Gerald Spiers
Gerald resides in the county of Cornwall. His first steps into the fishing world came some forty years ago as a young boy hand catching stone loaches and millers thumbs in a small stream that ran through the local village. Family holidays spent on the west coast of Scotland further enhanced his fascination for fish when he witnessed numbers of salmon and seatrout running the mouth of a small spate river as the tide pushed up the beach. This defining moment would ultimately lead Gerald into a life of fishing.
Gerald’s father, an occasional angler at this point, could see his son’s blossoming interest. On the family return to Cornwall he approached a local fly fisherman about helping Gerald fulfill his new dream of catching a fish on rod and line.
Typically, as a fly angler, he willingly agreed to share his knowledge. From that point Gerald spent most weekends learning to fly fish with his mentor on lakes and rivers across the county. This generosity would have a lasting effect on Gerald and would eventually lead him down a similar path. With his burgeoning passion evident Gerald’s father joined a small syndicate on the river Torridge, Devon. This was the very river from which Gerald landed his first Atlantic salmon at the tender age of eight. There was no looking back after this grand achievement and fishing became a major part of Gerald’s life thereafter.
As he became a very accomplished fly fisherman, Gerald knew the passing of knowledge he had experienced via his boyhood mentor could be applied on his part. This lead in the direction of AAPGAI where he qualified as an advanced instructor. He now teaches and guides many an angler, young and old on rivers, streams and lakes across Devon and Cornwall, fly fishing for trout, grayling, sea-trout and salmon with the occasional coastal bass thrown in. When not assisting others Gerald can be found on rivers across the south west of England, Wales, Scotland and Norway, fly fishing or maintaining river habitats for future generations.