If I may clarify something about British fly fishing it is that although our island is relatively small it is still extremely varied both geologically and culturally. This has resulted in the development of numerous styles of fly fishing to best utilise the waters we have, from upstream dry fly trouting on southern chalk streams to wet fly drift fishing on acidic northern Scottish lochs by boat, from double-handed Spey casting for salmon on the larger rivers to single-handed work on spate streams and lochs (again, often by boat).
The effect of the last Ice Age here was to strip the land of eons of geological activity. Volcanic and sedimentary deposits in many areas were removed by glacial action from the far north of Britain as far south as London leaving us with an extremely varied topology and, consequently, equally varied waters to fish. Add to that the creation of reservoirs to supply our cities in the late C.19th & C.20th, gravel pits from road-building, the vast canal network .... For such a small country we are, indeed, much blessed with fishable water. Surprisingly, perhaps, although an island, swff is still in its infancy here with a small but dedicated following.
I mention culture because the UK was and still is a class-ridden society and because our regional cultural differences reflect the geology, whether through industry or agriculture, depending on how the land was used and by whom. If one travels only 30 miles from any point in the UK an educated ear can discern differences in accent. Every Brit knows of 'The North/South Divide', a cultural and economic schism between a perceived general wealth in the south and relative poverty as one travels northwards.
The class aspect is important because the vast majority of land ownership still rests in the hands of a privileged few and the 'riparian rights', too, which include the right to fish. A consequence has been that the cream of salmonid fisheries have long been reserved for the wealthy in much of the country. The working class were left with the coarse fisheries and many clubs sprang up to facilitate their sport. With every city and most towns served by canals affordable fishing for the working man was cheaply available throughout England in particular. It wasn't until the latter half of the C.20th that affordable trout fishing became widely available in England when local water boards realised they could stock their waters with hatchery browns and rainbows and charge a modest price for a day ticket. So was born the Stillwater fishery boom and the development of new methods to best take advantage of the sport.
Scotland's story is slightly different and subject to their own laws. Whilst reservoirs were built and stocked as in England, the country is naturally gifted with far more lochs than the south has lakes as well as many prolific salmon rivers which remained largely unaffected by the pollution and abstraction of Industrial Revolution. As the popularity of salmon and sea trout fishing increased costs rose with demand and good sport remained the almost exclusive domain of the rich leading to a snobbish and inverted-snobbish attitude between coarse and game fishers. However, in areas where trout lochs are numerous fishing could - and still can - be had for the asking. Indeed, in the Orkney Isles the ancient Viking 'Udal Law' is still observed giving anglers free fishing and even free access through private land to enjoy that right. Similarly, on my Hebridean island and in much of the N. West of Scotland trouting is free or available for a few pounds per day today. We have more water than we can fish in a lifetime here.
A consequence of salmon fishing's exclusivity was/is poaching. This has been somewhat alleviated by the riparian owners leasing stretches of a river to clubs, many of which will charge circa $40 for a rod per day, some more, some less. That's a paltry $4 per hour for salmon fishing given an 10 hour day - what other sport offers such value for money? Local residents can often buy a much cheaper season ticket - mine costs circa $120 per annum and gives Saturday access to some historic salmon systems by rota.
So, if you are considering a UK holiday plot a course to the N.W. and most northerly areas of Scotland for cheap/free fishing in beautiful, unspoiled surroundings.
In the nine weeks I spent fishing my way from CA to BC in 2010 I met several US anglers made of exactly the same clay as their British counterparts, each a specialist on their chosen water. All of us might initially struggle with unfamiliar styles but I believe we would all adapt swiftly enough to new demands because we already understand certain fundamentals of the sport and of watercraft. At that point I humbly suggest that success is down to the man himself, not his nationality.
