David McKay’s ability, demeanour and enthusiasm are a credit to him amd adds a couple of fish to the team-total before even leaving the dock! I was most fortunate to have David as part of my engineering team as well as in my fishing team and saw him mature in both roles. We spent 4 very memorable years together, mostly afloat and be it halibut, pacific salmon, rainbow, brown trout or Alaskan Moose; he always seems to attract the monsters. David is simply the most naturally gifted angler I have ever met.

As an RAF Fish-Hawk, I always had great respect for rival, Soldier Palmer and England International Angler Lindsay Simpson. During many years of adversity, I looked on and admired the likes of Lindsay and Ronnie inspire and develop the Soldier Palmers (Army Angling Federation) into what they are today; one of the leading and most feared teams on the competitive circuit. Since my retirement from the RAF, Lindsay and I have fished together for the Soldier Palmers and become firm friends. He is always on hand with appropriate, well-timed advice and we now both look forward to landing his first Scottish salmon, watch this space.

Ronnie Christie is a great friend, an excellent angler and a stalwart and ambassador for the Army Angling Federation. On the water, Ronnie is a very methodical thinker and his highly infectious enthusiasm is key to the team's success. I have to say that it’s a great pity that I didn’t get the opportunity to fish with/against Ronnie until my very last match for the RAF. We 'clicked' from the outset and decided that the timing might be right to fish together under the same team. I joined the Soldier Palmers and we had a very successfully season together, before Ronnie was commissioned and posted to Germany. I’m convinced that this was only the beginning and we will again team-up at some stage in the future.

Welsh International Angler Phil Thomas is one of the finest competitive game angler I have ever met. I had the great pleasure of fishing with Phil in the RAF Fish-Hawks team from 1992-2005 and no matter how the competition was going, you could rely on Phil to finish amongst the top individuals. Phil won the Hardy’s (Now AWFM) individual rod over 2 days in 2001 catching a truly remarkable 35 fish. Blank on day 1 at 2pm, Phil arrived at the weigh-in at 6pm with 20 fish, testament to his amazing ability on the water. We shared many trophies throughout our RAF fishing years, and often my fiercest rival yet best of friends.

I had the great pleasure of fishing with Stan Headly in the Spring Scottish International Team of 2009, where we both will be the first to admit that as far as individual performances we concerned, we under-achieved. We did however form a great friendship and I look forward to meeting up with Stan again in the near future.

As a fishing guide, I can think of no other that could compare. His urbane personality and experience, combined with a sharp wit guarantee a memorable experience, whether the fish are feeding or not!

Stan started wild brown trout fishing at the tender age of 8, wielding cast-off split cane rods on the famous Orkney lochs.Over the years he has risen to be one of the UK’s top commentators on wild trout fishing.  His major achievements have been winning the Scottish National Fly Fishing Championship in 1990; representing his country at senior level in 1991, 1992, 2008 & 2009, in Ireland and England.He is also a much respected fly tyer and student of aquatic ecology and fish behaviour.

He is a published author on the subject of fly fishing, his titles being The trout & Salmon Flies of Scotland (published by Merlin Unwin Books Ltd., in 1997) and The Loch Fisher’s Bible (published by Robert Hale Publishing Ltd., in 2005, reprinted in 2006).  He has also produced fishing guides for Ayrshire, Fife and Orkney.  He has supplied articles to the national angling press for 27 years, mainly in Trout & Salmon and Fly Fishing & Fly Tying. Stan has guided his clients all over the UK and Ireland; his speciality being the wild lochs of the North and West of Scotland.

If you'd like a day out with Stan, just let me know and I'll arrange it.