The Fly Culture Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Episode 339 - The Italian Job Friuli 2026 I'm thrilled to once more be back in Italy with a group of anglers. The weather is hot, the water is cold but the trout are rising and everyone is excited. You'll join us to hear about the fishing and how we experience the 3 days of fishing. I speak with the guides and also learn a little more about the Danubian and Marble Trout....

Send us Fan Mail Episode 338 - Marnie Lovejoy - Chair of The Grayling Society I catch up with Marnie who is fresh from the river after catching a few fish before we recorded this episode. I speak with her about her new role as Chair of the Grayling Society, her passion for this fish and what her plans are for the future. Marnie talks me through her fishing timeline, the mentors she has had and wha...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 337 = Mayfly Road Trip I load the van with a sleeping bag a few rods and head off to fish the Test, stay at a campsite and fish the Wylye the next day. It is early June and the mayfly are still about but the weather has shifted from the mini heatwave to wind and rain. On the Test, I fish with Neil Mundy who invited me along for the day. He tells me about his passion for st...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 336 - Emilie Björkman - A Life in Fishing Today, I’m excited to share my recent conversation with the incredibly talented angler, Emily Björkman.  As a skilled fly angler who has traveled the globe with a fly rod, Emily brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for fishing, particularly for salmon.  In this episode, we’ll explore her journey into the world of fishing from a...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 335 - Neil Smith  A Passion for Rivers In this episode, I catch up with Neil Smith an angler and guide based in the North West of the UK. I learn about the fishing he enjoys and why along with hearing about the rivers he likes to fish. Neil also talks about the issues with cormorants and how he was involved with the reintroduction of grayling into a local stream and how th...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 334 - Catching up with an old friend. I first met Duncan Wilcox 12 or so years ago. He hired me as a guide but we got on so well that we ended up fishing a lot together. At the time, he was based in Devon but moved to Spain and has had a base in New Zealand for 25 years. In this episode, you'll hear us catch up, talk fishing and I hear a little about Duncan's fis...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 333 - Amwell Magna and the River Lea What only feels like yesterday but was a number of years ago now, I was a member of Amwell Magna Fishing Club based on the River Lea in Hertfordshire. I made the long drive and was lucky enough to catch the mayfly hatch. I speak with members about what has changed since I last fished there and catch a few fish too. Feargal Sharkey was t...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 332 - A Day in the Life In this episode I take you with me for the day in my new role at Trout & Salmon. You'll join us on a rod test on the river with Rod Hardy and guest for the review, Roger Fagan. Without giving too much away, you'll hear what goes into the test and how it is put together. I get to spend a few hours fishing with Rob before heading over to...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 331 - Steve Bircumshaw - A Passion for Fly Fishing I catch up with Steve to talk about his fishing time line right up to the present. I learn about when he first picked up a fly rod and the impact it had on his life. Steve also does some guiding and works in the Mallon and Green tackle shop and often appears on their social media. He is a skilled angler who shares some gre...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 330 - Being a Guide for the Day In this latest episode I come out of retirement to take Malcolm fishing after I was persuaded to offer a Lot in the Wild Trout Trust Auction. The day takes place on my home water, the Taw in Devon. Malcolm and I talk about the fishing, his fishing career and the places he likes to cast a fly. As ever, this is recorded exactly as it happens w...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 329 - Tweed Salmon Festival 2026 The drive from Devon to attend the festival was a long one but worth it. I got the chance to meet some amazing people who care deeply about bringing people into fishing, caring about the fish and the waters they swim in. I based myself in the Yeti bar, a converted removal lorry but also walked around the festival to speak with demonstrators...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 328 - Pit Stop Fishing I had to head to Hampshire on a non-fishing errand. I decided to pack my gear and if I got away in good time, I'd stop in Wiltshire and make a few casts. I only decided to pack my mic at the very last moment and have recorded the few hours on the river exactly as it happened.  It is a stream of consciousness that talks about the fishing but ends...