Our Journey from the Beginners Weekend to Bass and Beyond
Guest post from Maz & Jez, Orvis Saltwater Beginners Weekend & Fly Fishing Festival Attendees
If you’d told us two years ago that we’d be knee-deep in mud at dawn, rods in hand, cheering each other on in the hunt for the fish of the sea, we’d have laughed. Back then, we were only fans of Bob and Paul’s Gone Fishing, falling for the calm and laughter of the show, but we’d never fished ourselves in any capacity. One lesson later, and we were absolutely hooked (pun fully intended).
When we saw the Orvis Beginners Saltwater Weekend, we weren’t sure what to expect. The sea promises “free fishing”, “ocean views” and “catching wild fish on the fly”, and that was enough for us to buy a ticket. Maz grew up in Torquay, always drawn to the coast, so the idea of combining that love of the ocean with fly fishing was irresistible.
That first weekend was brilliant. From the moment we arrived, we were met with smiles, stories and that brilliant sense of belonging that Orvis does so well. The guides we encountered were patient, funny and ridiculously knowledgeable. We learned about tides, saltwater habitats and how totally different chasing bass is from trout. The rhythm, the reading of the water, the stealth, it’s a whole new mindset.
We didn’t catch a thing that first weekend, and yet we left buzzing. There was something addictive about it: the challenge, the camaraderie, the salty air and that shared obsession everyone had for “just one more cast”.
Fast forward to the Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival in June, and our confidence had grown slightly. We didn’t enter the competition aspect this year, as Orvis allows you to purchase a festival ticket instead. Even so, it’s a proper step up, surrounded by people who’ve been doing this for years but are still down to earth and generous with their time and advice. Again, we didn’t catch, but again, we loved every second.
One of the biggest lessons? Mud is not your friend. The guides give you all the info and advice, and teach you exactly what to do, but a bit of common sense doesn’t go amiss either (of which I had absolutely none that day). Let’s just say I learned the hard way why wading sticks and proper gear matter. The festival really drills into you how important that stuff is. It’s fun, but it’s also wild and unpredictable. Jeremy’s current challenge is reading tides, how fast they shift, how much they change. Every session teaches you something new about respecting the sea.
But the magic of the festival goes beyond the fishing. It’s the people. The community is unreal, from the organisation to the Saturday get-together and our favourite, the YETI night station. Weber BBQs and a beer on the beach, what more could you ask for? It’s a great place to share stories, make new friends and pick up much-needed knowledge and experience from like-minded people. We’ve made some great friends from those events, people who just get it: the early starts, the blank days, the obsession with the tides. It’s a small world, but a good one.
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After the festivals, we went back to one of the same stretches of coastline, using the same techniques, and that’s when it happened. We both caught our first mullet! Not the easiest fish to tempt on fly, but thanks to Rodney Wevill and Colin Macleod’s tips, we managed it. Then Jeremy topped it off a few weeks later with a 46 cm bass, an amazing moment to witness. Watching that fish come in made all the missed bites, tangles and muddy mishaps completely worth it.
Now, we’re well and truly obsessed. We’ve got a growing list of places to fish next. Belize is right up there, tropical permit, parrotfish, maybe even a bonefish if we’re lucky. But honestly, even if we’re just wading around a Cornish estuary, we’re happy. Saltwater fly fishing has given us so much more than the fish; it’s given us adventure, new friends and a connection to the sea we never expected to find.
If you’re even slightly tempted, do it. Sign up for the Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival next July, which now combines the Beginners days into one big 4-day event, meet the guides, embrace the chaos and don’t worry about catching. It’ll happen when it’s meant to, and you’ll understand why everyone keeps going back!
We’ve decided to take the plunge and enter the competition next year. Who knows, maybe we’ll see you there, knee-deep in mud, still chasing that one perfect cast.
Tight lines!
You can follow Jez and Maz’s journey @jam_flyfishing