Meon Springs Fly Fishing School
|
The Fly Fishing School at Meon Springs is a leading venue to learn the art of fly fishing. Our weekly fishing updates always contain a relevant fly fishing tip and our "Starter Series" of emails gives you all the information you need to get into the sport.
Once you've decided you want some support and tuition to boost your fly fishing confidence and abilities, you can choose from a range of different tuition options including Experience Days, Taster Days and One to One Sessions. All of our tuition options are supported by professional instructors and are very much hands on, giving you the chance to learn the skills and then practice them, with full support. Choose from
Our Fly Fishing Tuition options come complete with the fishing tackle and flies that you will need plus an EA Day fishing licence (except the One to One Fishing Lesson) and appropriate instruction from our experienced and qualified guides. |
fishing tipsIf you want to improve your knowledge about trout fishing, leave your details below and you will receive our "Getting Started in Trout Fishing Series" and regular fly fishing tips...
|
|
"Before starting your fly fishing learning journey, we always recommend that you come visit, trial a rod or two and just have a discussion with one of the fishing bailiffs on the day to get a basic understanding of what it is all about."
|
Fly Fishing tuition - fishing taster
|
The fly fishing taster session is a brilliant choice if you're considering taking up trout fishing or just want to have a go at something different.
The sessions lasts for around two and a half hours, during which time you will:
If you catch a trout, you will be able to take it home for supper. If not, we will issue you with a Fish Credit that can be used on another visit. To book a Fishing Taster Session online, Click the Button Below. |
Fly Fishing experience day
|
Fishing is a social sport and can be learnt in a fun and experiential way. This is what our Fly Fishing Experience Day is all about.
Designed specifically for novices, this fishing tuition experience provides everything you need to get started in fly fishing. You’ll receive professional tuition and friendly advice throughout the day. Starting with an early morning coffee, you will join the day at 9.15am as part of a small group (no more than four people per instructor). To begin with, you will learn about rods, reels, lines, priests (that are nothing to do with religion), ripple, flies and leaders as well as learn all the important health and safety aspects of the sport - such as the absolute importance of wearing eye protection, whilst fishing. During the day, you will see demonstrations on how to cast effectively and you will get plenty of opportunity to have a go yourself. Throughout the day you will have, on hand, one to one support from an instructor, who is passionate about improving your ability. Our Fly Fishing Experience Days are held on Tuesday and Saturday and Sunday. You can book them by clicking the button below: Please Note: A fly fishing Experience Day has a minimum limit age of 16. |
One to one fly fishing tuition
|
Once you're are getting the hang of fishing, you may find that you need to brush up on some of your skills.
A really cost effective way of doing this is to book some One to One sessions with our team. These sessions last one hour and are ideal for picking up specific technical skills. One of the most popular One to One fly fishing tuition is the Casting Analysis. Experience tells us that casting is simply an application of principles. Know the principles and deliberately practicing them will bring excellent results. However, without understanding the principles fully and without right practice, bad habits will result. On a Casting Analysis, our instructors will observe your cast, identify what is working well and what is not, to help you find the feel of a perfect cast. To book a One to One fly fishing tuition, simply click the button below: |
fly fishing tuition For children
|
This session is for kids ranging from 6-12 years old. The price is £45 per child addinoal children on the same booking are £30 per child We will teach the children in the session a few basics of fly fishing and attempte to catch a fish with them. All tuition equipment and fish if caught are included in the price shown. Please take a look at our Fishing for Children page for more details or call us on 01730 823134 to book a session. |
why fly fishing tuition?
|
From our observation, A lot of people think that fly fishing for trout is just a case of picking up a fishing rod and thrashing it about on the water. Others think that they can learn everything they need to from friends and family.
The reality is that fly fishing is quite a complex sport. If you are a complete fly fishing novice, starting out with some simple instruction on a Fishing Taster or an Experience Day will get you pointed in the right direction and avoid you getting in a tangle with loads of bad fishing habits that need to be undone. If you are relatively experienced in fly fishing and are wondering why you're ability to pull fish from the lake is less than adequate, it may be that a One to One fly fishing lesson will sort that out for you. And, if you have children, a session on the Kids Pond will be great fun for them and you. Whatever your aspiration, properly learning to fly fish will really enhance your enjoyment of the sport as well as ensure that you start your trout fishing career with as many of the right habits - and as few of the wrong habits - as possible. |
“You give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. You teach him to fish and you give him a skill that will feed him for a lifetime.” (Chinese proverb.) 
|
why meon springs fly fishing school?
|
Meon Springs Fly Fishing School is rRun by Greg Adlam, an experienced and qualified (Level 2) fly fishing coach, we have a team of fly fishing coaches and instructors ready and willing to help you learn the simple and most difficult set of skills and knowledge required to fish gracefully and catch well.
