Loyd Grossman is a familar face to many. He is well known as a TV presenter, writer, food critic and musician. He is also a fly fisherman. ESF caught up with Loyd to find out about his fishing pedigree
Has fishing always been a part of your life?
Fish have, but not fishing. I grew up in Boston and in a small sailing and fishing port up the coast. Like any coastal New Englander, I was familiar with commercial fishing and lobstering and like everyone else in that area, I grew up eating a lot of fish.
Growing up in New England did you ever get the chance to fish for stripers?
I only started fishing for stripers when I bought a house on the coast of Maine just down the road from old George Bush’s place. Whatever anyone thinks about him as a politician he is most certainly a very dedicated fisherman. I loved fishing for stripers on our summer holidays there. It's incredibly exciting: they are magnificent fighters and delicious too!
Is it just fly fishing for you or do you enjoy all aspects of fishing?
I quite like spinning for pike in the winter, but I am really just a flyfisher.
I know you have fished the Itchen, is it chalk streams mainly for you or do you like to fish freestone/spate rivers too?
I will happily fish anywhere there are likely to be trout. I find gentle southern chalk streams and rough northern rivers equally beautiful and exhilarating. And what about hill lochs?
Do you like to dress flies?
I’ve never tried.
(picture courtesy of Charles Rangeley-Wilson)
Dry fly only?
Dry fly mostly, but wet fly when allowed. I am totally useless at nymphing.
If there is such a thing, what is your never fail trout fly?
There is no such thing. But when frustrated I will turn to a yellow humpy or a daddy.
As a salmon angler too, have you caught Pacific as well as Atlantic salmon?
I do fish for salmon, but I am most definitely not a salmon fisherman.
Fly fishing is always considered a solitary pastime. Do you like to fish alone or enjoy company on the water?
I always fish with friends. It makes lunch and blank days - of which there are many- a lot more fun.
Guitar or fly rod?
Fly rod by day, guitar by night.
Clash or Stranglers?
The Kinks.
Our standard ESF finishing question. One last day of fishing where would it be?
Anywhere in the British Isles with a reasonable population of unintelligent brown trout.