Q&A with Michael Rescorle
The Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival 2026 is designed with one clear aim in mind: to make saltwater fly fishing feel accessible, welcoming and genuinely achievable for anglers in the UK. Whether you spend most of your time on rivers, chalkstreams, stillwaters or reservoirs, or have never fly fished before, the festival offers a supported stepping stone into the salt, with expert guidance, practical demonstrations and plenty of time on the beach to put new skills into practice.
From talks and casting sessions to informal chats over food and a beer, the weekend is built around shared learning and encouragement. Many anglers arrive curious but unsure, and leave confident, inspired and already planning their next saltwater trip.
Few people are better placed to talk about that transition than Michael Rescorle. An Orvis Endorsed Guide, Michael has guided at the Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival since 2020 and has also been a familiar face at the UK Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival in St Mawes. Here, he shares his thoughts on why freshwater anglers are often more prepared than they think, and why a festival environment is the perfect place to give saltwater fly fishing a go.
For anglers who mostly fish freshwater, what usually feels like the biggest step when they first consider saltwater fly fishing?
The biggest change is usually the increase in tackle size and weight. A 9-foot 8-weight rod is the go-to set-up, paired with lines and flies that can feel substantial at first, with flies often up to 4 inches long and tied on size 2/0 hooks. Alongside that is the sheer scale of the coastline. Unlike freshwater, you need to keep moving to find fish. There are no stocked fish, they are wild, mobile and often very cunning.
Do freshwater anglers often underestimate how prepared they already are for saltwater?
Absolutely. Most freshwater anglers are far more prepared than they realise. If you already have a sound casting technique, you will adapt to saltwater very quickly, particularly if you have experience fishing larger stillwaters with 7-weight or 8-weight rods. And if your casting still feels like a work in progress, that’s exactly what the festival is for. The casting improvers sessions are a brilliant opportunity to build confidence, fine tune technique and get comfortable with saltwater tackle in a supportive, low pressure environment. By the end of the weekend, most people are amazed at how quickly everything clicks.
Which freshwater fly fishing skills transfer most naturally to saltwater fly fishing?
Almost all of them. Overhead and roll casting, varying the speed and style of the retrieve, and fan casting to search water thoroughly all transfer directly. Understanding how to cover water at different depths with a range of flies is just as important in saltwater as it is in freshwater.
For someone attending the Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival who has never fished saltwater before, what would you want them to know before they arrive?
You are signing up for a great weekend with a group of enthusiastic and committed anglers who are more than happy to chat, share experiences and help each other out, whether that’s on the beach or over a beer and pizza. Make sure you read the joining instructions so you arrive with the right tackle and equipment, and try to attend all the lectures, presentations and demonstrations to really get the most from the weekend.
Why is a supported festival environment such a good place to try saltwater fly fishing for the first time?
Because the whole weekend is designed around having fun while learning. The level of help and support is second to none, not just from the Orvis staff and guides, but from fellow attendees as well. It’s a very open, friendly atmosphere, and many people leave having made new friends and fishing buddies for life.
If someone is unsure about attending because they have never fished saltwater before, what would you say to encourage them?
You will never know whether you enjoy it or not until you try it. Book up, give it a go and see what you think. You really have nothing to lose.
Tickets for this year's Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival are available now with a range of options for complete beginners, improvers and competitors.