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Episode 324 - Dan O'Neill - Fishing Guiding and Life

I caught up recently with Dan and was bowled over by his enthusiasm, passion and love for fly fishing.

I learn about his fly fishing story, how he saw someone casting on the river when he was a young boy and the direction it took him in.

He tells me about how determined he was to speak with the gillie at the hotel where he worked and how it led him into being a fishing guide.

I also get some great fishing tips from him for fishing rivers and hear a wonderful story about one of his guests who had a license to kill!

This is a really nice story that you'll enjoy hearing.

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Episode 323 - A Day Trip To Glasgow

I get up early, drive to Bristol airport to attend the Glasgow Angling Centre Open Weekend.

I catch up  with attendees, friends from the trade and get the chance to speak with the man behind the store, Paul Devlin, to hear his story from a stall on a market to a 30,000 square foot store today.

I hear about some the latest products coming to anglers this year and talk fishing with all of them.

You'll hear from Eoin Fairgrieve, Gordon Armstrong, Simon Gawesworth, Steve Peterson, Rachel Brady, Jim Fearne, Jim Curry plus more.

As ever, I try hard to mix up each episode to ensure you'll have something different to listen to each week.

I hope you enjoy this one!

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Episode 322  There's No Place Like Home Water

In this episode I am joined by my wife Emma and our dog Montana for a morning on our home water, the Taw, in Devon.

We talk about some of the times we have experienced here and share stories of fish we have caught.

We didn't plan to do a podcast but thought it might be fun to take you fishing, explain a little about where we're fishing and what it means to us.

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New Podcast Ep 321 - Trout Fishing in Patagonia

Join me as I head to Argentina with my friend Ray in search of Patagonian brown, rainbow and brook trout.

We fish a variety of rivers, lakes and spring creeks with nymphs, dries and streamers.

The fish are like no other I have caught before and are sizeable and strong.

We stay at Argentina Waters Lodge as a treat for my birthday.

I have worked hard to capture what I can only describe as incredible fishing.

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Episode 320 Will Shaw and Mark Surtees on Fly Casting and Instruction

In this episode, we explore the evolving world of fly casting instruction along with fly casting tips.

Will and Mark have looked at the traditional teaching process and have looked into other sports to learn from them and how they can be transferred into fly casting tuition.

Their modern approach focusses on their pupil and how they can take as much as possible from a lesson and to make the session enjoyable and easy to understand.

I really enjoyed talking with them both as they share some amazing knowledge that will help both instructors and those looking to improve their skills on to a new, more modern platform.

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Episode 319 - Live from the BFFI

In this episode, I'm at an event that is becoming the get together to mark the start of a new season, the BFFI in Staffordshire.

I'm at the event in my new capacity with the magazine but I got the chance to speak with attendees and stall holders about the show and what it means to them.

I've tried to capture the feel of the BFFI and give you some insights into tackle that you might be seeing this year.

If you haven't been before, I hope this episode will take you there!

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Episode 318 - 3 Days of Bonefish

January has been wet, miserable and largely unfishable.

Being able to feel the sun on my face and the company of good people has been a welcome tonic.

I'm in Mexico and have 3 days of wading the flats to see if I can find bonefish, permit or tarpon.

I'll talk you through what happens, tell you a little about flats fishing and let you know if we find any fish.

Hope you enjoy!

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Episode 317 - Rob Hardy - Writing, Reviewing and Fishing

In this episode I catch up with one of my colleagues, at Trout & Salmon Rob Hardy, to talk about his fishing career, dream destinations and the places that mean a lot to him.

I also learn about how he got involved with writing at Trout & Salmon and what goes into the tackle reviews. We also touch on rod tests too.

Since I have got to know Rob I've learnt he is a really good person who is thoughtful, kind and is just like us, a super keen fly angler.

It is always nice for me to let you know a little about someone who will might well recognise from his writing but get the chance to learn a little about them.

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Episode 315 - Steve Cooper - Fly Fairs, Tying and Fishing

I catch up with Steve Cooper, who along with his wife Bridgette, are behind the BFFI show that takes place in February.

I learn what goes into it along with all of the planning involved.

Steve tells me how the show came about and what he learnt from the early days.

He is also extremely passionate about his fly tying business, Cookshill Fly Tying, that came from his early days as a custom fly tyer.

If you're heading to the show in February, this episode will give you an insight into the work involved.

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Episode 314 - River Walks and Streamer Talk on the River Taw

I catch up with friend Fred Brown for bacon sandwiches and a walk along the river.

He now lives in Devon and like me, his home water is the Taw.

I take him to where I spend most of my time fishing as we walk the river and plan trips for next year.

Fred is an extremely talented angler who enjoys both salmon, sea trout and brown trout fishing.

He has been fishing streamers for a while now and appears in the excellent River Trout Streamer Fishing Book by Theo Pike.

I get some advice on how to fish them on a few of the pools we walk that I hope you'll find useful.

A river always looks most beautiful when you can't fish it but it didn't matter. 

It was just good to be there.