Lessons
All our fly fishing lessons are practical and take place on the water, there is plenty of fishing time included for our clients to try and hook the fish of a lifetime!
Our River Fly Fishing Lessons
We provide fly fishing lessons on our tranquil private beat of the River Derwent near the village of Darley Dale in Derbyshire. Wildlife is abundant on this particular beat of the river. Kingfishers make a near-daily appearance with their iridescent blue hue streaking up the river for our anglers delight. Dippers are also a common site bobbing up on the rocks and diving in the shallows. Wagtails, Moorhens & Water Voles are also present, we often find our clients will sit and enjoy the tranquillity and wildlife as much as the fishing!
The river is on private land on the edge of the Peak District with no public access, there are also no roads near to the bank, meaning that our guests enjoy a relaxing lesson away from the hustle & bustle of their daily lives!
The beat contains an excellent head of mainly Wild Brown Trout as well as Grayling. We are also fortunate to be able to catch wild Rainbow Trout in the river which spawn just upstream in the River Wye. Fly life is excellent on the river with good hatches of Grannom Caddis, Large Dark Olives & Mayfly as well as the usual up-wing and caddis species. Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over. River lessons require wading in the river, climbing up and down banks and waking in waders, this means they require a higher level of physical fitness than our Stillwater lessons as well as a steadiness on your feet.
Stillwater Fly Fishing Lessons
Our stillwater fly fishing lessons take place at Ladybower in the Peak District.
Ladybower Fisheries is one of the finest stocked large still water fisheries in the UK with hard fighting brown and rainbow trout living in the clean, unspoilt waters. Located in the heart of the Peak District, Ladybower consists of hundreds of acres of beautiful scenery and excellent fishing. There are plenty of cosy local pubs nearby for those who wish to stay.
In the Upper Derwent Valley, we have exclusive access to over 600 acres of unspoilt wilderness. For those of you who fancy getting away from it all, we can provide fly fishing lessons for wild brown trout at Howden and Derwent Reservoir near the villages of Hope and Hathersage. There are no stocked fish, so you will need to learn the art of wild fishing in truly unbelievable surroundings.
With no roads, shops or sometimes even people nearby, the silence can be deafening, only interrupted by the occasional bird of prey whistling overhead or the distinctive call of the grouse on the moorland edges. Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over.
See below for more information on our fantastic lesson packages
Pre Requisites: None – Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over.
Equipment: Everything provided including waders
Day tickets: Included in the cost of the lesson
Season: April – October
Our introduction to fly fishing lessons are for complete novices or those just taking up river fly fishing who require lessons to get started.
Topics covered:
Understanding and set up tackle including rods, lines, AFTM standards & leaders.
Understanding different types of fly and when to use them. An introduction to river topography, basic river watercraft skills and where to find fish.
Learning the overhead cast and how to shoot line. Casting mechanics and fault finding, including how to form tight loops to obtain a good turnover.
River fishing techniques including upstream wet fly, downstream wet fly, nymphing and an introduction to dry fly fishing.
Fishing time, plenty of time to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the river and put your new-found skills to the test!
Pre Requisites: Must have a basic understanding of fly fishing tackle and be able to perform a basic overhead cast and shoot line. Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over.
Equipment: Everything provided including waders
Day tickets: Included in the cost of the lesson
Season: April – October
The intermediate river fly fishing lesson is suitable for still water fly anglers who wish to make the transition to rivers. Or those who already have basic river fly fishing experience who want to take it to the next level.
Topics covered:
A detailed look at river habitat and fish-holding areas including riffles, pools, glides and bubble streams. A more advanced look at fly choices and insect life. An understanding of weather impact such as pressure, light levels & water temperature.
Fault finding and improvement on your existing cast. Learning upstream dry fly and nymph fishing. Exploring the reach cast to present drag-free presentations downstream.
Fishing time, plenty of time to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the river and put your new-found skills to the test!
The perfect fly fishing lesson for total novices or those who have tried fly fishing and feel they need a lesson to get started. If you have never fly fished before, this is the best option for you.
Pre Requisites: None. Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over.
Equipment: Everything provided.
Day tickets: Included in the cost of the lesson
Season: All year
Topics covered:
Understanding and set up tackle including rods, lines, AFTM standards & leaders.
Understanding different types of fly and when to use them. An introduction to basic watercraft skills and where to find fish.
Learning the overhead cast and how to shoot line. Casting mechanics and fault finding, including how to form tight loops to obtain good turnover.
Learning the fishing position and retrieves. Depending on conditions learning dry or wet fly fishing.
Fishing time, plenty of time to enjoy the stunning surroundings and put your new-found skills to the test!
The perfect fly fishing lesson for taking your fly fishing to the next level, improving your fly presentation, correcting casting faults and learning new techniques.
Pre Requisites: Must have a basic understanding of fly fishing tackle and be able to perform a basic overhead cast and shoot line. Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over.
Equipment: Everything provided.
Day tickets: Included in the cost of the lesson
Season: All year
Topics Covered:
Fault finding and improvement on the basic overhead cast. False casting and a detailed look and forming tighter loops to improve turnover and presentation. Learning the roll cast. An introduction to the single and double haul cast and how to cast sinking lines.
More advanced watercraft and fly section skills and a look at how weather such as temperature, light levels and pressure affect fishing.
Fishing time, plenty of time to enjoy the stunning surroundings and put your new-found skills to the test!
Suitable for those who require one to one coaching and tailored tuition for learning advanced techniques such as double hauling or have particular requirements not covered by our standard lessons. Available on the private river or stillwater by the hour, the minimum booking is two hours. A discounted rate is available for full-day (7 hour) bookings. Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over.
We teach families, stag groups and other groups all year round. Often groups will make a day of it with a meal or a drink in one of the local country pubs. Lessons are available to those aged 18 and over.
Your group fly fishing lesson will take place in the stunning surroundings of the Peak District. Family and group fly fishing lessons are always great fun for everybody (including ourselves!). The focus is to have an exciting session outdoors enjoying the beautiful scenery with your group, whilst learning fly fishing and developing an understanding of the techniques.
For more information and prices on your family or group fly fishing lessons, please give us a call on 01143 600 590 or email us.
