UKH

I remember watching a TV series in the late 80's / early 90's, not 100% sure what the title was but it was about Joe Brown combining his climbing and fishing skills, accessing some extreme fishing locations in the UK. I would love to watch it again as I've got back into fly fishing recently, does anyone have a copy on vhs, dvd or a link to be able to watch it online?

Also if anyone remembers watching the series can you recall the locations? I'm particularly interested in any North Wales locations.

In reply to Sl@te Head:

think he did one in the gorge above betws y coed on the upper conway - might be confusing a conversation with him when he gave me a lift past there many years ago.

In reply to Sl@te Head:
There was one at the base of a huge seacliff with virtually no beach into which he abseiled. No bites either so I think he jumared back out. A key feature of the series was his laconic delivery with long silences - not everyone's idea of gripping TV but I loved it.

In reply to Sl@te Head:

As a fly fishing climber/climbing fly fisher (depending on particular circumstance) I'd also love to see this. Laconic delivery combined with long silences sounds like perfect TV to me.

In reply to Tony Jones:


It might not be perfect TV but it's perfect Joe Brown and I'd like it just for that reason.

In reply to Sl@te Head:
A thread on an angling blog calls it 'Fishing the Hard Way'. I then found reference to it in an archive (BBC Genome - looks really interesting ) but no footage as yet. It was BBC2 in 1990. Three venues referred to Cape Wrath, Falls of Kirkaig & 'A limestone Sea Cave in Scotland'. A series of 10 minute programmes late at night.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Thanks, a bit more info than I could find, would be really good to track it down, is there anyone on here in contact with Joe?

In reply to Sl@te Head:

Have emailed you.

In reply to Sl@te Head:

I remember watching all of these. He never caught much from what I recollect.

Abbing off Cape Wrath, his rope was so long (specially made?) he had to feed it out of his sack. It was so heavy that if he'd had it hanging below him as per normal, the weight would have locked it off & he would have had to pull upwards on it to make downwards progress.

I also think he stopped at intervals to let his belay device cool down.

In reply to Chris Harris:

Having just come home from a difficult fly session, he'd have had more luck tying the hook to the ab line than I did.
1990, I'm suprised I am un aware of its existence.

In reply to Sl@te Head:
Here is another fishing programme that I have tracked down - much more recent. I thought it was a good tribute to the book. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vtxh2
Note of interest: Does anyone ever catch anything on these programmes?

In reply to Sl@te Head:
A few years ago I visited the YHA hostel at Loch Ossian which I can highly recommend. There was also a group of four people staying there, two were walkers and went off Munro bagging the other two were fly fishers and went in search of trout. The latter pair came back on the first evening empty handed but on the second night they announced apologetically for the fact that although they had indeed caught a couple of fish but it was only sufficient for starters for their group of four. I am sure it was tasty but I did reflect that it was rather meagre.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Just had smoked Trout this evening, caught on fly from a scenic Snowdonia lake, doesn't get much better

Not Joe Brown, but this North Face film is worth a watch, and goes some way to explaining to those who don't fish, the buzz of fly fishing...

youtube.com/watch?v=AYZUz6NuyVw&

In reply to Sl@te Head:

I've often wondered if there's a business idea here - guiding wealthy. gentrified fly-fishing folk down to the base of sea cliffs, waterfalls and other hard-to-reach places, to cast a few flies.

Incidentally, the guys wasn't fishing with a rod and line, but I recall climbing at Mother Carey's Kitchen in Pembroke about 6 years ago and seeing a guy snorkelling/spear fishing just under the crag. He was catching plenty of huge sea bass. We saw him in the car park afterwards with his catch - impressive.

In reply to 1234None:


No, they like to be driven to the spot in the Range Rover.

In reply to Chris Harris:


Well, the wealthy, gentrified ones maybe. Many of the other more adventurous (and impoverished) participants might prefer to get there under there own steam. I think I can safely say that I have had more moments when my life has flashed before my eyes whilst in the pursuit of trout than when climbing.

In reply to Sl@te Head:

I remember this series too, I was only a kid at the time and didn't climb but was getting into Fly fishing. My Dad found this program and started recording it for me. I seem to recall him fishing for Salmon in a waterfall (didn't catch anything) and on a wild sea cliff.

In reply to Sl@te Head:

Wasn't the Corrieshalloch Gorge one of the places he abbed into? I don't remember much, if any fish being caught during the programme. I wonder if the fishing was just an excuse to experience some hard to access places?

In reply to Sl@te Head:

Is anyone any closer to locating this program? I'd be very interested... can't quite believe it exists. Sounds awesome.

In reply to Blake:

Not found anything myself I'm afraid, just back from a fly fishing session this evening 3 wild brown trout from a Snowdonia lake

In reply to Sl@te Head:

It was a weird little show that appeared out of the blue in the graveyard hours and could only be of interest to fly fishing Joe Brown fans.
Of which there appear to be plenty!

In reply to aln:

Yes it was but he didn't catch anything at all.

In reply to Blake:

I have a copy of the Cape Wrath episode

In reply to Sl@te Head:

I dimly remember the Corrieshalloch episode, the highlight of which was Joe abseiling into the gorge from the bridge (as I recall). I don't think he got a single bite for his efforts at that location, except from midges. My recollection is that Joe was even more laconic than in his other TV appearances. I like to think he may have been a bit embarrassed at being involved in such flummery, with fishing as the most tenuous justification imaginable.

In reply to CasWebb:

Is there any way you can share?

In reply to Sl@te Head:

I've abbed in to some fairly out there spots on Skye. A few slings, krabs, prussics, couple of skinny 50m ropes, 3 piece spinning rod and a box of lures brought me a lot of fun. The sea cliffs are the best places for these sort of shenanagens. Pollock and deep water close in are what you want

In reply to Sl@te Head:

youtube it!