The 3-Day Workshop–Saltwater Fly Primer

Eight places of nine now filled – one remains open at this time.

Jim Hendrick

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Fly fishing for bass or seatrout at sea is a specialised and challenging aspect of sea angling that can elevate your fishing experiences to a completely different level. 

Any interested newcomers can of course learn the basics of fly fishing by reading about rods, reels, lines, leaders, knots, casting and fly tying on their own. But a much more efficient and enjoyable way to get started is to enrol in a fly fishing course and or take a fly casting lesson. 

The 3-Day Saltwater Primer was designed in order to

• Help the beginner to avoid many of the frustrating pit-falls that you can encounter
• To help reduce the considerable learning curve in the disciplines of casting, tying and fishing at sea with the fly. 
• To share the experiences with other saltwater fly fishers

It was also created to ensure that experienced saltwater anglers would

• Benefit from world class fly fishing instruction through Glenda’s workshops
• Improve their tying skills and techniques by working with Brian
• Have an option to develop those skills on the water with Jim

Because one of the most wonderful things about saltwater fly fishing is that there is always something new to learn none of us are going to loose over the three days – and to be honest we could all do with more time on the water!

All the fly fishing, tying and casting workshops have a low student to instructor ratio (3:1) and are facilitated by

Glenda Powell – Casting Instruction

Brian Healy - Fly tying

Jim Hendrick – Saltwater guiding / Fishing

The aim and objectives in all of the  instructional workshops is to teach you the skills necessary to be successful at saltwater fly fishing on your own for bass and seatrout. To help and improve any aspects of your fishing you may have trouble with, in fact its worth considering that all of us can benefit from the workshops!

We never lose sight of the fact that fishing is a form of relaxation, not a matter of distance, numbers or size of fish. So, the over-riding theme is for all fishers to relax, enjoy the days and have a lot of fun.

See you there in April 2014.

Predictable fishing?

At the sitting of the Dungarvan District Court on Wednesday 26th March 2014, Mr. Arthur Daly, Dungarvan, County Waterford was prosecuted by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) for illegal netting of salmon on the river Colligan, Dungarvan. Mr. Daly pleaded guilty to breaches of Sections 94(1), 96(1) and 97(2) of the 1959 Act as amended.

Mr. Jason Moran, Fisheries Officer with IFI, told Judge Terrance Finn that while on a routine patrol at approximately 9pm on the evening of the 20th of August 2013, he and three other fishery officers observed Mr. Daly and an accomplice setting two nets in a pool in the river and throwing stones in the pool to drive fish into the nets. The fish had no chance to escape as they were trapped between the two nets and were being forced into the nets by the action of Mr. Daly throwing stones at the fish. Mr. Daly and his accomplice had already succeeded in netting two salmon which were in Mr. Dalys bag.

The river Colligan is a very important wild salmon and sea trout river but is only open for catch and release angling for salmon in an attempt to conserve the salmon population. Illegal fishing activity, particularly netting activities have potentially devastating consequences for fish stocks.

Judge Terrance Finn convicted Mr. Daly and imposed fines totalling €2,000.00 and awarded legal costs of €997.39 and expenses of €597.64 to Inland Fisheries Ireland.

…Ends… Source - http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Press-releases/man-prosecuted-for-illegal-netting-of-salmon-on-the-river-colligan-dungravan.html

Congratulations to the IFI.

What does a bass guide pack in his bag?

Anybody who knows me, knows too of my quest (some say fetish) for the perfect guiding gear pack solution type thing. I think I may have found it. I have a preferred pack for my own personal fishing which is the Patagonia Stealth Atom Sling but for times when I’m guiding I need something a bit roomier.

Thing is, I don’t like being weighed down or having too much gear either, even when I’m guiding. The original contest existed in my mind between the Stealth Atom Sling and the Orvis Safe passage sling pack. Now I’m conscious of course that both of these packs are fly oriented and don’t provide a lure fishing solution as such.

And then along came the Orvis Safe Passage Guide sling pack , which as of today I am now the happy owner of one. Sometimes things just feel right and this is definitely one of those things. Its colour, its weight, its orientation and when I opened the cardboard box today the simple and unique Orvis packaging was already giving me an experience. You can read the specs yourself at the link above.

It can easily double as a lure solution as the internal fly holder is simply velcro’d on, the versatility is really cool.

So what is it as a bass fishing guide that you pack for a 4 hour guiding session lets say for Saltwater Fly Fishing with two customers on the shore? It surprised me when I loaded the sling pack today

The Gear

• First aid kit – full kit at car
• Kershaw knockout knife
• Ross Saltwater pliers
• Waterproof mini binoculars
• Fishpond pitchfork clippers
• Stainless forceps
• Braid scissors
• Loon reel lube
• Wader repair kit
• Zap a Gap
• Small sun block
• Extra pair of glasses
• Phone in ziplok bag
• Hook sharpener
• Tape measure
• Waterproof torch

And then there’s the fishing terminal tackle as such

• Braided loop connectors
• Pre-tied leaders both mono and fluoro
• Tapered saltwater leaders
• Poly leaders, various
• Tippet material
• Two boxes of flies, various types
• One wallet of flies, various types
• One spare reel with intermediate running line
• Optional shooting heads (F, I, Sk)
• Water bottle
• IFI scale collection kit

I think that’s about it from a fly point of view, there’s a few more things no doubt that could be added but you have to stop somewhere!

