Client Feedback following instruction and guiding

"Hi Colin. Once again, thanks for a memorable day last Thursday. A special thank you for the great photographs. They capture the atmosphere brillantly and will take pride of place in my fishing diary! I thoroughly enjoyed the day and learnt so much, and it was a pleasure to be in your company." 27 June 2006.

"Hi Colin. I got a tremendous amount out of our day today. I feel I graduated from a hopeful greenhorn into someone who could legitimately wade up the river with some confidence and a good chance of troubling the trout. Thank you very much for your patience and enthusiasm. I enjoyed learning a great deal; today was one of the best days I have spent down in here in the west country. Being able to spend time on the river makes me feel more certain that moving down to Devon was a good idea. Thanks for the follow up tips on my casting . I’ll try to watch that back arm!" 18 July 2006.

Martin Burdick from Chudleigh

"Dear Colin, Thank you very much for all your help on Friday - it really was greatly appreciated as it gave me confidence to get more involved and look forward to more fishing." 22 July 2006.

Ron Platt from Wilmington

"Dear Colin. Thank you for your patience during our recent casting session, I have been getting in some practise with an old 9ft rod I have and I am getting the hang of it. As soon as I have more time I will arrange a further day with you as you recommend, part lake part river. Looking forward to seeing you again and continuing to improve." 25 July 2006.

Ray Mason from Staines

"Hi Colin. Many thanks for your patience and excellent tuition – through my many years of business management within the travel industry I like to consider that I can recognize a good instructor or trainer, and you certainly rank amongst the best I have experienced. I would have no hesitation in recommending your services to others, whether they are novices like myself or are looking to sharpen up their existing skills and learn more. 15 August 2006.

Richard Verge from Swanage

"Hi Colin, Thanks again for a very enjoyable and instructive day on Tuesday.I feel sufficiently inspired to purchase a new rod as you suggested. I hope to be able to take advantage of your expert services again later this year."

Sheilagh Smith and Keith Robson

"Hi Colin, Keith and I had a great day and feel we've learned a lot, although I was flagging by the end of it! Thank you for your patience and for making the day a success for us both. We intend to get some fishing in before we go to Mull as we are looking forward to trying our hand at some of those Scottish brownies, but will doubtless enjoy the experience whether we end up catching anything or not...Thanks once again".

Michael Pluck and Roy Slade

"Hi Colin, I know it is a while since our day with you, but I have been putting into practice some of the things that you told us. First of all I would like to put on record what a fantastic day out we both had. Speaking for myself it was the most memorable experience I've ever had whilst fishing. The whole tenor of the day was directed at Roy and I and at every stage we felt that we were the most important part of that day. We certainly had our eyes opened to what is necessary and indeed possible when you are out on a day's fishing. Thank you very much for your keenness to make sure we enjoyed the day."

John Harper from Beaminster

"Well, Colin, I got home totally exhausted. I am not used to spending so much time outside, and a lot of it standing up! Thank you for a great day, I learnt a lot, and will definitely be getting some new gear and giving it a go. It would be hard to beat Kennick, and I would go again. The fact that I got a couple of expressions of interest from the Rainbows made me feel that I could tempt one of them to take a bite. Next Time!!"

Brian Parry from Swindon

Having discovered the delights of the River Teign with me earlier in the season Brian writes after a memorable trip to the river

Hi Colin, Just to let you know how I got on, on my last visit. After a restless Wednesday night listening to the heavy rain, I approached the river at Fingle Bridge with some apprehension. The water was very coloured, so I decided to use a small bead head nymph fished on a light tippet under an indicator. I must confess, much to my surprise I caught immediately. With new confidence I proceeded to catch small fish in almost every pool that I fished walking upstream to Drogo.

After a quick lunch, I walked downstream to Upperton Pool where I sat for a while admiring the wonderful surroundings and enjoying the tranquillity. I gave my setup some thought using a small bead head nymph again but this time on the point and a klinkhammer on a dropper. Again I used quite light tippet material. I walked up to within 20 metres of the neck of the pool intending to start fishing in the next likely looking pool. However I thought I would try out my new setup to see how it fished. Watching the klinkhammer, it immediately dissappeared. I was into a beautiful 14" fish, taken on the point.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, I cast to a good sized rising fish in the very neck of Upperton Pool. It took the klinkhammer. When landed, I was chuffed. An amasingly beautiful 16" fish. With my confidence brimming, I gradually fished my way back to fingle taking one 12" fish and lots of smaller fish. The water was now much clearer and the klinkhammer accounted for the majority. I arrived back at fingle bridge at 5.30pm, tired but totally enthralled by a memorable day!