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 327 - Will Shaw & Mark Surtees on Fishing, Fly Casting and Instruction Part 2 I'm pleased to be welcoming back Will and Mark back to the podcast for the 2nd part of their trilogy of interviews that circle around fly casting information for anglers but also for instructors too. We start with an amazing story from Will on a huge fish he lost recently on a dry fly an...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 326 - River Exe Fishing Day Every fishing day should start with a catch up over breakfast and a visit to a tackle shop. This is exactly how this day began when I caught up with friend and rod builder, Warren McCarthy, for a day's fishing on the River Exe and one of it's tributaries, the Haddeo. We have a fry-up and then drop into Lance Nicholson's in Dulvert...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 325  The Fly Fishing Community Last weekend we hosted our first Trout & Salmon Gathering at the Fox and Hounds down in Devon. The hotel has a special place in my heart as I spent 12 years of my life guiding the hotel's water. I'm always a little nervous ahead of these events but there was no need to worry. We kicked off with a film and went on to have talks,...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 324 - Dan O'Neill - Fishing Guiding and Life I caught up recently with Dan and was bowled over by his enthusiasm, passion and love for fly fishing. I learn about his fly fishing story, how he saw someone casting on the river when he was a young boy and the direction it took him in. He tells me about how determined he was to speak with the gillie at the hotel where he...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 323 - A Day Trip To Glasgow I get up early, drive to Bristol airport to attend the Glasgow Angling Centre Open Weekend. I catch up  with attendees, friends from the trade and get the chance to speak with the man behind the store, Paul Devlin, to hear his story from a stall on a market to a 30,000 square foot store today. I hear about some the latest products coming to angl...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 322  There's No Place Like Home Water In this episode I am joined by my wife Emma and our dog Montana for a morning on our home water, the Taw, in Devon. We talk about some of the times we have experienced here and share stories of fish we have caught. We didn't plan to do a podcast but thought it might be fun to take you fishing, explain a little about where we&...

Send us Fan Mail New Podcast Ep 321 - Trout Fishing in Patagonia Join me as I head to Argentina with my friend Ray in search of Patagonian brown, rainbow and brook trout. We fish a variety of rivers, lakes and spring creeks with nymphs, dries and streamers. The fish are like no other I have caught before and are sizeable and strong. We stay at Argentina Waters Lodge as a treat for my birthday. I h...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 320 Will Shaw and Mark Surtees on Fly Casting and Instruction In this episode, we explore the evolving world of fly casting instruction along with fly casting tips. Will and Mark have looked at the traditional teaching process and have looked into other sports to learn from them and how they can be transferred into fly casting tuition. Their modern approach focusses on the...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 319 - Live from the BFFI In this episode, I'm at an event that is becoming the get together to mark the start of a new season, the BFFI in Staffordshire. I'm at the event in my new capacity with the magazine but I got the chance to speak with attendees and stall holders about the show and what it means to them. I've tried to capture the feel of the BFFI and...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 318 - 3 Days of Bonefish January has been wet, miserable and largely unfishable. Being able to feel the sun on my face and the company of good people has been a welcome tonic. I'm in Mexico and have 3 days of wading the flats to see if I can find bonefish, permit or tarpon. I'll talk you through what happens, tell you a little about flats fishing and let you know...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 317 - Rob Hardy - Writing, Reviewing and Fishing In this episode I catch up with one of my colleagues, at Trout & Salmon Rob Hardy, to talk about his fishing career, dream destinations and the places that mean a lot to him. I also learn about how he got involved with writing at Trout & Salmon and what goes into the tackle reviews. We also touch on rod tests too. Si...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 315 - Steve Cooper - Fly Fairs, Tying and Fishing I catch up with Steve Cooper, who along with his wife Bridgette, are behind the BFFI show that takes place in February. I learn what goes into it along with all of the planning involved. Steve tells me how the show came about and what he learnt from the early days. He is also extremely passionate about his fly tying busines...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 314 - River Walks and Streamer Talk on the River Taw I catch up with friend Fred Brown for bacon sandwiches and a walk along the river. He now lives in Devon and like me, his home water is the Taw. I take him to where I spend most of my time fishing as we walk the river and plan trips for next year. Fred is an extremely talented angler who enjoys both salmon, sea trout and...