Guiding & Products Testimonials


about Guiding...


There is a truism in river fly fishing that 90% of the fish are caught by only 10% of the anglers.  The reason for this often observable fact is simple. Many fly fishers lack the knowledge or techniques required to catch more than 1 or 2 fish. The best and fastest way to understand these techniques is with an experienced river guide. I have over 20 years of fly fishing experience Worldwide (Canada, USA, Himalayas, Europe) and am a former English Rivers National Fly Fishing Champion. I am passionate about river fly fishing and want my clients to enjoy their experience. To this end I tailor guiding to fit you.  I guide on the river Tees, the upper reaches and on the Darlington Anglers Club water. I also guide on the Derwent a beautiful trout stream near Newcastle. I can provide almost all equipment within reason.


    Fred Bainbridge.  Multiple England Fly Fishing International.

''I'm fortunate enough to have fished in many wonderful places and alongside some truly great anglers including former World Champions and the like. It's safe to say I’ve experienced some cracking angling days along the way.

My days grayling fishing guided by yourself has topped the lot Jon! You promised me fish of a life time here in the UK and you delivered. I've caught previously what I considered to be a large fish at 2lb 8oz but you guided straight to two personal bests in excess of the magic 3lb and the chance of even bigger in just one day.

Can't say much more than thank you Jon !"


David Laughton

"Hi Jonathan.

I really enjoyed yesterday you did a fab job thank you so much. The conditions were tough but you found fish and showed me how to set the rod up right, & where and what to do; your knowledge is fantastic and am very impressed with the service I got. Winter grayling fishing sound good to me!! will let you know about the membership. have just sorted all the nice flies you gave me and the long nymphing leaders thanks for them as well!!

Callum Murray.  AGPAI guide from Scotland

Morning Jonathan,

Just a quick note to say we got home safely and that all is well here. I must admit that my mind is a whir - in a good way - with planning my fishing from now. Your ideas and methods were so effective and the way you put them across was a revelation. I am sorting out rods, lines etc and am itching to get going. Thank goodness for your website and YouTube films as I am now able to go through them in slow time and pick out the details.Again, thank you very much for your time. Polly and I enjoyed our trip immensely and thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and Nelly. With best wishes


Jon,

Many thanks for a splendid day yesterday -  excellent call on which day to go, loads of expert knowledge passed on, some lovely fish and great surroundings. I reckon that if I'd landed the big one (the last time we mention it!) I'd have run out of superlatives! Will be back one day - the duo on the Derwent by day ticket is the next plan.

John Turner

Phil Raine

Hi Jon, Just a quick note to say thanks very much for the session on the River Derwent, last Friday.
So only got to speed up my reaction time to get more hook ups so that's not too bad.  Can't wait to get out on the Coquet and practice the techniques you showed us.

Thanks again for all your help and the flies.



Rod Hood

Hi Jon,

Thank  you for a fantastic days fishing on Tuesday. Perfect conditions and 10 good fish! You have a lovely stretch of water Snow Hall. I shall practice your nymphing technique and let you know how I get on.

 Best wishes


Steven Rowan. GP from Richmond

I just wanted to thank you once again for a fantastic day's fishing on the Tees yesterday - I loved every minute of it! You demonstrated all the techniques I asked you to cover, and took me to all the "fishy" spots of the stream which suited the various methods. Hopefully I can put into practice what I learned over the next year. I'll no doubt be in touch soon for some more flies. Until then, best wishes and many thanks.

Jon,

just wanted to say thanks a lot for today. I've learnt loads, fished new waters and tried a new technique out. Getting into a few fish was a bonus and it was a shame I lost that lovely brown at the end. I've ordered some flies form you, I'm sure they will do me well over the coming weeks. I'll organise an evening with you during May or June and hopefully we'll hit an evening rise.. Hope you got back safely. Daran


Steven. North East Fly Fisherman

Hi Jon,

Thanks very much for a really enjoyable evening on the Derwent. I learnt a lot,and my nymph fishing has certainly benefited. It took a few days for the many midge bites to disappear, it was a small price to pay! Thanks again, hopefully see you on the river sometime. All the best

Gerry Morrison. Pilot from Dubai

Hi Jon and Nellie,

Finally Cheryl and I would just like to say we had the most brilliant time, we thoroughly enjoyed your company and we look forward to seeing you both again. And for my part Jon thanks a million for your superb tuition and guidance. Cheers.


James

Just wanted to say thanks again for the session last night – it was great fun, and will really set me up to go and start getting some practice on the river myself!  Cheers.


