Casting with Ceri Jones

This week's episode I'm joined once more by Keith McDonnell. Our last chat was very popular so pleased to chat with him again this week. He has a passion for big trout and talks of his recent love with Iceland which he has visited 6 times in the last few seasons, Tells of his fishing for wild Icelandic browns and giant sea trout to over 20lbs. It’s fair to say he is known mostly for his articulated streamers but this year his success was catching great fish on dries. He goes on to talk of his photography and a funny story when a family of swans ruined his chances of catching his dream fish.

****Competition time ****
This week Keith is giving a prize of a selection of his flies to Patrons to the channel, will give more info later in the week.

Enjoy!

This week's episode I chat with Scott Mackenzie. He is one of the biggest names in fly-fishing. He has had many world record casting achievements, a professional ghillie for over 20 years, caught salmon to over 30lb and has a successful tackle brand which he started back in 2007.

He tells of his journey from when he fished with his dad as a boy in the hill lochs in the Highlands of Scotland and through to the present day and the creation of what many would say the best fly rod on the market, the FX2.

Enjoy!

In this week's episode I share a boat with Andy Barton and Colm Murphy on Lough Corrib. We had a great evening when wind and light conditions were perfect and the fish were up and taking. I talk about when all things come together and the flies that did the trick, dark skies and claret flies. Also the pulling power of the Leggy Octopus. Great sport on the Western Lakes is not only to be had in May, when conditions are right August can prove productive.

Before recently retiring Paddy Gargan was a Fishery Biologist for Inland Fisheries Ireland and before that was Manager at the Salmon Weir at Galway. I met him for a chat at his home, overlooking the lower lake on Corrib located just outside Galway City.

We chat about Connemara sea trout, his view on salmon farming and this seasons very good run of salmon coming into the lough.

He also talks of something I have a passion for, Ferox. He tells of their spawning habits and no matter what part of the lake they reside most head for the one river.

A fascinating chat from someone with a wealth of knowledge and love of sea trout and salmon.

This week's episode I am in County Kerry on the first week of my road trip around Ireland. I met up with Currane boatman Neil O'Shea where we had a day afloat on this majestic water. We were in search of Sea Trout and Salmon, unfortunately fishing was tough and only caught a few trout. Fishing with Neil was a great experience as we fished salmon holding marks and fished a method seldom fished today. Holding on marks while fishing the current similar to that of a river. I talk also of the surrounding history of Kerry.

It's true to say that Currane is not the lake it used to be, but great fishing can still be had. It is no secret that the offshore salmon farms has affected the fishing at Currane. Please help get this water get back to it's halcyon days and stop buying toxic farmed salmon.

This week I chat once more with Yorkshire angler, Melvyn Wood. This May he had a fish of a lifetime, a double figure Sheelin brown. He tells us the story and tactics he used to catch this magnificent fish. He has had a great season also catching his PB sea trout on his trip earlier in the year to Argentina but now plans to stay local for the rest of the season fishing his home water, Malham Tarn.

This week I met up with good friend and British Carp on the fly Record Holder Jason Williams at his local water Canada Lake. He has had many carp over the years and countless over 20lb with the best going 39lb. Jason specialises in fishing for them on the fly with no loose feed or freebies. He is in great demand with anglers wanting tuition days and guiding but Jason has no interest. He has always kept his cards to his chest..... until now! For the first time he goes into detail and tells us his secrets to his success, including tackle, methods and flies. If you want to catch carp on the fly this episode is a must listen to. The day we fished we caught 15 fish, many of which were doubles.

The podcast is now 4 years old and to celebrate this episode I have put together just a small selection of some of the most popular and my favourite funny stories. With over 180 episodes and 125 guests its been quite a time and loved every minute of it and made a lot of new friends. I want to thank all my guests, listeners and especially to my Patrons for your support in keeping it going.

This week I chat with Galway angler Niall Gelston. He is relatively new to the flyfishing scene only first picking up a fly rod just 5 years ago. He is now a regular on the Irish competition scene and recently a member of the Melvin Hoppers taking first place in the Airflo Open heat at Lough Lene. It's great to see new faces in the sport with so much enthusiasm and living in Galway it is no surprise he has a passion for Lough Corrib. He tells us how his season has been up to now fishing the duckfly, campto and the Mayfly.

This week's podcast, my quarry is bass. The next couple of months is the prime time to get them on the fly and as sport picks up I give some hints, tips, fly choice and methods which can bring you success while fishing specifically from the beach.