The popular and affable local angler Freddie Steele has made the headlines again in this month’s edition of Trout Fisherman magazine (Issue 501 Sept – Oct 2017). Freddie is renowned in angling circles throughout Ireland as an expert fly fisherman. He is a former Irish team captain and he has a lifetime’s knowledge of the all the big limestone loughs in the west of Ireland. Freddie is great company and it is always a pleasure to hear him reminiscing about his recent and not to recent fishing days on the big loughs. He is always very happy to share his knowledge and flies with fellow anglers. Indeed when other Banbridge anglers are heading to the west they ususally contact Freddie or call into Coburns to get the latest news from Freddie on how the loughs are fishing and what flies are catching. Therefore it is no surprise to local anglers to hear that when the Irish ladies International 2017 was held on Lough Melvin that Freddie was ‘the boatman they all asked for’. When the fishing is hard, Freddie is the boatman you can rely upon for that special piece of advice that will make the difference between catching and blanking. For the full report check out the current edition of Trout Fisherman ‘Spoilt for Choice’ on Page 30. The above photograph shows Freddie and a group of local anglers at Corbet Lough, Banbridge.