Keen angler enjoys his annual trip home to fish at Chatton and Thrunton Long Crag

He is English but lives in Germany and migrates back to spend a week with Grant, his primary school pal.

They are both keen fly fishermen and spend every day fly fishing different venues.

Grant is a member of a syndicate so they fished his home water on the first day.

After that the daily venues included Sharpley Springs, Chatton, Thrunton Long Crag, Sweethope, Langley Dam and Leighton Reservoir.

I fished with them for three hours at Chatton and Thrunton, and Ian was still using the rod and reel I sold him all those years ago!

We had some good fun on the days we spent together, catching on small, size 20 black dry flies.

Ian and Grant fished from a boat at Sweethope and Langley and caught trout, but not big numbers.

Ian is now back home in Germany having a well-earned rest after fly fishing for six hours on seven consecutive days.

I’ve spent some time on the Coquet and the Wansbeck and have had some nice brown trout from both rivers with a two-pound tippet.

Size 16 dries and CDCs did the business, as well as Pheasant Tail Nymphs, snipe and purple spider pattern, and wet flies such as Black Pennell, Butcher, Silver March Brown and Invicta, all on size 12 or 14.

The local still waters all report many good bags of trout, particularly after working hours, and many anglers are arriving early in the evening and fishing until dusk.

Give the evening session a try, it’s a super way to switch off after working all day.