August T&S

[castlikeaghille]

In this month's T&S there are articles by Phil Fairchild and Len Childs describing their approach to fishing. If you don't digest anything else on fishing this year I'd urge you to read carefully what these gentlemen have to say because these guys are in a very elite league of knights of the rod and line. I suggest you ignore the references to particular types of fishing and concentrate on what they have to say about general approach, planning, observation and thinking carefully about everything they do and why they do it.

Regards

CLaG

[jimthefish]

castlikeaghille said:

In this month's T&S there are articles by Phil Fairchild and Len Childs describing their approach to fishing. If you don't digest anything else on fishing this year I'd urge you to read carefully what these gentlemen have to say because these guys are in a very elite league of knights of the rod and line. I suggest you ignore the references to particular types of fishing and concentrate on what they have to say about general approach, planning, observation and thinking carefully about everything they do and why they do it.

Regards

CLaG

Seconded. I recognised a lot of my own approach/philosophy in Phil Fairchild's article.

[williegunn]

graham said:

I noticed you got a mention CLaG, I am glad I am not the only one who travels to the river with everything but the kitchen sink.

Graham sometimes I thought I saw a kitchen sink in your boot.

[castlikeaghille]

graham said:

I noticed you got a mention CLaG, I am glad I am not the only one who travels to the river with everything but the kitchen sink.

?....No that isn't me, but guilty on the Kitchen sink front anyway

[hornet]

Will do and cheer's for the pointer


Hornet

[madkeen]

Interesting article,when things are tough going like this year it's easy to fall into the trap of cast and step without any thought we all do it at sometime.

[ar]

Yes I read that. Very thought-provoking. I gather there is a follow-up next month so I may break my own rule and by copies of two editions of T&S in the same calendar year. In fact, it was a good edition for salmon fishers.

[lomond]

Agree it is an excellent article, along with the previous months piece. Is he (Phil Fairchild) planning to do anymore articles ?

[castlikeaghille]

ar said:

Yes I read that. Very thought-provoking. I gather there is a follow-up next month so I may break my own rule and by copies of two editions of T&S in the same calendar year. In fact, it was a good edition for salmon fishers.

Not sure what has happened at T&S over the last three or four editions. Perhaps it is just my imagination, but the quality/content of articles on salmon fishing seem better informed and broader than anything I can recall for years. It will be interesting to see if they can keep up the pace.

[ibm59]

castlikeaghille said:

ar said:

Yes I read that. Very thought-provoking. I gather there is a follow-up next month so I may break my own rule and by copies of two editions of T&S in the same calendar year. In fact, it was a good edition for salmon fishers.

Not sure what has happened at T&S over the last three or four editions. Perhaps it is just my imagination, but the quality/content of articles on salmon fishing seem better informed and broader than anything I can recall for years. It will be interesting to see if they can keep up the pace.

Unlike it's competitor.

[rpsalmon]

Having read this thread yesterday I was prompted to buy T&S for a change, it hasn't been worth buying on a regular basis for at least 10 years and so usually only buy it when there is a good review of rods. Disappointed on that subject this month!

What I see within the article, are the author's naive views and lack of experience revealed on the subject of speeding up a fly etc, I am surprised such a basic tactic would raise the eye of any experienced salmon angler. What is clear, unless the actualities of the author's writing has been edited out to save space, is that the author does not understand the basis and relationship of lure speed, size and fishing angle to the current and conditions and therefore his fishing is fundamentally unsophisticated. This article doesn't impress me, the sooner we have a Salmon Angling magazine aimed primarily at the Northern Countries of Europe and that is a focus for anglers of all countries fishing for Atlantic Salmon, the sooner we may get intelligent worth while articles written by intelligent and experienced anglers of worth.

[jkboy]

Personally I thought the article was pretty decent and gave me a few things to think about.

Sadly I failed to take on board one of his tips and covered a fish on the Ericht the other night, only to find out when I gave up that the fly had nylon tangled round its arse and was probably swimming very unattractively Never mind, lesson learned.

