1st Atlantic Salmon on the fly. 🇬🇧

12 years ive been chasing this moment with purpose and vigour, another 10 before that (but just one week a year, mostly with spinning gear).

I purposely chose to teach myself scandinavian underhand technique, to save further damaging my already dodgy elbows. It wasn't easy, and I'm embarrassingly poor at left hand high….but I persevered.

In rain, in snow, in blazing sunshine, in thunder and in wind, the wind! Oh the Wind!

I've had falls and scrapes. Been wacked and stuck by errant flies from poor casts. Those bastards hurt!

3 takes in 12 years.

4 seconds of "fish on".

4 Angling clubs.

4 new rods.

8 new reels. (Some second hand)

Somewhere in the region of 10 shooting heads (some 2nd hand)

4 sets of waders, 3 sets of boots.

4 guided lessons.

50+ flies tied and lost to trees, rocks and shopping trolleys.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely 💯 %

I could dance a jig right now in my kitchen im so happy! I said i'd do it, and I damn well did!

I'll remember that fight for the rest of my life. Palming the reel as he stripped line and folded my rod in half. My attempts to get downstream of the fish and his total disregard for that idea.

I could go on, but…. that'll do for today 😄

A big thank you to everyone who posts on here. There's been days when I didn't want to go fishing, but your pictures and tales constantly reminded me, the only way to catch fish is to fish. The only way to get better is to fish.

Tight lines to you all.