Ceri Jones is a passionate fly-fisherman, professional photographer and holder of the Lough Corrib Ferox Trout Record [23lb 12oz].
The Casting with Ceri Jones podcast is the story of Ceri’s career, the days, weeks and years spent casting from boats and riverbanks. Tales of the catches, the tackle, the lakes, the rivers, the ones that were landed and the ones that got away.
Interviews on location and in the studio, with fellow fishermen, gillies, boatmen, friends, champions and fisheries managers. There will be tackle reviews, venue guides and even the winding yarn of the Big Corrib Catch.
So pull up a chair, settle back, relax and enjoy an uninterrupted hour of fishing talk. Because as Ceri always says “The next best thing to being out fishing … is talking about it”
This week's episode I chat with Welsh sea trout expert Rob Redman. It's plain to see while chatting he is obsessed with sea trout and in peak season he will fish every night as he lives beside the river. He talks and goes into depth of his understanding of sea trout, his most successful flies and making the most of tough conditions.
In this week's episode I chat with River Test guide and instructor Gilly Bate. I met up with her earlier on in the season at Lower Mill, a beautifully manicured stretch of crystal clear water which holds both browns and grayling, to shoot a feature for the Flyfishing Journal. I chat with her this week on the phone to see how her season was plus to find out more about the chalk streams which she has fished for more than 20 years.
This week I chat with Irish angler Darren Duffy from Cork. Even though he lives near the Black Water which has fished it all his life, it's the loughs he prefers to fish. Darren is a talented fly tier and has a feature in this Autumn issue of the Flyfishing Journal, showing his favourite patterns. He talks of the great fish he has had this season on Lough Sheelin and Ree while fishing the spent, plus how fishing the Mayfly nymph is becoming more popular and on its day can be deadly.
After a few recent requests from Patrons, this weeks episode I talk of my top 10 patterns which have brought me success this year and past seasons. Must have flies I couldnt go without, I tell when to fish them, how to fish them and why they are so successful. All variants of known patterns with my own twist. Flies include 4 dries, 3 wets and 3 heavyweight nymphs.
This weeks episode I head up to Elan Valley for the last weekend of the season. High water with flooded banks proved difficult conditions but moving around and a change of tactics produced some nice fish. The ultimate wild fishery and a perfect place to sign off the season. I also tell of the history of how the dams came about with the loss of a community which were moved out to build dams to supply water to Birmingham. Cofiwch Cwn Elan!
This week I chat with Irish angler Stevie Munn. He hails from Belfast and talks about how he got into fly-fishing, his local water ‘The six mile river’ and its dollaghan, his love with Lough Sheelin and Erne. Plus he talks of his upcoming event ‘The Irish Fly Fair’ and what’s in store next month at the new venue.
This weeks episode I tell of my experiences of flyfishing when I started as a boy and vist my local lake Llyn Fawr with my original rod which I made and Rimfly reel and fished with old school flies to see how well they work today. Had some great fishing with Rainbows to 5lb goes to show fish dont follow fashion.
Enjoy!
This weeks podcast guest I'm joined once more by Will Millard. The last two previous episodes with him were so popular I was so pleased to have him on once more. In the past he has spoken about his fishing and his work as a TV presenter. He is also a successful author and in this episode we chat about his latest book 'The way of the Hermit' the story of Ken Smith who lives in the remote Scottish highlands. As Will says 'As anglers I think there is a little hermit sits withinside most of us.
This weeks episode I meet up Mike Bunn at a bar in Sligo. Mike has been a professional photographer for 60 years. He lives on the shores of Lough Arrow, County Sligo. He talks of the early days on Lough Sheelin and Arrow going back to the 70s, and of his love for dry fly fishing with some fascinating stories.... a great listen.
Enjoy!
This week I chat with Phillippa Hake. Based in Halifax, West Yorkshire she talks about her local River Calder which is only a short walk from her home and also her love for grayling and a recent trip to Bosnia. Her tying skills have not gone unnoticed as she now works full time for Semperfli running the social media side of the business.
This week I meet up with another patron to the channel, Andy Barton. We spend a morning together on the lough and had great success, then recorded this chat at his house beside the lake. He tells us how his love for the Corrib started from a very young age on family holidays. A very modest angler and top guy!
This week's guest I chat with Colin Dodd who lives on the shores of Lough Arrow, County Sligo. He recently invited me to join him for the day. He didn’t need to ask twice and as I was over in Ireland I headed up to Sligo last week to join him. He has fished Arrow all his life and so did his father before him and also the family run a boat hire business for visiting anglers. He talks of Arrow's hatches and its rich history and why so many anglers keep coming back to this special lough.
Enjoy!
This week’s episode I chat with passionate competition angler, Denis Goulding. He is currently coach or the Irish Youth Team which recently had gold at the International at Llyn Clywedog. He talks about how the team won and tactics which brought them success. He goes on to tell us of his Brown Bowl achievement at the Senior International at Lough Melvin last year, plus his love for Lough Conn and Lene.
This week’s episode I chat with one of Ireland’s most successful Ladies International anglers, Linda Straghan. She has 11 caps and 2 Brown Bowls to her name. She tells us how she started fishing and gives advice to women wanting to get into the sport and her top flies which has brought her so much success on the competition scene. She also goes on to say how fly-fishing has helped her through cancer, a truly inspirational woman.
Enjoy!
This week I head to Garnffrwd Fishery, Carmarthenshire and chat with owner Jamie Miller. I chat with him at the lodge veranda at the lakeside to shelter from the rain. He tells us how the season has been, his retirement from being Manager of the Welsh Bank Team,, C&R and his expectations for the coming months, plus his new addition for anglers wanting to stay over, the bell tent.
Enjoy!
