Liam Matthews - Fly Fishing Coach

Growing up, my weekends were spent watching John Wilson, Mick Brown's World of Fishing and Matt Hayes work their magic on screen — so being part of The Big Fish n Show this year feels pretty special.

I’ll be delivering fly‑fishing coaching sessions with the Angling Trust across the weekend, and I’m hoping I might get the chance to say hi to Matt and maybe pick up a nugget of wisdom from the man himself.

If you fancy a cracking day out, tickets are still available:

The BIG Fish N Show | UK Carp, Match & Predator Fishing Event 2026 Join the UK's newest fishing show at Baden Hall on 12–13 September 2026. Top brands, live fishing demos, expert talks, festival stage and exclusive show deals.

One of my favourite weekends of the year is making the trip to The Game Fair catching up with friends from Game Angling Instructors' Association and Fly Fishers International as well as having a great day out Ragley Hall. Saturday was a surprise to get my new business cards (designed by my talented wife Hannah) which have turned out better than we hoped, they are already in the box for The Big Fish n Show weekend where I'll be teaching fly fishing with the Angling Trust. If you're looking to give fly fishing a try or find out more reach out!

Experimenting with some tying last night — squeezing in a few wraps before the heat finally won — and I’m actually pretty chuffed with how this first attempt turned out. Not perfect, but a cracking starting point and a fun little session at the desk.

Pattern: Dirty Bug F Fly
Hook: Osprey Size 14 barbless dry/light nymph
Thread: Black 8/0 Uni
Body: Semperfli Pale Olive Dirty Bug Yarn
Wingcase: 3 CDC feathers + Semperfli Hot Pink PolyYarn sighter post
Head: Black thread

It’s always satisfying seeing a rough idea start to take shape on the vice. More tweaks to come, but this one might just earn a spot in the box.

Supplies are in, the buzz is building, and I’m properly excited for this one. Semperfli have sent over a cracking bundle — including their brilliant new scud dubbing dispenser — and it’s all ready to be spun into fresh flies for coarse fly fishing at The Big Fish n Show this September.

I’ll be on the Angling Trust coaching lakes all weekend, offering fun, friendly fly fishing opportunities for all ages and abilities. Whether you’re brand new, rusty, or just fancy trying something different, come say hello and get stuck in.

Tickets are already moving, so grab yours from the link on the Big Fish N Show page and join us for a brilliant weekend of casting, learning, and family fun.

Following on from yesterdays post I now have an updated email. You can reach me on [email protected]

The view from yesterday’s “office” looked a little different… and let’s just say it wasn’t by accident.There’s a project taking shape that’s going to make those first steps into fly fishing a whole lot clearer — and if you’re just starting out, or thinking about it, you’ll want to be watching the Cadence Fly Fishing page closely.

Some things are worth waiting for.

This might be one of them.

You know it’s going to be a cracking day when the Cadence Fly Fishing parcel arrives. Just topping up on a few must‑haves before I start filming some new bits. Really excited to share what’s coming together. Big thanks to James and the crew for looking after me as always.

Anyone in looking for something to do this weekend the tweed salmon festival is looking to be a great event. Only gutted I can't get up myself.

🗓️ CADENCE @ TWEED FESTIVAL
This weekend (25th and 26th April) Cadence Fly Fishing will be at the Tweed Salmon Festival. Please come to our show stand where you can speak to James Robbins about salmon fishing and our extensive range of tackle. We look forward to seeing you there!