The River Spey is not only one of Scotland’s greatest rivers, but globally is the most recognised salmon fishing rivers, providing anglers with the fishery they all cherish. In its natural state, it nurtures a rich variety of wildlife, all of which are reliant on its clean, cold water. Today, however, Spey is under serious pressure. Reduced flows cause rising temperatures; this declining water quality is a threat not only to fish, birds, and plants that call it home, but to o

The following is an excerpt from one of the chapters I’m writing for my book right now, but I feel it needs to be aired. Please share the message far and wide.   I have often thought that the story of the salmon is, in many ways, the story of ourselves. A tale of abundance, of resilience, of journeys made against impossible odds. But also, a tale of loss, of decline, of promises broken. For salmon fisherman, if you sit by the mouth of any river in May and June, listen closely

The Spawning Ordeal and the Death of River Abundance.   The spawning run is, without question, a sacrificial rite. The prevailing...

To understand the salmon's modern crisis, we must look backward to a time when its numbers were so staggering they were a fact of...

This year's salmon fishing in Iceland has been a tale of two coasts. While many anglers on the west coast have faced disappointment,...

This is a great illustration of how people, with all their quirks and contrasting personalities, make life (and fishing) so much more...

August 19th will mark my 40th year deeply involved with Scottish salmon. I spent two decades as a Ghillie on the Spey, and for the last...

3 Sea Winter Salmon were an important yet overlooked Salmon

Trout and Salmon Magazine recently asked me if there was a place for worming in todays world of salmon Fishing? For my answer to this you...

Despite the challenging dry conditions and low salmon numbers this spring, my fly casting courses were a resounding success, filled with...

The Spey, the Deveron are rivers whose names evoke not just wild beauty, but the very pulse of Scottish life and industry. Yet, after...

This past week, my carbon footprint took a bit of a scenic route, shall we say. But honestly? For the experiences I had, I’d gladly do it...

I’m writing this on the 27th March for a reason. This is the week where “traditionally”, the first runs of salmon enter most of our...

The rapid ascendancy of online influencers and their ability to shape public opinion has created a profound crisis for traditional...

Last night, I had the privilege of attending the presentation of the long-awaited DNA study findings on hatchery salmon in the Carron...

Throughout history, we've witnessed how misunderstandings between differing perspectives can lead to conflict and hinder progress. This...

I was extremely saddened today of the the end of production for Carron lines, a company began by Myself, Jimmy and Gwyneth Jack back in...

The experience of salmon fishing is influenced greatly by angling pressure and the number of anglers on a given stretch of river. In this...

I’m often asked, and more especially at this time of the year when people are looking to book their fishing. Based on my experience and...

Three years since the launch of our popular Cadence range of rods, reels, and lines, and a year since its debut at the Irish Fly Fair, it...