A trout and bass note from Denmark

Hi Jim

Haven't heard more from Alan so I hope he's got everything sorted out. The Danish coast is on fire at the moment with nice fish being caught all over the country. Some of the bigger ones have reached the 8 kg mark. Got my biggest of the year this weekend. 57 cm and 1,8 kg. 

I have been looking at the bass locations that I fish in the summer and one of the spots look like it's going to be a hotspot this year if the bars of silver show up. Some sand bars have formed during the winther storms creating rips. Same conditions we had a few years ago when we had a good bass year. The troughs on the inside of the bars tend to hold a lot of bait which gets flushed through the rips on the falling tide. I think/hope  it's going to be a good bass year here. Has your season begun? Really looking forward to working with you on the film project

Caspar saltwater fly fished for bass in Wexford some while back HERE and HERE

How a dishwasher helped me see the invisible

Our dishwasher stopped working last Tuesday. We have, since then, re-learned the forgotten, and in some cases i.e. Dan and Ruth learned new, the skills of washing and drying up,under duress might I add. As is the way in our house things get put on the long finger so the dishwasher is in the backyard just outside the back door, still!

There is a film of water trapped on top of the machine which was reflected through the back door this morning – this is what I saw on my kitchen wall.

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Wind wave and light from jim Hendrick on Vimeo.

Spring begins–April days ahead

Its starting soon for me, another season of bass guiding on the Irish coast, in 15 days time in fact. Its an early start for me April 02 with Myles, but we’re chasing some trout on the fly in the sea and possibly light lure if we need to.

There’s something about trout fishing in the sea that really does it for me, in ways similar but often very different than bass on the fly. More later.

I’m looking forward to getting started and its not very long after April begins, that I’m down to the Dungarvan area to guide Daniel from the UK and his two pals for three days. This is a combination workshop/guiding trip for me and I really like these kind of days,this is rapidly followed with another six day series in Kerry in Mid month and then some fly fishing workshops.

That brings me almost to the end of April and the 3-Day Saltwater Fly Fishing Primer kicks into place. This is a big adventure for us, with 7 of 9 places filled its slowly but nicely falling into place. I guess having a world champion fly caster / instructor, an incredible fly tier and a very experienced bass fishing guide in the one place at the one time at The Bella Vista Hotel provides a good solution and opportunity to fish, learn and have a bit of fun too. I’m really looking forward to these few fishing days.

That’s my April fishing days for 2014, and its really after the 09th when I will have finished my degree that I will feel true relief and freedom from the shackles of study, its been a quick and at times tough three and a half years but I have no doubt it has already helped me make valuable decisions about the business and the way I will move forward and develop with it. I have met and worked closely in teams of some amazing people over these years, people I can trust and network with on a genuine basis.

Accommodation providers on the west coast, salmon fishers on the great river Blackwater, angling providers in the North West, photographers and travel writers and many more, and now I have access to all of their unique strengths, knowledge, facilities and friendships too. I intend to fully utilise all these services and new found opportunities over the next few years.

The strength of any future successful bass fishing development will always be greater than one person or organisation, it is of course largely a creation and action question of ‘networked’ openess and trust', a shared belief facilitating a range of sustainable partnerships whilst recognising other peoples skills, resource inputs and concerns too.

After ten years of bass guiding in Ireland I know what the job comprises of, ALL the aspects of the job and I know too the keen financial pressure it can place on a guide and his or her family. I have always believed that to make it work you needed to be a ‘Velcro’ type of person in as much that for winter you can attach yourself to a means of income that you could un-attach from again in spring – not an easy task at all! Because without some financial momentum the whole thing stalls and slows to a treacle. All of this of course is relevant to personal circumstances and what it is you want from life.

What I want and what I want to do is to continue to saltwater fly fish for bass and seatrout when ever I can for the rest of my life, simple.

I have grown beyond the delights of the Wexford coast and now having worked along the further coast I can travel confidently to many regions to not only guide but to also do what I have been missing – personal fishing and adventure.

I have through hard work made my own luck, secure in a contract that’s both flexible and demanding. I look forward to a busy and different 2014, my reduced days are booked with interesting people from France, UK, Italy, Denmark and Holland. My gear is almost ready, when is it ever? And the changed and different coastline lies like a new challenge before me.

With time to think and grow who knows what may happen!

One for the weekend

Sorry about all the videos as of late – just simply to busy to get here in any great detail – all will change around mid April as I get space at last. Looking forward to a good and different season for 2014.