Getting ready.......

Canon 1D MK111, 24-105mm f4L IS lens (at 24mm), ISO 100, 1 second at f16, polarising filter

• I thought it might be worthwhile publishing the technical details of the photos I put up here, as I get a few emails asking about taking photographs of fishing and all that surrounds it. I shot this sunset the other day when I was walking back from a bass fishing session. The sky looked awesome, almost like a roof on the world - a one second exposure requires the use of a tripod of course, and I am really using the tiny little Gitzo Traveller carbon fibre tripod a lot these days. For ages I have been after a really small but sturdy tripod to carry with me all the time when I am out fishing, to get shots I otherwise could not have got. I am not interested in carrying a huge great hulk of a tripod around with my fishing gear, so this little beauty does the trick. I know of nothing better on the market - yes, it costs, but it is a part of my working life. Check out the Gitzo tripods here.

• If this fine weather holds, I am due to be out of Poole tomorrow on a boat, some 25 miles offshore, chasing cod, a species which I have a lot of time for. It's a bit of a drive from Plymouth, but this is the kind of thing I love doing for work - new place for me, a different way of catching them, and some thoroughly nice guys to spend a day out at sea with. If it happens, I will post the results here on Saturday - after England take on New Zealand in the rugby at 8am on Saturday morning I believe. As they say in Outer Mongolia - bring it on !!!!!

• I am just about to book flights to go and shoot some Atlantic salmon fishing on the Namsen river over in Norway for a few days in mid-July, with some of the guys from Hardy. Now this is something I can not wait to see, and current reports are of some outstanding fishing. My friend Cato Bekkevold had a load the other day up to 32lbs from the Gaula, and they were spooled several times he tells me. One of the extreme metal world's finest drummers (for Enslaved) and a seriously good angler as well - does life get any better ? Guess what we are talking about doing together next year ? (it has something to do with salmon)

• Sunday is getting closer, for that is when Nick Hart and I are leaving for Montana over in the US - reports from where we are going were of snow showers yesterday, so I am packing everything from a thermal buff and heavy duty Hardy EWS waders and wading boots through to suncream and t-shirts. The long term forecast is for it to warm up - personally I would love to see a mix of snow and sunshine to photograph this awesome part of the world. But I'll take anything we get as I know Nick will nail the trout (no pressure).

• My heart bleeds for my friends over in Ireland, so this is to let you know that I am thinking of you as the end of the bass close season draws nearer. I know how you have been suffering. The fact that you have got great tides and a nice long range forecast for the 16th of this month does not make me at all jealous, seriously. I will be thinking of your multiple bass when I wake up in Bozeman next Monday. Graham and Patrick have I know been staring longingly at their brand new Tenryu plugging rods sitting in their fishing rooms, pleading to be used............