Fly-on-wallTV
BY LOUIS FEROX I WAS lucky enough to have a chat with Paul Young about his life in angling this week.
The actor is a renowned angler and host of the BAFTA-winning Hooked on Fishing TV Series.
So, what was it that got him started in fishing and kept him coming back?
He said: “Living down by the Firth of Forth, we fished for flounders in the winter and mackerel in the summer.
“When my family got a car, I was able to travel to the rivers in the Borders with my grandfather, who was a keen fisherman and I took great delight in catching little fish.
“I started off fishing the worm, catching trout or perch and progressed to swinging a wet fly before learning more sophisticated styles and even starting to catch bigger fish.
“The delight has never gone out of it.
“It’s changed a lot now. Youngsters can catch fish I’d only dreamed of.
“It was decades before I caught my first rainbow trout. Now, you can go along to waters and be disappointed if you haven’t had a two pounder.”
Paul said he had many great memories of fishing in amazing locations.
He added: “I’ve been incredibly lucky, caught some very special fish and seen wonderful places.
“But I am a game angler at heart and the one that stands out is a sea trout I caught in Tiera del Fuego in Argentina.
“It might not have been the size of groupers and other fish I’ve caught but that one is probably the best.
“Alongside a 40lb-plus salmon on the fly, that 30lb-plus sea trout makes quite a pair.”
Paul added: “I don’t get out as much as I used to but I love supporting charities like Let’s Tackle Cancer and seeing youngsters out there catching fish, getting out in the outdoors, having a respect for wildlife and passing that on to the next generation.
“If there’s anything that fishing has taught me it’s perseverance and determination. You’ll never catch if your fly isn’t in the water.”
Paul will be at the Glasgow Angling Centre open weekend at the end of the month. Come along and grab a selfie.
He has a wealth of stories to share.
Check out Let’s Tackle Cancer on Facebook for events in your area.