Steffan and I both hail from West Wales. In Steffan’s case he is based in the town of Llandysul, around which flows the wonderful River Teifi. His interests are many and varied and interestingly have evolved from his inability to draw or paint and failure to play a musical instrument. This has led him to Photography and DJ’ing as outlets for his obvious creative streak.

“I can capture something with a lens that I would not be able to with a
canvas and brush – well, I probably could, but it would bear no resemblance
to the subject!”

And his DJ’ing has taken him as far afield as Hong Kong and Argentina.

He fly fishes extensively both locally and various Worldwide destinations for trout, grayling and salmon. However, his first love, like many Welshman is fishing for (sewin) sea run brown trout – particularly at night.

On many winter days you can find him, shotgun in hand, working his Cocker Spaniels. Which provides a fine selection of fly tying materials as well as food for the pot. Which is not a bad thing as nothing goes to waste.

His first introduction to our sport was via a long established youth scheme arranged by the Llandysul Angling Association (www.fishing-in-wales.co.uk) that gives free tuition to kids each year as an introduction to fly fishing and fly tying. Indeed his tutor, a local man called Peter Jones is still giving lessons to this day – some 25 years after the young Steffan passed through his class.

” I owe him a lot and he is also the gent that started me off sea trout fishing many moons ago” says Steffan.

Steffan is unusual in that although highly educated to MSc level, he chose to try his hand at earning a living from fly fishing knowing he had his qualifications to fall back on. And many years later has still no need to blow the dust off his degrees.

He now guides professionally throughout West Wales http://www.anglingworldwide.com and also arranges fishing holidays worldwide for http://www.aardvarkmcleod.com.

“The industry has given me some magical experiences and taken me to locations that I could not dream of affording to travel to, for that I am eternally grateful and long may it continue…”

Steffan has lot of ‘go-to’ patterns, but they tend to have one thing in common; they utilise a minimum amount of ingredients and can be tied quickly. A man after my own heart.

“Fly casting and fly tying to me are both enjoyable aspects of the sport, but
they are very much a means to end and that end being fishing. I’d rather
spend time on the water than at the tying desk, so the flies need to be
quick, but ultimately practical and fit for purpose”

His favourite sea trout fly is a pattern he devised some 15 years or so ago named the Daioni (Dye-ow-nee) It is specifically designed as a dropper pattern and is very effective, especially in the latter half of the season.

“daioni” is a Welsh word that translates to mean ‘to do you good’ or ‘goodness’.

The Daioni

Hook: Partridge streamer (D4AF) size 6 or 8
Thread: Veevus 8/0 black
Body: medium silver holographic tinsel
Rib: silver wire
Body hackle: white cock hackle, palmered
Wing: black squirrel
Head hackle: Nature’s spirit grizzly collaring hackle in flu.blue

“One of the key aspects of night fishing in my eyes is silhouette and profile. Whereas the majority of patterns give a pretty streamlined presentation, this patterns keeps it ‘bulk’ and, therefore, presents a thicker and stronger silhouette. It is also fantastic fun to fish this on a full floater in the height of the summer, when it fishes just subsurface and the takes can be pretty explosive on it. Anyway, most certainly a pattern that I would never be without.”

I asked Steffan if he had any advise for novice tiers……….

“Thread control! Why do five wraps when two or three will suffice? It is also
a bit like juggling (not that I can juggle, I hasten to add) but you need to
be able to keep two balls in the air before you add the third. Don’t run
before you can walk and really concentrate on the basics. If you can master
some simple flies first (i.e. the analogy of keeping two balls in the air)
then that is key, then move on (add the third ball), develop and master new
patterns and techniques. Do not be afraid of asking for criticism, but then
take it well when it is received – the last thing you want and need is false
praise as you will not advance from that”

Steffan with a near 20b Sea Trout that took a Bunny pattern in Argentina.

Many thanks Steffan, It was a pleasure talking with you.

Paul Slaney

I should give this up, wrapping bits of fluff around a hook for fun just can’t be normal.