Travel to the birthplace of the sport. By Oliver Dixon / Fly fishing above Pauperhaugh Bridge.
By Theo Pike for The Guardian
Assynt, Sutherland
Under the shadow of massive mountains like Suilven and Quinag, it’s an awe-inspiring experience to discover waters like Fionn Loch, which is home to arctic char as well as native brown trout. Local guides can be hired to introduce you to this breathtaking wilderness, with salmon and saltwater fishing as exciting optional extras.
• Day tickets £7.50-£10; week £30-£40, assyntanglinginfo.org.uk/outlets
Dartmoor, Devon
Dartmoor’s unique atmosphere keeps many fly-fishers coming back to its Duchy of Cornwall fishery year after year. With wild ponies and granite tors on every skyline, Two Bridges makes a perfect mid-moor base for exploring miles of enticing streams – clear, darkly tannic, and full of hungry fish.
• Day ticket from £10, westcountryangling.com
River Tyne, Northumberland
For many salmon fishers, the Tyne has it all: wild Pennine landscapes, fishing prices that don’t require taking out a second mortgage, and prolific numbers of salmon that run the river every month of the year. The Tyne usually yields England’s biggest catch of sea trout, too, thanks to peat-tinged water which gives the fish confidence and means you can fish for them in daylight as well as at night.
• Day tickets from £35, fishpal.com
Theo Pike is the author of Trout in Dirty Places and The Pocket Guide to Balsam Bashing