If you would like to book a guided tour or put an enquiry or leave your testimonial please click here  or go to Contact Us page.  We look forward to hearing from you.


about our Website, You Tube Videos &
Perfect Presentation Products...

Many river fly patterns catch more fisherman than fish. I have spent years developing flies that work 90% of the time in 90% of places.  To present these flies correctly it is imperative the fly fisher uses the correct leaders.  Below are comments from satisfied onstream-guide customers.




Hi Jon it's Stephen Wishart here

Just thought I would send you a picture of this beauty from the Clyde caught on 1 of your cdc olives and using your furled leader

:)

They are working a treat !!


Hi Jon,

Just wanted to drop a line of feedback. As you say in your films, furled leaders your production are way ahead competition when it comes to perfect presentation in many aspects. Your advices about tying pale watery dun with soft partridge hackle were priceless! They were absolute killers on Avon near Salisbury, and Itchen in Shawford.

I'll be recommending your web site to friends!

 Many thanks, Maciek

Hi, My girlfriend purchased some of your polyphaetis and black magic nymphs for me two weeks ago.  I used them on the river Wylye as I live in Wiltshire.  I caught seven trout, four grayling and salmon parr. The biggest fish was a 1 3/4 pound grayling, not bad for my first ever grayling or fly fishing and Czech nymphing session (amazing I'm now hooked so to speak).  I will be buying some more flies and products from you. 

Kind Regards,

Phil


Hi there Jon. Can't say how much I'm enjoying my French nymphing and wish I'd got into it years ago. It was all down to your little video that got me inspired to give it a go!

Jonny

Many thanks for your excellent videos that I recently discovered on you tube. They have been very interesting, informative, and well produced - so about the best I've seen online!

All the best, Charles, Belgium


Hello Jon,

I just thought I would drop you a line to say how much I have enjoyed all of your fly fishing videos. I have learned so much from them and like applying the methods to the local streams and creeks that I fish. I'm looking forward to trying nymphing techniques when the Victorian stream trout season reopens in early September. I'll let you know how I do. Thanks again and Tight Lines, Steve Hynes, Australia


Morning Jonathan,

Thanks for the info and I will get back to you you about a day. Have received the flies and thanks for the freebie! Only had 4 fish over three evening sessions on the Frome, lovely spot but overfished, 3 other rods blanked.

Caught all 4 on your olives - thanks!!

T W Boot  


Hi Jon,

Thank you for the soft hackle CDC flies you sold me a while back. Just had a PB brown trout of 3lb 10 oz on one today out of a low clear Rv Hodder. I saw this fish rising to large flies and after several other favourites failed to get a response I put one of yours on and it had it third cast. I shall be after some more

Christopher Goodlad

Hello Jonathan and Nellie.

Thank you for you excellent onstream-guide.com. As someone relatively new to fly fishing and very much still learning the ropes, I have found it to be the best on-line tutorial available. Your advice is given very clearly and generously. I have just ordered a furled leader and one or two flies from you. Thank again.  

  Best wishes, Paul James


Tried out the polyphaetis today on the R. Dove that I bought from onstream. Excellent results with some big grayling and a number of nice trout. The Hot Spot also performed. Many thanks for introducing me to the new flies which will have a permanent place in my box.

Ross Hunter

Hi Jon,

I've ordered the dancing caddis off Mr Swisher, thanks again for your advice. Caught over 100 fish on your tapered leader and beaded indicator last year bloody brill

Peter Byers


Dear Jon,

Just a note to say 'Thanks' for the extra fly enclosed with my last order. Much appreciated... and its caught for me! 

Richard

Hi Jon.

Flash back caddis has been a knockout thanks. Evenafter the hammering of a load of fish still looks great. That dry freebie you gave me fished well also. Have recommended to lots of fishy mates. Peter


Hi Jon,

Thanks again for the flies. I had some great success using your flies while fishing in the Eifel (Germany) last week. I placed a new order for some additional ones, so I have enough for the coming months. 

Regards, Marcel.

P.S. Really enjoy your YouTube channel!

Hi Jon

Received the order with thanks. And thanks for the black polyphaetis. I'll try to get some of them wet this weekend. 

It's always your flies that come out of the box first!

Cheers, GED


Hi Jon, Many thanks for the furled leader. I thought you'd like to let you know that I've had a great early season success with your Black Magic Nymph. The rivers I fish around Bath where I live are quite small so short line up-stream nymphing works best. I use a split shot about 10 inches above the nymph and that works just fine. A great fly. Well done.

