Welcome to Issue 73 | Eat, Sleep, Fish

Welcome back to ESF and a very happy New Year to you. I'm probably getting a little ahead of things by talking about the countdown to the start of the season but the poor weather and lack of fishing has got me a little more focussed than normal.

I'm not one for resolutions, mainly because I tend to forget them but recall this time last year that I decided I was going to fish my bamboo rods more but didn't. It is something I'll try and put right this year.

I've also been thinking a lot about my salmon fishing and how I'd like to try and catch a salmon on my home water, the Taw, on a dry.

Last year John who worked with me, hooked one on a mayfly pattern that rose just like a trout but after a valiant attempt it broke him off.

I plan on either dead drifting or swinging a Bomber fly. It may prove to be futile but I think I'll have some fun trying.

This plan has a nice little back story to it when just the other day I offered to sort out a large collection of flies from the widow of a well-known angler on the Taw. The flies, along with some tackle, are going to be auctioned off in an annual auction to raise money for work on the river.

I have to admit I really enjoy this sort of thing and I carefully sorted all of the flies out. A few of the flies had the remnants of leader attached which I felt was only right to leave, and at the bottom of the bag was a small tin that had five Bomber flies inside.

After checking it was okay, I bought them and made a suitable donation to the association. I don't know if it was a sign or not but I took it to be one.

Whatever your hopes or aspirations for 2018 are I hope you get to live them.

Good fishing!

Huge thanks again to George Kavanagh for another great cover.

Pete Tyjas

Pete Tyjas is a fishing guide based in Devon UK