The Fly Culture Podcast

It is early April and I am on the Derbyshire Wye with riverkeeper of the Peacock Fishing Club,  Jan Hobot.I learn about the ethos of the club and his minimal rules approach to running it along with the history of the river and it being the only place in the UK with a self-sustaining population of wild rainbow trout.We make some casts, talk and have a great day on the water.I have a new rod and hat to christen, do I get lucky?Jan is excellent company, knows the river intimately and we discover that our backgrounds are very, very similar.

This episode is recorded in front of a live audience at Mallon and Green in Bakewell.I speak with some fishing experts who share some great advice and information as well as looking at the state of fly fishing.We had beer and pizza, shared fishing stories and talked about flies before starting the podcast that had no script or re-takes and as ever, the conversation just took the direction it flowed in. Mallon and Green has become a hub for local fly anglers to gather, share information and to browse some cool gear too.Visit www.mallonandgreen.co.uk to see more!

I'm pleased to welcome Hans van Klinken to the podcast.I am sure many of you have used the flies he has developed and I get a look inside the process of how they were developed and how he has used them.The Klinkhammer Special is now 40 years old and the release of his book - The Klink coincides with this anniversary and I learn about the work that went into it.This episode becomes more than just a conversation about flies and fishing though as we talk about health, the things he has done publicly and not so publicly to promote fly fishing and his work in the army and the things he saw while serving.It is a slightly longer episode than normal but it is all the better for being so.I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.Buy The KlinkConnect with Hans van Klinken

David Pilkington first stepped through the doors of the Arundell Hotel in 1968 to help out on a fishing day and has been there ever since.I learn about what took him there, what he has seen and the changes he has witnessed both on the river and in fly fishing.As we sit and talk in the new tackle shop I discover why the local streams mean so much to him and why he has never felt the need to stray far from them.I've had numerous requests to ask him along and I thoroughly enjoyed catching up to learn his story.

I catch up with Chris Aldred to talk about how he started fly fishing, became an instructor and what he has learned along the way.He has multiple casting qualifications and we discuss casting tips and the learning process of casting along with what has changed since he qualified as an instructor.We look at how more people could be brought into fishing and if fly fishing is growing or contracting.I love that Chris marches to his own beat and has always worked with tackle companies that are a little different.  Epic epitomises this and he tells me why he chose this brand.This is a fun listen that I hope you'll enjoy.

In this episode of the podcast I talk with Damon Valentine about how his life has changed since he was last a guest.There is a lot to catch up on and we look at how fly fishing is looks and feels right now, his love of sea trout and how he shifted jobs to move full time into film making.He has also produced a wonderful film called Hooked On Hope about James Gilbraith and his passion for salmon fishing. We talk about the work that went into producing it.To watch this film just click HERE

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Paul Gaskell to discuss early season on the river and talk about the relationship between creativity and science, the writing process, and the importance of environmental awareness and responsibility. We also discuss the role of collaboration and advocacy in improving water quality. We then delve into the approach to early season river fishing with plenty of help and tips.Paul talks about targeting specific hatches, adapting to early season conditions, and transitioning between nymphing and dry fly fishing, and the value of the upstream wet fly. There is plenty of information in this episode that you'll be able to take with you to the river!Paul's River Perspectives (monthly): https://fishingdiscoveries.com/river-perspectives-fly-fishing/USA Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07D3FKPZG/allbooksUK Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B07D3FKPZG/allbooks

We ran a fly fishing film competition last year and I got the chance to speak with the winner, Owen Bruce.The conversation turned out to be a whole lot more than films as we discuss the importance of small still waters, wild fish and fly fishing culture.I learn about what went into making 'The Craft' and how Owen feels about fly fishing..If you haven't seen our winning film, just click HERE to watch The Craft.

There was a time, not so long ago, when the internet was new. Many of us were figuring out how to use it. Some of us wrote blogs while some took the concept and developed it further to build an online presence that shared information and ideas for anglers to learn from.Over the last 30 years Martin Joergensen has built a formidable reputation as the driving force behind Global Flyfisher an online fly fishing resource that was there from the beginning.I talk with him about what went into making Global Flyfisher what it is today and whether he has felt the need to develop, change and evolve as the digital landscape continues to grow.We also talk about fishing, what it means to him and how friendship and the company of others is more important now that he is unable to fish in the same way.I am sure you know his site and will enjoy the story but if not, it is a site that led the way and impacted many of us in fishing over a long period of time.We are lucky people like Martin are in fly fishing.

I have believed for some time now, that we're evolving as fly anglers.The warm, dry summers have meant we are looking to catch other species from rivers, canals, lakes or the sea.I am keen to hear from people who are looking at fly fishing from a different angle and was pleased when Elijah Wait agreed to be a guest on the podcast.Despite trout being his first love, Elijah will pack his rod for just about any fish he can cast a fly at. He shares plenty of information on how to approach a variety of fish, tells me about the importance of a long rod and shares how to fish streamers for trout in the smallest of streams.We discuss how fly fishing looks and feels to him and the people who have had an impact on his fishing career.As a younger angler Elijah talks a lot of sense and he makes me feel that the fly fishing future is in good hands.

