There is a saying in commerce that new businesses do not make any money until their third year, reports Ellis Butcher.

Such is the hope of Dales Anglers, which had to contend with two unprecedented setbacks in its first two years, neither of which could have been forecast.

In 2000, severe flooding of local rivers is said to have kept fishermen away, and that was swiftly followed by the impact on visitor numbers wreaked by foot-and-mouth.

But now, deep in the heart of fly-fishing country, tucked away at the rear of Slipped Disc video shop on Main Street, High Bentham, Stephen Robshaw waits expectantly behind the counter for some overdue good luck.

Suffering from epilepsy, he said his condition scared off potential employers, and he has just a year's work to his name since leaving school at 16, and set up Dales Anglers at the age of 27.

Helped by the Prince's Trust with an £800 grant, a £2,000 loan and incalculable support from local representative Gill Robinson, he now aims to make a go of it as his own boss.

Having not had a fit for two years, it has still not been easy.

Stephen, now 29, said: "Basically, I felt like giving up but the only thing that really kept me going was I did not want to go back to being unemployed.

"It has been hard, but I have got through it."

Although not a fly-fishermen himself, Stephen has become a dab-hand at the delicate process of fly-tying, and with help from brother Aaron, 31, he can pretty much turn his hand to any request.

Aaron also provides him with local knowledge about what the wily old trout and salmon are taking on nearby rivers.

With the Wenning running through High Bentham, and the Hindburn, Greta, Lune, and Stocks reservoir all nearby, there are plenty of places to test curiously-named flies like white stingers, red ants, black gnats, knotted midges and pheasant-tailed nymphs.

Coupled with the fact that the North Yorkshire village is on the caravanning circuit, better times and a resurgence in fly-fishing are expected this year, as anglers deprived of their rod-bending activities return to the river banks again.

Stephen said: "I want to see if it (the business) takes off this year, and hopefully take Aaron on as an employee." A website is planned and, if things go well, it is hoped the flies could be offered online to the lucrative American market.

Pride of place on the shop wall is a 'thank you' letter from Prince Charles, a keen fly fisherman himself, who after being given some of Stephen's products, personally replied to give them a ringing endorsement.

"I particularly like the Daddy Longlegs flies, if I may say so," wrote the Prince.

Stephen said: "It was really my way of saying thank you for the help that has been given to get the business up and running and to show Prince Charles what I actually do because I knew he was a fisherman.

Hopefully he'll become a customer!"