The mayfly season should be at its absolute peak... but the river has other ideas.

With difficult conditions, inconsistent hatches and trout refusing to play by the rules, most anglers would tie on a nymph and get on with catching fish.

Not this time.

In this completely unscripted challenge, David commits to fishing a dry mayfly from start to finish, refusing to switch tactics no matter how tough the conditions become. Will confidence and perseverance be rewarded, or will the river prove that sometimes you simply have to adapt?

After a long winter off, David's back on the river. The sun's out, but the water's still cold and the fish aren't giving much away. In this episode, he's out searching for his first trout of the season. Covering water, keeping it simple, and making the most of being back out there. No fuss. Just early season fishing, cold water, and the chance of a wild trout.

In this episode David ventures back on to the river as the trout season draws to a close. After a recent big lift of water, conditions looked prime. Torn between taking the dry outfit or the nymphing gear, he opts for the Euro nymphing setup – but will it pay off? David shares how he approached the freshened flows, reading the water, and why staying in touch with the flies is the key to feeling those subtle end-of-season takes from trout and grayling.