I got talking with Elias after he messaged me saying that he'd enjoyed listening to the podcast while shovelling snow at his home in Lapland some 200km north of the Arctic Circle.I invited him along to learn about the fishing in the area and what it means to him.I discovered someone who cares passionately about their waterways, some clean enough to drink from, and the huge variety of different fishing options that are on his doorstep but also deeper into the wilderness.We talk about fishing, flies and whether he is able to keep a tidy fly box.This is a fascinating look into a place I knew so little about and the wonderful fishing opportunities it has to offer.

This is a special episode of the podcast that is recorded in front of a live audience at Orvis, Stockbridge.We have Brett O'Connor talking casting tips, Paul Jennings tells us about mullet and Peter Hayes gives a detailed talk on the work he and Don Stazicker have done on the behaviour of trout and the flies we should consider using on the river.This was recorded with no rehearsal, re-takes or prepared notes. I just let the conversation flow in the direction it took.I hope you'll enjoy this episode that is fun to listen to and is packed with information.

Join me as I walk the water of the Upper Teign Fishing Association in Devon with committee members Stuart Medford and Harry Chance.I learn about what the river means to them, how they fish it, the importance of terrestrial flies on this water and the history of the club.We discuss the issues many fishing clubs have right now and how they are trying to maintain memberships.I was amazed to learn that the club has 12km of lightly fished trout water  (£95 for the year) along with sea trout and the chance of salmon too.This was a chance for me to shout about clubs like this one that need membership income to survive and if we aren't able to support them we could be in danger of losing them which I can't stand by and let happen.If you have a fishing club you'd like me to highlight please contact me and I'll do everything I can to help.

It is great to have Colin Macleod back on the podcast and cover a lot of ground with him.We talk about trying to keep fly boxes tidy, the culture of fishing shops, not worrying about not knowing the answer, the pressures of social media and plenty more.His life has taken a new direction as he is now looking after Nam Fishing Products in the UK and he tells us about their ethos, the products  and what he has planned for the coming year.This was fun to record. I hope you'll enjoy this episode.

I talk about what fly fishing means to Michelle Werrett and how she has been captivated by the many streams that flow off of Exmoor in the West Country.I learn about her fly fishing history and and the rivers where she loves to cast a fly.Her passion for these places runs deep and as a result, she has written a book called Song of the Streams that takes us to the rivers that flow from the moor and shares her fishing experiences there with us.It is a beautifully crafted piece of work that as fly anglers we are lucky to be able to read.She also reads a short section from one of the chapters about the River Mole and a rising trout that I am sure many of us will smile when we hear. We've all been there!

Rodney Wevill can truly be described as a fly fishing allrounder. He is equally at home on the trout streams and still waters of Devon and Cornwall, catching pike from the Somerset Levels, mullet and bass from the coast along with bonefish and permit from the flats of the Caribbean.I learn about his fly fishing story and how it helped him through a difficult time in his life. We also talk about fishing tips, the unnecessary pressure of posting on social media and his plans for 2024.He is great company and talks with a deep fondness about our pastime. 

Keith McDonell is a self-confessed streamer addict and in this podcast we get a good look inside his thought process on this method of fishing.From the patterns, how to approach the water as well as how to cast heavier flies there is a lot of information to pick up if you're streamer curious and want to try it in the coming season.We also talk about practice casting drills and our shared love of the Fender Rhodes electric piano for a few moments too.There is a lot in this podcast that I hope you'll find useful.

It is the season to be merry, or is it?James Gilbraith joins me to talk about fishing, our shared hatred of festive decorations, Christmas TV,  music and AI.He tells us about throwing a computer out of a window and then making sure it is dead after finishing it with an iron, amongst other very amusing stories.He also reads a short section from his latest book that will have you laughing out loud.This is an alternative Christmas podcast from the norm that I hope you'll enjoy!

Steve Duda has an impressive CV.From editing a music magazine, writing for Rolling Stone and then editing The Flyfish Journal for many years.He helped define a culture of fly fishing that looked way beyond numbers or size of fish. The Flyfish Journal had a profound impact on many in the US, along with people like me in Europe too.Steve now works at Patagonia where he heads Fish Tales, curating and creating fly fishing content for the company.He also reads a section from his upcoming book 'River Song' that tells of a trip to the UK on a music tour, passing river after river and not being able to fish. It is funny and beautifully observed.This is an episode I think you'll enjoy.

I talk with Jim Curry about his fishing season, how fishing looks right now and the growth areas of our sport.He also talks what it is like to work for the fishing brand Guideline along with new products, the company ethos and how they prefer to stick with a range until they think there is a new technology that will help them improve upon it rather than just making cosmetic changes every few years.This is a really interesting look inside a brand that is open, revealing and a fun listen.As ever, Jim didn't ask to come onto the podcast I heard they were doing some interesting things and wanted to learn some more about them.I hope you enjoy this episode.