Walks, Sports and Country Pursuits

This course is intended to give a beginner the confidence to be able to go fly fishing on still waters and small rivers by the end of the week. It also aims to extend the skills of more competent anglers.

Aims of the week

· To discover the sport and become confident at fly fishing

· To be a safe practitioner

· To understand something of the fish's world

· To have the opportunity to catch a fish

· To have FUN and enjoy your environment

Day One

· Tackle Talk - the basics - putting together your rod and reel

· Safety Check - how safe is fishing - how safe are you

· Casting Clinic - the overhead cast

· Waterside techniques - overhead casting on water - the different retrieves

Day Two

· Our Quarry - game fish - characteristics - what they eat and where

· Tackle Talk - lines and leaders

· Casting Clinic - the overhead cast (revisited) - playing and landing a fish

· Waterside techniques - the roll cast

Day Three

· Tackle Talk - different flies and when to use them

· Knots - tying the basics

· Casting Clinic - false casting

· Waterside Techniques - working the water, finding and stalking fish

Day Four

· Tackle Talk - introduction to fly tying

· Casting Clinic - who needs help?

· Waterside techniques - upstream dry fly and nymph fishing

· Day Five

· Fishing - help if needed

Clothing

It is essential that the following are brought to the course for safety reasons:

· Sunglasses, ideally polarised

· Peaked Cap

· Waterproof clothing

· Stout boots or Wellingtons

· Please ensure you wear trousers, not shorts

This course will take place at Manningford Trout Fisheries, which is around a 30 minute minibus ride from the college.

Rob Doyle

About Rob

Rob started coarse fishing in Surrey on the River Wey and the Wey Navigation canal at the ripe old age of 5, progressing more and more to the Roach and Chub on the river. When Rob moved to Poole 28 years ago he started fly fishing, involved in a local club he carried out maintenance and bailiffing. He joined the Committee and began to help others get into the sport and it became apparent he should learn to instruct in the best way possible. Rob enrolled on a level 2 angling coaching course in 2004, gaining his Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Angling (game), as well as his Game angling instructors certificate (GAIC). In 2010 Rob passed his assessment and was awarded his advanced professional game angling instructors certificate (APGAI) and he has been regularly instructing and coaching since with Fishing 4 Schools, Salmon and Trout Conservation as well as individuals and groups. Rob joined the Summer School programme in 2019.