Also think I might try and get me a read of that guy Grant's book - maybe it can be the turning point in my mediocre salmon fishing career too ;D

[windcutter]

rpsalmon,i fished a beat on the dee earlier this season and the ghillie was clear in his mind that fairchild was the leading ,non professional,salmon angler of his generation.On checking the catch book the evidence was there for all to see.
Just to be clear i have never met the man so can only judge on the basis of what a very experienced ghillie has to say corroborated by the record kept in the hut.
As with all things in life it's best to keep on open mind

[rpsalmon]

In view of your remarks, as a basis for training yourself in salmon fishing I suggest you read, think about, learn and then put into practice everything Graesser, Balfour-Kinnear, LRN Gray, Grant, Crossley, Crossfield, Pashley, Taverner, McLaren, Calderwood & Mallock ever wrote. What you must do is think for yourself.

I don't know how many fish, under what circumstances or quality of fishings Mr Fairchild catches his fish. But what the article proved to me is that he would benefit from putting some of the experience contained within the above books into practice. Don't be impressed by even above average catches on good rivers or beats, it is when you can fish poor or average waters and catch five or six times what anyone else can catch that you will have the confirmation that you're as good as the likes of McCorquodale, Laming or Pashley.

[greenbanks]

rpsalmon said:

In view of your remarks, as a basis for training yourself in salmon fishing I suggest you read, think about, learn and then put into practice everything Graesser, Balfour-Kinnear, LRN Gray, Grant, Crossley, Crossfield, Pashley, Taverner, McLaren, Calderwood & Mallock ever wrote. What you must do is think for yourself.

I don't know how many fish, under what circumstances or quality of fishings Mr Fairchild catches his fish. But what the article proved to me is that he would benefit from putting some of the experience contained within the above books into practice. Don't be impressed by even above average catches on good rivers or beats, it is when you can fish poor or average waters and catch five or six times what anyone else can catch that you will have the confirmation that you're as good as the likes of McCorkindale, Laming or Pashley.

If you can do better then why dont you submit articles to T&S for publication or better still submit some articles onto the forum that will enlighten more of our less enlightened anglers.We are always keen to learn new tricks and one as well read as you will know all about it.

[rpsalmon]

Firstly, such is my opinion of the magazine I wouldn't contribute anything to Trout & Salmon. Secondly, since the most of what needs to be written has already been printed in books and freely available to anyone who wishes to access them...what is the point of repeating it! Beyond the books mentioned, you need to fish with your brain and get experience of the methods.

[windcutter]

As i said, i'll keep an open mind.

[garry4]

trout and salmon magazine is the same thing every month and im the daft one that buys it there is no better way to learn somthing than being tought by someone not a book

[greenbanks]

rpsalmon said:

Firstly, such is my opinion of the magazine I wouldn't contribute anything to Trout & Salmon. Secondly, since the most of what needs to be written has already been printed in books and freely available to anyone who wishes to access them...what is the point of repeating it! Beyond the books mentioned, you need to fish with your brain and get experience of the methods.

Strikes me that all the authors mentioned have something in common..........they are all dead.......Does this mean that the future of salmon fishing comes to a grinding halt RP? and woe betide any visionaries who stray from the preachings of those dear departed.Are you advocating that we always do what we always done thus ensuring we will always get what we always got?
Incidentally RP your dig at Dr Fairchild was a poor way of introducing yourself to the forum.He would never dream of commenting in the manner you have.He is a gentleman,who has way to much class to lower himself to the kind of sniping you indulge in, and he's a salmon fisher who is in my opinion is one of the best and I've mixed in hallowed company.Your quote since the most of what needs to be written has already been printed in books and freely available to anyone who wishes to access them...does this mean that churchs are doing a roaring trade because we all believe what we read?
Really think your comments are ill advised and as per my first post look to see you adding value to our forum by posting something constructive.

[rpsalmon]

Dear Springer
I don't teach people as a matter of course because most anglers don't use the brains they were born with. Occasionally I will come across someone who I am prepared to help, usually a youngster who hasn't had his mind polluted with so much of the nonsense around today.

Your remarks don't state why I should show more than the normal level of respect I show for anyone, to an angler who's name appears as author to a naive and unsophisticated technique that was bettered by numerous anglers by 1910. Had he bettered the technique and been able to put that knowledge into practice then fine, but as it stands the article just fills space in a publication who's aim seems to be merely to exist.

Dear Greenbanks
Since you clearly haven't bothered to read, understand or comprehend my remarks, and taking into consideration the rules regarding insulting other people, you will hardly be surprised to find I won't be replying to your remarks. I am sorry you feel it necessary to misrepresent my remarks.

Whatever you think, please read the books of the authors I mentioned. They were very experienced anglers and the information they passed on is invaluable. Learn, use and practice their methods and you will find a new understanding of salmon and salmon fishing.