This site was set up to share my knowledge of fly fishing, fly tying and upland shooting with others. I’ve fished almost as much as I possibly could since 1994, and since getting dogs in 2008 I have hunted upland as much as possible, including every day of the season from 2012.
I am fascinated by the techniques required to be better in the field, and spend a lot of time thinking about technique, and especially questioning “What & Why?” Why do fish take a fly? What can a fly fisherman or upland shooter take from professional sport in terms of discipline, preparation & planning? What makes the perfect presentation? Why doesn’t colour seem to matter when fly tying as long as it is roughly right? How do I convey predatory instincts into fishermen & hunters?
Mabo & Bruce bagging out in Bruce’s first season, 2012. My favourite hunt of all time.
Writing these articles allows me to codify my thoughts, and refine them. Often I learn more from teaching someone else than I do from just catching a fish or shooting a bird myself.
Importantly, and taking the professional sport analogy further, I often fish or shoot with people who are great in the field. They have a completely different technique to me, and yet we achieve roughly the same results. That’s why I encourage readers to consider my thoughts, strategies & techniques and incorporate them into their own fishing or hunting as it fits their own technique. I strongly advocate that you do not copy what I do exactly if you are successful already and are refining your technique.
If you are new to fly fishing or upland hunting you may wish to incorporate more what I have written here into your technique. I want to especially stress that if you are serious about being successful be serious about your gear. Be pedantic about tuning it right so it works for you. Control the controllables, which means making sure your gear is perfectly tuned before you start, rather than letting gear let you down.
You may not be as fanatical as me but getting the right gear working for you will make you much more successful in the field. When I am in form I dream and day dream of fish and birds, and I know I will be good in the field when this happens.