Liam Matthews - Fly Fishing Coach

Anyone in looking for something to do this weekend the tweed salmon festival is looking to be a great event. Only gutted I can't get up myself.

🗓️ CADENCE @ TWEED FESTIVAL
This weekend (25th and 26th April) Cadence Fly Fishing will be at the Tweed Salmon Festival. Please come to our show stand where you can speak to James Robbins about salmon fishing and our extensive range of tackle. We look forward to seeing you there!

Could it be… are we finally on a roll with this weather? I don’t want to jinx it, but Saturday’s coaching session is looking like it might just be a beauty 🤞

I’ll be out on the water with a client for a full day, making the most of whatever the skies give us — but a bit of sunshine certainly wouldn’t go amiss.

If you’re thinking about starting fly fishing, or you’d like a bit of guidance to sharpen up your skills, drop me a message. A coaching session might be exactly what you need to take that next step.

What an absolute gem of a venue. Had a cracking little session up at Ellerdine Lakes with the wife today — the perfect mini‑recce ahead of a coaching session I’ve got there in a couple of weeks.

Huge thanks to Jayne and the team for the warm welcome and top‑notch hospitality. The food… honestly, unreal. If you know, you know.

Already looking forward to being back on the water there soon — it’s a special place with a great atmosphere

Had a cracking little tying session this week and whipped up a fresh batch of Ben’s Bugs… and I’ve got to say, they’re looking absolutely spot‑on. Pink, with a bit of sparkle,. Semperfli Dirty Bug Yarn and Micro Glint Tinsel paired with Hareline Dubbin Grizzly Hackle.

The Essential Fly

After a long day, diving into some nymph-tying fun with the vice fired up! Currently obsessed with Ben's Bug Grayling variations, using Get-Slotted Tungsten Beads and Hareline Dubbin materials.

Not exactly fly fishing, but a brilliant read popped up on the Cadence Fishing UK page about reflecting on a fishing session — before you start, while you’re in the thick of it, and once you’re packing down. It got me wondering: how many of you actually take time to reflect on your day? What clicked? What fell apart? What would you tweak next time out?

Reflection was a key part of my Angling Trust coaching qualification, and it’s something I’ve carried forward while working towards my Game Angling Instructors' Association qualification. It’s helped me massively — whether I’m practising my own casting, teaching a student, or reviewing a full session on the water.

✏️ Reflecting on Decisions After a Session, Lessons Learned and Moving Forward
🎣 Steve Cowley

Fishing is a blend of patience, strategy, and reflection. After a recent session targeting chub with a friend, Iain, I took time to consider what I could have done differently.

Despite expecting the river to be fast and coloured after heavy rain, the water was surprisingly clear and slow-moving. I stuck to my tried-and-tested specimen approach, using a Cadence CR10 Specimen 1.5tc rod and bread or steak/mince as bait. Iain, meanwhile, opted for a waggler and maggot setup.

After finding little success at the first few spots, I landed a satisfying 3lb chub on flake after pre-baiting a promising area. However, Iain's tactics proved far more effective. At the final spot, he landed seven chub up to 4lb using his maggot setup, highlighting the success of his adaptability.

My setup and my confidence in bread as bait worked well. However, my rushed steak and mince mix was too claggy and ineffective. The key takeaway was the importance of adaptability. While my specimen approach aligns with my long-term strategy, the clear conditions strongly favoured Iain’s maggot approach. I realised a small maggot feeder could have been a worthwhile compromise.

I also learned the importance of preparation. Rushed bait preparation undermined my backup plan.

Despite the disparity in catches, I hold to my core philosophy: No Regrets. The past cannot be changed; you can only learn and improve for the future.

While an alternative approach might have yielded more fish, I wouldn't change my overall specimen strategy. This session, however, served as a powerful reminder about the crucial roles of preparation and adaptability in fishing. Each session is a chance to learn and tweak, keeping the journey of continuous improvement alive.