Description

An full day course learning the basics of fly fishing, spring time foraging and fire making with plant materials.

Fishing is very much a part of bushcraft and is an especially reliable method of sourcing animal protein when in the field to accompany your foraged diet. Fly fishing lends itself to bushcraft very well as the kit is so minimal. At the same time it is supremely adaptable to both species behaviour and habitat that it greatly out competes the much cruder ‘hobo’ style fishing techniques.

This is a course designed for the novice fly fisher, forager or those that are new to both.

Sessions

The day is broken up into four sessions.

• Fly casting & fishing - The day starts with a casting tutorial by the fishery instructors and then the chance to have a go at putting that theory into practice. 
• Fire and foraging - Next you'll be shown how to forage and use readily available bankside materials to make fire - a vital skill for bushcraft fishing. During the forage you'll also learn about the edibles that have been sourced on site and used as ingredients for the lunch you'll be served. This session will end with a ponassing demonstration - a native american method for hot smoking fish.
• More fishing - With a belly full of food you'll now have the first of two 1.5hr sessions to catch yourself a fish or two to take home with you while instructors will be on hand to offer help and advice.**
• More fishing - You may have been lucky enough to catch your two fish quota but if not there's more time... 

Skills covered

• Fly fishing
• Fire with sparks
• Fish preparation
• Bankside foraging

N.B. Coltsford Mill is a stocked trout fishery ideal for teaching the novice angler and forager basic skills to enable further exploration of wilder places. 

**Booking price includes 2 fish to take home (if caught). If you wish to take more fish then it is possible to pay a bit extra to the fishery on the day.

Fishing, Foraging and Fire - Lake : Spring

Coltsford Mill Trout Fishery - Mill Pond

Coltsford Mill Trout Fishery - Willow Pool

Coltsford Mill Trout Fishery - Lower Cascade

Coltsford Mill Trout Fishery - Mill Pond Bridge

Restaurant 'Native' - Fishing, Foraging and Fire Day

Making fire with birch bark and sparks

A group has an introduction to casting a fly

Brown Trout

Harvesting Sweet Flag for dessert

Water Mint Identification

Sussex Trug - Mixed bankside foraging: Sweet flag, Meadowsweet, Watermint

Making fire to cook fish for lunch

Ponassing freshly caught trout

Mike pan searing fungi

Mike plating for lunch

James late summer foraged fruit and birchsap syrup dessert is served

A foraged landing net; found the net - harvested the hazel handle

Foraged landing net handle reinforced with paracord

The foraged net landing a Rainbow Trout

The foraged net landing a Wild Brown Trout

Moving a recently emerged Damselfly

Creeping up on a trout in the margin

Greater Reedmace seed head

A participants first time fishing success!

Learning to make fire lakeside

Coltsford Mill Trout Fishery Sunset

A beginners fly

A Brace of Brown Trout on the dry fly