The Dogs Pollacks!

This year saw me take my first steps into Saltwater flyfishing and boy do I wish I'd tried it sooner! My first trip was with the guys from On Yer Marks when I was invited along to join a few lads for some inshore Pollack flyfishing from a boat. Gary had warned me of the power of these fish and not to be under-gunned so I took along my Guideline LPXE RS #9 weight and a #10 weight Sage Z-Axis. My reel choice is a Hardy Demon 7000 which, with it's cheap cassette-style spools, enables me to take along a range of lines. In this case, the terrain we were fishing over was some pretty hardcore reefs and kelp beds in roughly 30-40 feet of water so it was Airflo Depthfinder lines with a short Seaguar 23lb fluorocarbon leader.

A nice Pollack caught from the rocks on fly gear

I used the same set up on a camping/fishing trip to Skye with my mate Paul. This time it was clambering along the rocks and fishing directly into some crazy waves! One thing I'd suggest you do if you plan on trying this is to take good quality footwear, waterproof clothing and a lifejacket, a good line tray and definitely some insect repellent or you will be midge-fodder!!

The right clothing is essential for SWFF

For flies, I kept it simple. A waterproof fly box with a selection of Clouser Minnows in different weights and some Surf Candy style patterns for the shallower gulleys. These are tied with DNA Frosty Fish Fibre and Supreme Hair which is ideal for creating the Sandeel profiles.

Pollack of this standard are hard fighting fish!

If you're into hard fighting, wild fish on the fly rod then you MUST get booked up and try it!!