Tpac rod and my new Danielsson Control reel with a Rio Skagit Max GameChanger 650gr F/H/I/S3 line and a 15ft 0,33mm tapered leader rated about 20 lb breaking strain at the point. The morning passed with no sign of any salmon showing and I met up with the other guys for a lunch of sausages cooked over an open wood bbq and a beer to wash it down. After the long drive of yesterday and a full morning fishing I decided to take a rest and return to the fishing later.
I returned to the same pool on the river in the late afternoon and had changed my fly for a slim dressed salmon size 4 single hook with the body dressed with holographic tinsel and silver rib and a 2.5” wing of blue and black …. with a blue hackle. After about six casts into the head of the fast water I felt a strong pull and was in contact with my first fish of the trip. It put up a good fight and after a number of runs it came to the bank and I took a quick photo before unhooking and returning the fish to the water, a grilse about 3.5lb.
Dinner is prepared by one of us each night and tonight the meal was prepared by Goran who served up a superb piece of moose roasted slowly for three hours in the oven. This was carved into thick slices and served with a salad and a sauce made with the meat juices. Delicious. This was accompanied with a nice red wine and later a few beers and a shot of whiskey sent us to bed for a good night’s sleep.
Tuesday 2nd / Wednesday 3rd July.
It rained again most of the Tuesday and Wednesday and the river height remained constant. Very few fish were showing in the river and we all struggled with only Anders having a pull on the fly. News from a beat above and one below us confirmed that it was not just our stretch of water that had no salmon running.
Tuesday night’s meal was prepared by Anders and he roasted a piece of beef on the bbq and served it with boiled potatoes and a salad, washed down with a nice red wine.
I prepared the meal on Wednesday night and had my beef marinating in the fridge overnight and then roasted for 2.5 hours on a temperature of 170c. I used the marinade and the meat juices to make a sauce and added a glass of red wine and thickened with a mix supplied by Goran. The joint was carved not to thick and the centre was a nice pink colour and was very tender. I served this with boiled potatoes, cabbage and carrots and a bottle of a Rioja Reserva red wine. As on the previous evenings this was followed by a few beers and a few tots of whiskey before retiring to our beds.
Thursday 4th July.
The rain had eased off a little and there were a few bright spells during the day. Anders and I visited a few of his friends in the morning. They were fishing a beat lower down the river and had it booked for the whole season and had a very nice set up with a cabin, caravan and tents. We were made very welcome and had a snack of smoked salmon (not farmed) on bread with a sauce and a coffee. Two other friends had come over from the Gaula and after the food we were shown the beat and the various options to fish. They had a boat so they could cross the river to a long island which gave them more access to the river. We said our goodbyes and returned to our beat arriving at about 12.00pm. Claes and Hakan had driven road to the other side of the river to fish the bottom of the beat which gave a better swing to the fly in the deeper water on that side of the river. They returned in the early afternoon but had not had any luck and seen no fish at all.
It was Hakan’s turn to cook this evening and he had prepared a stew at home and served this with potatoes and a salad and a glass of red wine. After diner Anders and I fished the upper part of the river but still no salmon.
Friday 5th July.
I had gone to bed early on Thursday night, around 21.30, and slept like a log till 07.30 in the morning. Breakfast was taken with Hakan as Anders and Goran had fished late on Thursday night and had not risen. Claes had got up early and taken the boat to the other side of the river and didn’t return until gone 12.00 as he had taken a rest in the hut and fallen asleep. I had a Granola mix with a yogurt type milk and then a boiled egg with a brown bread purchased the day before in a local general store and finished off with a piece of bread with marmalade and a mug of coffee.
Later in the morning Anders and Hakan had both gone up to the top of the beat and around 13.00 pm returned with a salmon each with Hakan’s a bit bigger than Anders at 2.5kg. This put them both out of the game as they had both to stop fishing as they had retained their catch. Both fish went into the freezer to be taken home on Sunday. We hoped this was a good sign as a few other fish had been spotted and maybe more fish had moved up river.
It was Claes turn to cook and he had prepared a moose casserole and was serving this with a salad made with Fennel, apple, ginger, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil. This is worth a try as it tastes fantastic.
Saturday 6th July
This was our last day fishing and we all made every effort to try and make contact with our elusive prey but as the day wore on it became apparent that the salmon numbers were just not in the river and the earlier runs had moved further up river. At lunch we were told to be back at the cabin for 16.00 for our final meal together. What I did not realize was that this was a special dinner for my birthday on the 18th July. On arriving back at the cabin both Anders and Goran were dressed in chef jackets and hats and had prepared a fantastic meal. We started with cured salmon and followed by a main course of Pork Steaks with mushrooms and a sauce accompanied with a medley of fresh vegetables and a nice Rioja to wash it down. Delicious and much appreciated by me. Good friends make life very enjoyable.
After dinner Hakan decided to fish the bottom of the beat and an hour later returned with a grilse of 4lb and this spurred us all to try one last session but no more fish were caught. After a few beers we retired to bed ready for an early start on Sunday.
Sunday 7th July.
We had breakfast at 7.00 am and then set about cleaning the cabins and having a general tidy up around the verandas. The equipment was loaded into the van and we set off for Anders house around 8.30 am. The drive back was without event and after a stop for lunch around 14.00 pm we arrived back at 19.30 pm after dropping Claes off in Gothenburg. Goran and Hakan loaded their gear into Gorans car and after saying our farewells they left for a two hour drive further south. Anders partner Anna had made a fresh salad and after a couple of G and T’s and a chat we retired to bed around 10.30 pm.
Dinner on the BBQ. A view upstream from the bottom of the beat and a nice whiskey back at the cabin.
Monday 8th July.
Anders partner was up early as she had a business appointment and she needed to be back to pick Anders and I up after dropping off the mini bus. When we got back we went to a local artisan bakery for two loaves of bread that Anders had ordered and when we got back home we prepared a salad and used some of the bread.
I had to be at the airport in Gothenburg for my flight to Stockholm and Anders drove me there in time for my flight. After saying our goodbyes I passed through baggage and passport control and boarded the flight which was running 30 minutes late. On arrival in Stockholm I had to hot foot it to the other side of the airport and made it just as the gate was opening for boarding. The flight took off on time and arrived in Manchester at 20.10 pm and after passing through passport control I made my way to the baggage collection area.
The start of problems. After 20 minutes and an empty carousel it was obvious that my case had not made the flight transfer in Stockholm and so I had to register with the baggage collection as to the dilema. This was the second year in a row that this had happened with my baggage in Stockholm and I new that I would not receive my bag for at least two days. It arrived on Wednesday afternoon at 13.20 with all intact. I removed my wet waders and boots and started putting the rest of the gear away and start the laundry of 11 days of dirt cloths.
Although the fishing was a bit slow the company of my Swedish friends Anders, Goran, Hakan and Claes made the trip very enjoyable and I look forward to meeting up with them again next year.
That’s all for now until my next trip to the Spey at the end of July.
Alans Fishing Blog 