My first Brown trout

I was about 8 years old and I was on holiday in Scotland. My dad bought me a complete set up for a few quid. Basic, but the essentials were there.

• reel
• floating line
• selection of flies
• leader
• game bag
• shakespeare 9 ft rod
• landing net
• wellies

I was taught to cast a fly in a back road. My dad had the sense to cut the point of an old fly to save disaster.

We moved onto the real thing. A narrow and shallow river if I remember correctly banked with conifirs. Casting was not easy, but after 20 mins I had the finest small Brown trout in my hand. A native wild Brown trout.

That was me hooked for ever!!!