Regards. Nigel

Hi Jon. Thanks for letting me know and  look forward to receiving the goods.
Nice website btw. I was searching for advice on French Leader set ups for when I go nymphing on the Usk, which is how I came across your website.  Just need to get the right rod first then I'll look at ordering one or two of your tapered leaders.

Cheers, Simon


Hi Jon,

Thanks, looking forward to using your flies on our trout water. Really enjoying the series on YouTube, keep up the good work.

Regards, Neil.

Hi Jon

Received the nymphs this morning thanks again for the freebie.

Regards Des

Jon,

Everything arrived as ordered. Thanks for the extra fly. I should be on a stream this week or so. Please call if you come to the States.

Charles C. Wise, III


Jon,

I have fly fished for nearly fifty years (dry flies only) Never a nymph!

Enjoyed watching you on youtube using duets! My compliments on your mastery of delivering tutorials! If you ever in N. Italy let me know will take you fishing!

Kind regards, Alex.

Hi Jonathan,

just wanted to give you a feed back. Yesterday, fishing in catch-release sections of the river Serio at Ponte Nossa, I used your "duo system." I was the only angler that catching fish in that section of the river. It worked for me on 12 feet 4X leader and 2 feet of 5X from the dry to nymph. Good show and many thanks.

Alex, Italy


Received my flies today and i must give credit where its due, they look amazing and cant wait to hopefully hook into some nice fish over the coming weeks. Also wanted to say thank you for the extra "F" Terrestrial!

Michael

Jon, flies arrived sat 5th very pleased with them and cheers for free fly.
Straight on to river and they worked a treat. Shall be placing order for some more,


Cheers Kevin


Hi Jon - I really enjoy your vids and Nelly's focussing work is getting better! I like the idea of using your Elk Hair caddis as an "unsinkable part" of the duo method.

Me and some pals will be fishing some Austrian alpine rivers late April, which is our first real outing and that can be fast and furious I can't wait...but in the meantime your videos give us a taste of home (we are the Czech-British fly fishing club a group of expat business folk out here). One of my pals started actually learning to fly fish last year using your YT videosKeep up the videos we need our fix!

Best, Jon

Hi Jonathan,

I have received my order of your BM Nymphs and thanx for your gift of the LJEH Caddis to enable me to try fishing the duo, pretty formidable looking character it is too.

Im going order another 5 from you in order to balance up the number of nymphs that I purchased.

PS. love the work you and your wife do on YT as I have only taken up fly fishing so I find it very informative -

REGARDS Michael Kerr


Hello, Jon and Nellie! from Southern New Hampshire, USA!

I must say a big "Thank You" to you both for producing your wonderful short films about Fly Fishing (and some about Tying). Jon, you have a wonderfully easy presentation style on camera. Your informative explanations about flies and the "Art" of Presentation to what are sometimes (Many times?) picky fish is just superb. Bravo, Jon, on that. I wish you both the very best. 

Ray Landolt

Hi Jon, Thank you for a first rate service and the extra fly. Just like to say you have improved my fishing no end with your U tube vids over the last three seasons. I got stuck in the rut of fishing wets , but now i fish upstream all the time my fish size has increased to the extent of trout to 2.5lb Grayling to 2lb from the river Swale. I have fished the Tees at Widdybank with my 12' Iwana Tenkara rod and like you said in your vids the ideal method . Hope to see you on the river bank some time .

All the best, Dave Hay


Thanks Jon,

Love your website, so informative and your flies are just awesome. Had a great few hours Sun morning on my local river and the chub were going crazy for them as well as the brownies! Great duo fly the elk, brilliant.

Cheers Rob

Hi Jon

Thank you for your prompt service, the flies and leaders arrived safely today.  Also I appreciate the freebie and am sure they will all fish well.   We are going to the Czech Republic in June so these will be travelling with us and hopefully do some damage. Kind regards,

Vee


Hi Jonathan,

I bought one of your light weight French leaders a while back and had my first chance to try it today on the wonderful river Dove in Derbyshire. Inspired by your vids I was fishing in turbulent shallow water just below a weir and hooked but lost a lovely little brownie right under my feet.. Anyways a new technique for an old dog to try to master is a good thing!

Simon

Jon

Thanks for videos.  Been watching them on YouTube. Based on them I started French nymphing last year, with great success. Received my flies today. Thanks. Excellent quality and good service for somebody on a different continent! Feel free to add my comments to your feedback list. Credit where its due! Cheers,

Coenraad, Canada


and more coming...


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