I thought I'd escaped the IT industry...
Some of you will know that, before Barbless Flies came along, I spent over 30 years working as a specialist IT consultant.
Thirty-odd years of computers, databases, software and trying to explain to people why something that worked perfectly well yesterday had mysteriously stopped working this morning.
Eventually, I decided enough was enough.
I'd leave all that behind and do something far more relaxing.
Like running a fly fishing business - yes, I can hear those of you who run your own businesses laughing.
Well, it turns out that old habits die hard.
Because, after years of successfully avoiding writing software for a living, during the hot (and quiet) summer months, I've gone and built something.
And this time, it's about fly fishing.
Introducing Flyfish Intel ...
The idea came from something I've noticed over the years at Barbless Flies.
We spend an awful lot of time helping people choose the right flies.
But choosing the right fly is only part of the puzzle.
There's also knowing when to use it, why it might work, and how to fish it.
And here's the interesting thing.
You might have fished the same stretch of river every Saturday for the last twenty years.
You know every bend, every pool, and probably the precise rock behind which that enormous trout has been sitting since 2017 - and you've probably spent a small fortune trying to persuade it to move.
But the river you fish in April isn't quite the same river you fish in July.
The insects change. The water changes. The weather changes. And the fish, being fish, seem determined to change their minds about what constitutes a decent meal.
So whether you're heading somewhere completely new, or returning to a stretch you could probably fish blindfolded, there's always something worth knowing before you set off.
That's what got me thinking.
Could I combine what I've learned from years in the fishing business with what I learned during three decades in IT, and build something that helps anglers make better decisions before they even put their waders on?
The result is Flyfish Intel - https://flyfishintel.com.
And the idea is really quite simple:
Find your favourite stretch of river, stillwater or coastline (or somewhere completely new), choose when you're going fishing and what you're fishing for, then see what the day might have in store for you.
Just click (or tap) a location on the map, choose the date you're planning to visit, then select your target species, and Flyfish Intel puts together a personalised fishing brief - just for you.
It covers five things:
- Conditions - the weather, river conditions and what you might encounter.
- River or Tide Level - using the nearest gauge or tide time if your salt-water minded.
- Outlook - what's likely to be happening on the water, including seasonal insect activity.
- How To Fish It - practical advice on tactics, presentation and approach.
- What To Take - suggested flies and tackle, with an explanation of why.
The aim isn't to tell you how to fish, after all, half the enjoyment of fly fishing is working things out for yourself.
It's simply to help you arrive at the water a little better informed, a little better prepared, and perhaps a little more confident.
Think of it as having a knowledgeable fishing companion who's done some homework before you arrive - without having to buy them lunch.
And there's another rather useful little feature...
Once you've chosen your fishing location and date, you can have your personalised fishing brief emailed straight to your inbox.
That way, you've got it handy when you're sorting out your tackle, choosing your flies, or wondering whether you really need to take all seventeen fly boxes*.
(*You don't. Although I appreciate that's a controversial opinion coming from someone who sells flies for a living.)
But here's the bit I particularly like.
You can also ask Flyfish Intel to send you an updated brief 48 hours before you go fishing.
Because, as we all know, what the weather forecast says two weeks before a fishing trip and what actually happens on the day can be two entirely different things.
The updated brief takes account of the latest available information, giving you a much better idea of what to expect as your fishing day approaches.
So you can plan ahead when you book, then make any last-minute adjustments a couple of days before you go.
"Whether you've fished the same water for 30 years or you're visiting it for the first time, knowing what to expect can make all the difference."
Now for the good bit.
It's free. Completely free.
No subscription. No credit card. No hidden catches.
(Other than the ones we're all hoping to make.)
I've built this as something useful for the Barbless Flies community, and I'd love you to give it a go.
But I do need a favour...
Although I've spent the best part of 30 years building computer systems, that doesn't mean I can't make a spectacular mess of one.
And there's a rather important difference between knowing how to build software and knowing exactly what a trout is going to do on a wet Tuesday in Yorkshire.
So I'd particularly love those of you who know your local waters well to give it a proper test.
Choose somewhere you know.
Pick a date.
See what we recommend.
Does it make sense? Is it useful? Is there anything missing?
And if we recommend something utterly ridiculous, please tell me (preferably before you tell everyone else).
A Quick Word For Anyone Who Runs A Fishing Booking Business
I've also built an API into Flyfish Intel. For those of you fortunate enough never to have encountered one, it's simply a way of allowing different computer systems to talk to each other.
In practical terms, it means that fishing booking websites, fisheries and guiding businesses could integrate Flyfish Intel directly into their existing booking systems.
Imagine someone booking a day's fishing and automatically receiving a personalised brief for their chosen location and date.
A useful extra service for the angler, without the booking business having to produce all that information themselves.
If you think this could be useful for your business, just reply to this email, and we can have a chat.
Anyway, there you have it.
After 30 years in IT, I escaped to the wonderful world of fly fishing.
And now I've managed to combine the two.
I'm not entirely sure whether that represents a clever career move or a complete failure to understand the concept of retirement.
But I hope you'll find the result useful.
Tight lines.
P.S. Please do have a play with it and let me know what you think. I'm particularly interested in whether the advice matches your own experience on waters you know. There's no better way to improve something like this than getting it into the hands of people who actually fish.
P.P.S. I've also provided more detailed instructions on how to use flyfishintel.com, which you can find here.
P.P.P.S. Generally, if anything online is 'free', either you or your data is the product. Not in this case, we don't keep or retain any email addresses or fishing locations - you can check our data privacy policy here.
