FISHING 2009
February
SATURDAY 7TH & SUNDAY 8TH FEBRUARY
"Lady of the Stream"
A fly fishing workshop for grayling on the River Test. The weekend kicks off with dinner in the Mayfly Mess and a presentation on the grayling. Meeting up for breakfast the following morning before heading to the river and enjoying a hamper lunch. Head back to The Peat Spade at the end of the day for a well earned pint! Contact us for more details and to book.
March
SATURDAY 7TH & SUNDAY 8TH MARCH
Saltwater Flyfishing Workshop
With Howard Taylor from Upstream Dry Fly Fishing.
April
THURSDAY 23RD & FRIDAY 24TH APRIL
The River Test One Fly Championship
One-day contest in which all comers and celebrity guests battle it out to bag the most, biggest and best fish at a unique event on the River Test, But here’s the catch – each angler can only use one single fly during the contest. Lose that fly – and you’re fired! Weekend begins with dinner the night before at the Peat Spade. For more details and to register contact Simon Cooper info@rivertestonefly.co.uk 01264 78198.
May
Ladies Day
Sunday 24th May 2009
Slap, bang in the mayfly period!..........Ladies make excellent fly fishermen! Many of the largest game fish captured in the British Isles have been caught by ladies. The most famous, the British record salmon of 64lbs taken by Miss Georgina Ballantine at Glendelvine on the River Tay 7th October 1922 still stands today. On that particular day, Miss Ballantine had already caught three fine salmon of 17, 21 and 25lbs! Within two years, Mrs Morrison took a 61lb salmon from the Deverton and Miss Doreen Dover took the famous 51 pounder from the River Wye at Lower Winforton!
In a sport often thought of as a male preserve, today there are over 300,000 women anglers! In fact, at the highest level over 150 ladies compete in the Ladies’ National Championships and their results match those of their male counterparts. Famous fly fishing ladies have included, HRH The Queen Mother, The Queen, Diana Rigg, Faith Brown, Fiona Armstrong, and Jenny Hanley among others.
Fly fishing is male-dominated only by accident, not by design. The sport requires technique not physical strength – Moc Moragn of the Welsh Salmon and Trout Association acknowledges “When they are good, women anglers are very, very good – far better than most men for some reason.”
Come along to our private estate lake in the beautiful River Test valley and learn this most graceful and relaxing sport. Let one of our professional instructors take you through the basics of fly fishing in a relaxed and informal atmosphere well away from the crowds.
9am – 9.30am
Morning coffee at The Peat Spade. Introductions to course instructors and fellow pupils – Drive to the lake (10 minutes away).
9.45am – 1pm
- With fly rod in hand - learn how to set up your tackle.
- Go through the basic casts with an instructor. (Roll cast and overhead cast).
- Learn how to ‘match the hatch’ with some essential entomology.
- How to hook, play and land your first trout.
- Pack a trout or two to take home. Look at how to clean and prepare your catch for the pan!
1pm
Lakeside Peat Spade Inn hamper pic-nic luncheon
2pm onwards
More fishing!
4pm
Return to The Peat Spade for Sunday light supper (optional – booking advisable).
4pm
You have the option to continue fishing on the lake.
Book now, cost £195.50 per person (including VAT). Including all instruction, tackle, EA rod licences and hamper lunch.
June
SUNDAY 28TH JUNE
River Test Redbone
Cystic Fibrosis charity event.
