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A Memorable Week on Scotland’s Legendary Lake of Menteith There are few places in Scotland that capture the magic of fly fishing quite like the Lake of Menteith. Dramatic scenery, constant birdlife, and hard-fighting trout combine to create an experience I enjoy, every time I visit. I arrived at the lake for the week, without any prior practice, so day one was always going to be about reading the water and letting the trout dictate the tactics. Thankfully, with May conditions settling in and only light winds drifting across the loch, it immediately felt like classic buzzer fishing weather. The...

Anglian Waters Arsenal Fishing at this time of year can be testing at the best of times. Strong winds, rain, frosts, are all strong possibilities at this time of year. In return the fish will respond to this, so be prepared to respond with them. Make sure you have different line types on hand to allow you to fish different depths, if needed. My first boat trip of 2026 was on Draycote Water. A cold N/W wind meant we headed for Rainbow Corner for shelter. Upon arrival I was surprised to see lots of fish rising, feeding on buzzers that...

When I got the call, "would you do a guided day on Ladybower Reservoit", there was only going to be one answer, yes!. This picturesque venue, has just opened its doors once again as as trout fishery, and its certainly creating a stir ! Having never fished it myself before, I was relishing the challenge of finding, and catching the fish - hopefully !! Richard, my partner for the day, has recently took to trout fishing, and was keen to improve all aspects of his game. Entering his first ever competition the weekend before, and catching his pb of 14...

25 degrees, bright, and a brisk SW wind, not what you would call ideal conditions for a days fishing, right ? Thirty minutes in, and not a sign of a fish between us, as we both fished floating lines, and a team of Diawl Bachs and Muskins, suspended by a small fab. As we drifted from Gibbets Gorse, and approached Berrybutts, my enthusiasm was already starting to wain, as it felt like a long day was ahead of us. As often the case with me, when the fishing isn't going to plan, my mind is always ticking over, as to...

When you fish Clywedog reservoir in early June, there is probably one thing on your mind - the Coch-y-bonddu beetle. When this beetle falls onto the water here, it really is something else ! People travel the length and breadth of the UK, to fish here in June, for this spectacle, and I was no different this time round. The first couple of days were windy, and there was very little sign of any beetles on the water. Armoured withy 3 rods, a floating line with a black beetle, and size 12 black daddy, another floating line, with a fab...