About
“I now enjoy helping people learn the art of fly-fishing”
Reel for Reel
KEVIN
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Like many enthusiastic anglers, I started doing a bit of sea fishing with my father while on Easter holidays off Great Yarmouth Pier. I then progressed to fishing on near by Hatfield Forest lake, with friends I did my first all night fishing for tench at an early age.
I then progressed to trying fly-fishing with the guidance of good friend John Noad, and haven’t looked back since. I have been involved with Latchford fly-fishers since its formation in 1986, and have been its chairman for many years.
SALMON FISHING
I have been fishing for salmon in Scotland since my first trip to the River Spey, with soon-to-be best man Andrew Wright since 1980, and have managed to get up to Scotland every year since, progressing to the River Dee in 1988, where I have had the privilege of fishing with friends Mark Baker and Phil Roberts on beats such as Invery, Park, Drum and Crathes.
While on a family holiday on a Spanish island, when my children were young, I took several fishing /country magazines away with me. I cut out, kept and still have an article by David Profumo from the magazine ‘The Field’. This was about him and some other mad men fishing in a remote part of Russia for Atlantic Salmon transported by a helicopter that crashed, and thought that it sounded like a real adventure!
A few years later while working in London, I called into Farlows in the city. I spoke to a chap there about tackle and what area in Russia the salmon where being caught. Then, when finally deciding to have a go a couple of years later, I spoke to a guide with a fishing travel company, only to find out it was not only the same person from Farlows, but Sean Clarke was in fact one of the people that had been in that crashed helicopter! In 2003 I booked with him, and went out to the Varzina River where I caught my first 20 lb salmon (I know it might not count to some people as it’s not a Scottish 20lb!!!). I have been lucky enough to get out to the Varzina twice more, also to the Kharlovka and Litza Rivers managing a total of five 20lb plus salmons!
SALTWATER FLY-FISHING
Whilst on these trips and in various bars in the vicinity of Farlows, I was then inspired to try saltwater fly-fishing, and in 2008 I embarked on my first trip on the live aboard boat, Indian Ocean Explorer. I fished the uninhabited atoll Cosomeldo in the Indian Ocean, amazingly one of the other anglers on the trip was David Profumo! Since then I haven’t looked back and have been on several saltwater fly-fishing trips to Cuba, Mexico, The Keys, and even once to Tahiti.
Mostly with my now great friend Sean Clarke who has had the patience to teach / coach me into some amazing catches, from bonefish to GT’s, permit and finally Grand Slams.
LEVEL 2 CASTING QUALIFICATIONS
It was thanks to his insistence and coaching that I took my Level 2 Casting qualifications in 2005, and with additional expert coaching from John Noad’s friend, Robert Gillespie in Ireland, I passed.
FLY-FISHING CASTING TUITIONS
I now enjoy helping people start to learn the art of fly-fishing at Latchord Fly-Fishers Lake with either a trout or salmon rod.
I also help more experienced casters iron out casting problems / faults etc, and I also help people upgrade to the rigors of saltwater fly-casting. I enjoy passing on the many tips and technics I’ve picked up from my various fishing adventures!
THE NEW ONLINE TACKLE SHOP
I now sell a limited amount of quality fly lines , leaders etc and some second hand tackle.