New Beginnings

When I was in my mid teens to mid twenties, I used to fish my local river three or four times a week in my local river, and though the trout were small, they were plentiful and the sport was great fun.

After an absence of over thirty years, due to work, golf and other distractions, I retired early on health grounds and decided to go back to fly fishing. 

Sonik SK3 Rod and Reel Outfit.

Before buying any fishing gear I thought that it would be a good idea to learn to tie my own flies and maybe save some money.

I went on ebay to look for a vice and was shocked at some of the prices for something that only holds a hook. I eventually settled on a cheap vice from a bloke in Estonia for £15.00. The vice looks ok, holds a hook well and rotates, what does a vice at over £200 do that it can't?

When it comes to fly fishing rods and reels I have whittled it down to either a Wychwood or Sonik Rod but am leaning more towards the Sonik as I can get a good deal from the Yorkshire Game Angling shop consisting of a Sonik SK3 9ft 6in rod and SK3 Cassette Fly Reel with three spare spools all pre-loaded with floating, intermediate and sinking lines.

This outfit will be more suited for fishing lochs and stillwaters and would not be suitable for fishing my local river as the rod is a bit too long to negotiate the tree lined banks. I will buy a cheap 7ft - 8ft light rod for small stream and river fishing.

Who said fishing was a cheap hobby?