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September 2004: Ally Gowans takes a look at the roll cast in the next instalment of our casting tuition series

March 2004: There are two types of haul, front and back and the technique of using them both during a cast is called double hauling. More expert casting tuition from Ally Gowans

January 2004: Regarded by many anglers as a bugbear, wind is usually not a huge problem if you know how to master it. Ally Gowans tells us how to cope with wind whatever the direction. More...

Choosing a new fly rod is an intensely personal and somewhat subjective exercise. Pete Sutton attempts to point you in the right direction. More...

November 2003: "Once the basic cast can be consistently performed to a good standard, it is time to develop the essential skills for fishing" Part 4 of Ally Gowan's Fly Casting Series

September 2003: "The clock provides a convenient method of relating rod and arm positions to casts." Part 3 of Ally Gowan's Fly Casting Series

August 2002: Terry Lawton with some guidance on buying fly fishing tackle More...

In the second of two articles, Terry Lawton looks at sink rates, special tapers, multi-tip lines, line colour, and care and maintenance. More...

June 2002: "So how did it begin, this strange metamorphosis into a salmon fisher" The Duffer gives salmon fishing a try

March 2002: If you get knots in your leader - known popularly, but inaccurately, as wind knots - the problem is caused, most likely, by a tailing loop. More from Master Caster

January 2002: In the second of our new series on casting, Master Caster looks at the best way to achieve effortless double hauls. More...

December 2001: In the first article of a major new series on fly casting, Master Caster discusses the four basic principles that govern casting a fly rod More...

October 2001: Autumn for the United Kingdom fly-fisherman starts in September and runs through to the end of November Ally Gowans on Autumn salmon

September 2001: The retrieve is a very important part of fly fishing, whether on stillwaters or rivers. The Fish & Fly Guide to Retrieves

July 2001: In a new article for beginners, Terry Lawton explains some of the fundamental aspects of fly fishing to help you catch that first fish. More...

May 2001: If starting fishing with a team of flies for the first time, it's better to start with a team of two rather than three. To find out more, read Fish & Fly's guide to fishing a team of flies.

April 2001: "In freshwater during daylight sea trout tend to be shy, spooky fish unless the river is high." Ally Gowans takes a look at some Sea Trout Tactics More...

March 2001: In his second article on tying your own leaders, Terry Lawton discusses some of the knots that you will need to use and suggests some basic formulae More...

Sea trout are, as we have already established, basically Brown trout that have taken advantage of the wonderful feeding opportunities offered in coastal waters. More on sea-trout from Tony King

February 2001: Terry Lawton looks at some of the factors that combine to make a good leader, or cast as it is known in England. More...

January 2001:Terry Lawton looks at some methods for examining the contents of a trout's stomach. More ...

You are standing on the bank of a river or stream and there no fish rising to be seen, or so it seems. Where do you start fishing? Instead of just casting in the hope of finding a fish, it pays to search out places that might hold a trout. Terry Lawton on locating fish

December 2000: Sea trout are brown trout that go to sea to feed. In a recent magazine article, Peter Lapsley argued a different hypothesis: that brown trout are sea trout that did not go to sea. Tony King's introduction to sea trout fly-fishing


During the late spring and summer period I would feel deprived if I did not have a few of the following flies at my disposal... Ally Gowans on salmon fly selection

November 2000: A few anglers cut their teeth with salmon but for most of us trying to catch a salmon becomes an ambition during the later years of our apprenticeship Advice on catching that first elusive salmon from Ally Gowans

In an article written primarily for the benefit of those new to fly fishing, and improvers, Terry Lawton makes some practical suggestions on the best way to go about buying a new fly rod. More

October 2000: Trouting is over for another year. The King is dead Long live the Queen. It is time to talk of grayling. Jon Beer on grayling

Fly fishing for pike can be an exciting way to fill summer days unsuitable for trout fishing and something to do during the winter trout close season. Terry Lawton on catching pike on a fly

August 2000: Trout do not eat rods, reels, lines, landing nets, fishing vests or any of the other glorious items that we are, thankfully, able to spend our money on in pursuit of piscatorial nirvana Dry Fly discusses his fly collection

In his second article on buzzers, Terry Lawton gives some hints to help in selecting suitable patterns and colours of artifical and how to fish them. Buzzers - Part Two

Terry Lawton writes about probably the most important family of flies for trout and the stillwater angler, and how to fish for trout feeding on them. Buzzers

July 2000: The more I fish for wild trout the more I realise just how unpredictable their behaviour can be... Lesley Crawford on wild trout behaviour

June 2000: If you are a traditional wet or dry fly fisher, first attempts at nymph fishing often meet with mixed success... Lesley Crawford on Fishing the Nymph for Wild Browns

May 2000: The Czech style of nymphing is a high speed, close range and deadly technique for catching fish in the right type of water. Terry Lawton's Primer on Czech Nymphing.

In his second article on river fishing, Terry Lawton looks at some of the problems to be overcome when fishing the dry fly. He stresses the importance of balanced tackle and good presentation. If you present a reasonable imitation of a fly or nymph in the right place so that the trout can see it and where he is expecting to see a food item, then there is a reasonable chance of catching that fish. An Introduction to River Fishing - part 2

April 2000: Although some people will accuse me of stating the obvious, one big difference between stillwater and river fishing is the fact that the water in rivers is moving - Terry Lawton's introduction to River Fishing.

March 2000: Having found what you hope will be a good place to start, don't rush in and start casting. Stand quietly, back from the water's edge, and look to see if you can see a fish perhaps rising or in the water. If there is no sign of a fish, check the wind direction. If it is winter, pick a spot where the wind is on your back. In summer fish so that the wind is blowing into you face. Terry Lawton on Successful Stillwater Fly Fishing.

February 2000: On your return home from the tackle shop, or when you have unwrapped the parcel or parcels from the mail order suppliers, the first thing that you will have to do before you can go fishing is to put everything together so that it all works properly. Putting It All Together with Terry Lawton.

December 1999: For the newcomer to fly fishing, there is a bewildering amount of tackle available. Go into any good fishing tackle shop that caters for fly fishermen and you will see more tackle on sale than you will ever need. But buying ever more fishing tackle - the latest reel, a new and better rod - is one of the delights of the sport for many people. Another of Terry Lawton's guides for beginners.

November 1999: Sit on the river bank on a warm spring or early summer's day and if there are trout in the river, sooner or later you will see a swirl in the water and a series of rings making their way down stream. Terry Lawton brings us this beginner's guide to fly fishing.