Michael Daunt, who has died aged 81, was a leading fisherman and instructor, author and journalist, in the league of Negley Farson, Hugh Falkus and Conrad Voss Bark. In his time, he taught Spey salmon and brown-trout casting to Chris Tarrant, Eric Clapton, Jeremy Paxman, Guy Ritchie, Max Hastings, Ronnie Corbett, Debo Duchess of Devonshire and others.

A convivial figure and a raconteur, he was known to family and friends as “The Bounder”, a soubriquet in which he revelled. “In another life I think he would have been imprisoned,” was the verdict of his friend Paxman, author of Fish, Fishing and the Meaning of Life.

“I could never believe someone like that could still exist.” Daunt’s own website boasted: “He has caught salmon in Russia’s bleak Kola Peninsula, marlin off the coast of Kenya, bone fish in the Bahamas, clap in Malaya, crabs in London.”

Daunt’s thwarted ambitions to become an actor were compensated for by a nine-year affair with the actress, Jill Melford, and his friendships with Lee Marvin, Dirk Bogarde and above all Richard Burton, with whom he had long lunches.

“I would begin with fragments of poetry and he would finish off the lines,” Daunt recalled. “I would do it just to hear his beautiful Welsh voice. Could I keep up with him on the drinking front? Not a chance"

Click here to read more about Michael in this article from the Telegraph.