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I only recently took up fly-fishing, having spent most of my adult life as a confirmed coarse angler on the canals and other still waters of the English Midlands. My move to Donegal, Ireland, last year has opened up a whole new world to me as I've explored the lakes, rivers and streams around the area. Within a 25 mile drive of here there are countless spots for salmon, sea-trout and trout fly-fishing but what I've come to realise is that it's the angling experience, rather than the catching of the fish themselves that is so enhanced in this part of the world.

One of my favourite spots is a small river known as the Oily. Mary McAleese, the Irish President, expressed rightful indignation at this name. She said "Now if you saw a sign for the oily river would you take out your fishing rod?" The word 'oily', she explained, comes from the Irish word alainn, meaning beautiful, "and some prat translated that as 'oily'!" And beautiful it is too. There are, reportedly, good sized salmon and some decent trout there, though I've not seen them except in other anglers' bags. The fish I've caught have been plentiful, though none big enough to take home for dinner, but the fields, the trees and the hills in the near distance, as well as the sound of water rushing over rocks, makes the fishing a delightful experience.

Further across the country I was fly-fishing one fine day, again only attracting small trout to my hook. A local passed by and asked how I was doing.

"Fine" I replied "but all too small for the plate".
"You know what you should do?" he said.
"What would you suggest?" I asked, almost breathless with anticipation that I was going to be given the secret of monster catches.
"Get yourself a smaller plate" he said, laughing as he walked off.....

Learn more about this author, Charlie Garratt.
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