Friday morning saw me fishing upstream of Clifford Bridge where I caught several small fish in quick succession. The river was now clear and all fish were taken on klinkhammers or black gnats. I finished a very happy man and spent the afternoon walking the river upstream of Dogmarsh Bridge before departing for home. I look forward to fishing the Teign much more next year.

Anyway, thats enough of my ramblings. Just remains for me to wish you happy and successful fishing in what remains of the season.

Crichton Wakelin from Upton Lovell

"Thank you for very much for an excellent day today. The day was hugely useful to me and I delighted in being in such great surroundings on the Teign and also without rain! I am very grateful for your patience and for your calm and helpful manner. I hope we get a chance to meet up again soon."

Richard Verge from Swanage

"Belated thanks for my recent introduction to the mysteries of the Teign; a very enjoyable day for me despite the weather. I thought you may like to hear how I subsequently fared. After a trip to Orvis in Exeter to obtain a pair of waders, I spent several hours of the last Saturday of the season on the river again and I was fortunate to be rewarded with several small fish and two fish of similar size to those I caught whilst with you, and finally a fish of approximately 12"! I was delighted with this outcome as you may imagine and decided to retire at a high point and to call it a day. I am now anticipating the prospect of further visits next year with great eagerness.

Once again thanks for the pleasure of your company and the benefit of your expertise."

Pete Falloon from Exmouth

It gets better Colin - though you might wonder how!!

I had a free morning on Saturday and headed to the Lower Exe as you suggested, armed with my 11ft and new 7wt lines, plus some claret flies made the night before from this month's Trout and Salmon. I have to say I felt a bit of a fool wandering about in waders casting mostly into a nasty upstream wind, being watched by the coarse fishermen. Anyway - after about an hour and a half of working my way down a nice run there were a couple of small tugs on the line. The next cast the pull nearly took my arm out of the socket! It took me nearly 25 minutes to land a 4lb grilse, and I was amazed by its power - it just wouldn't give up. I can honestly say I've had barbel over 12lb which match that fish in power.

Once I had a photo from one of the rather amazed coarse anglers on my phone, I carefully released the beauty when it had recovered. I'm kind of glad it went back - the marks on its scales and fins showed it must have escaped the nets at some point.

I'll send a photo from home, but I wanted to say thanks so much for all your help to get this far - I certainly wouldn't have had the confidence or skills to land my first salmon without your guidance - it really did help. I'm even more pleased since the guy from Fish the Exe reckoned I would need to hook up with a regular, and get a 15ft rod for the lower river, so it was totally unexpected!

Pete Carling from Buckinghamshire

A quick note to thank you for your expertise and company on Monday. There are often things that one wants to try thinking them to be suitable and exciting only to be let down with the reality of the exercise; this one worked in the opposite fashion and was far more than I could of wanted or expected and we actually caught some fish!

I will be back (hopefully in September if there are dates available?) so until then many thanks again also for setting me up with a very good kit deal and good luck on the rivers meanwhile.

Kevin Cox from Buckfastleigh

(After a day's salmon fishing on the River Exe)

The photos are great – many thanks. They make it look as though I know what I’m doing! All credit to you as both a photographer and an instructor. And yes, I’d be very happy for you to use them on the website.

And thank you for a very enjoyable day out on the Exe.

Roger Selby from Torpoint

Hi Colin, Firstly, may I take this opportunity to thank you very much for your tuition and your patience in trying to teach an "old dog" (or is that "sea-dog"?) new tricks. I thoroughly enjoyed myself over the whole two days and have found myself hooked in this challenging and rewarding, but as you are no doubt aware, sometimes frustrating sport. The second session on the River Teign was especially satisfying and after this river session with you I was determined to continue this facet of fishing. So I decided to "bite the bullet" and invest in some additional equipment!

Hi Colin, Just thought I'd send you an email to say thankyou very much for yesterday, it certainly was the introduction I was looking for, to be honest just the chance to see the kit and have few casts was worth the money, and you were certainly very patient. I'll be looking to purchase my first setup soon and get some practice casting in, then hopefully I'll be in touch to book our next session.

Client Feedback Following Instruction or Guiding