The fishing schools ethos is to firstly help you understand the raw principles behind fly fishing and then improve your fly fishing techniques and knowledge. The focus being very much on you and your fly fishing skill progression. With a small snack bar and nice fly fishing lodge on site, some of your time can and will be spent learning about trout, their way of life and the tricks they get up to to avoid being caught. |
Meon Springs Fly Fishing School is one of the leading fishing schools in the South of England.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Flyfisher’s journey - from Meon Springs to the Bahamas...
By Phil Spratt
|
|
So where did this journey start? I grew up in Shoreham by Sea and cut my angling teeth, like many living near the cost and growing up, shore fishing and catching flounders, mackerel and any other fish that passed by my bait and took a fancy to it. After moving away from the coast and living inland for 30 years, I moved to near the south coast again and returned to shore fishing. But in the meantime, the fishing had got much harder, not to mention the huge amount of equipment that needed to be lugged around. Surely there must be a better alternative.
During a drive through the Hampshire countryside, I stumbled across Meon Springs. It is in an area of outstanding natural beauty and therefore a wonderful location. I was curious. What would fly fishing be like? But hang on a minute, isn’t fly fishing just for posh people and not for ordinary people like me?
During a drive through the Hampshire countryside, I stumbled across Meon Springs. It is in an area of outstanding natural beauty and therefore a wonderful location. I was curious. What would fly fishing be like? But hang on a minute, isn’t fly fishing just for posh people and not for ordinary people like me?
I tentatively approached the lodge not quite knowing what to expect. Far from being elitist, the welcome was warm, having no experience was not a problem, the right gear could be loaned and an Experience Day could be organised. Emboldened, I signed up for the Experience Day and was taught how to cast, play a fish and what flies to use. I was mobile, the equipment was just so light, you were always in direct contact with the fish…I was hooked (pun intended).
The following months were a learning journey: entomology, what flies to use when, how to fish a dry fly and, most important, how to cast properly. This is where Keith Poulton came to my rescue by teaching me the basics of casting and, crucially for the future, how to double haul.
Meon Springs held an annual open day with fly fishing demonstrations, tuition, fly fishing companies and, as it happens, good weather. One demonstration was on double hauling by Justin Anwyl, a local saltwater fly fishing guide. So it was possible to fly fish in the salt. I was fascinated. Could I do this? I bought a secondhand 9# rod, a cheap reel, some clousers, some waders and headed off to Hayling Island, which according to my research, held the promise of bass.
The following months were a learning journey: entomology, what flies to use when, how to fish a dry fly and, most important, how to cast properly. This is where Keith Poulton came to my rescue by teaching me the basics of casting and, crucially for the future, how to double haul.
Meon Springs held an annual open day with fly fishing demonstrations, tuition, fly fishing companies and, as it happens, good weather. One demonstration was on double hauling by Justin Anwyl, a local saltwater fly fishing guide. So it was possible to fly fish in the salt. I was fascinated. Could I do this? I bought a secondhand 9# rod, a cheap reel, some clousers, some waders and headed off to Hayling Island, which according to my research, held the promise of bass.
When I arrived, reality took place. The wind was blowing, there was a vast sea and my casting was woefully inadequate. It was time to back back to the drawing board and a return to Keith for more casting lessons. I had to improve my double hauling and more tuition with Keith helped. I got better. I caught my first bass, then mackerel and, on one occasion, a sea trout. The saltwater season from the shore is short in the UK.
So it was back to Meon Springs. Sunday fishing at Meon Springs became a ritual, as did Rainbow Trout for Sunday dinner! My wife is not really a fish eater but she quietly accepted my Sunday night offering and supported me in my fishing. I was improving. Now for the catch and release. This was a stern challenge. It needed finesse and smaller flies. At this time I started to tie my own flies and experienced, for the first time, the joy of catching a fish on a fly I had tied myself.
I was now fly fishing the salt during the summer season and Meon Springs the rest of the year. I was making fishing friends too who offered their help and guidance. What now? I started watching fishing programmes and really looked forward to any fly fishing parts. Salmon fishing seemed the next step. However, I always remembered a comedian’s comment after catching three salmon in Russia: this isn’t proper fishing; proper fishing is Scotland where you don’t catch anything. But the tropical saltwater fly fishing looked spectacular. To go tropical saltwater fly fishing became a burning ambition, and catching a torpedo like bonefish in particular.
I looked at various websites, did some research and then saw an advertisement for a bonefishing school in Crooked Island in the Bahamas organised by Go Fishing Worldwide and hosted by Dave Grove and Fly Fishing & Fly Tying’s Mark Bowler. Supported and encouraged by my wife, in November last year I found myself on a plane to Crooked Island and experienced six days of exhilarating fly fishing for bonefish. I had satisfied a burning ambition.
So it was back to Meon Springs. Sunday fishing at Meon Springs became a ritual, as did Rainbow Trout for Sunday dinner! My wife is not really a fish eater but she quietly accepted my Sunday night offering and supported me in my fishing. I was improving. Now for the catch and release. This was a stern challenge. It needed finesse and smaller flies. At this time I started to tie my own flies and experienced, for the first time, the joy of catching a fish on a fly I had tied myself.
I was now fly fishing the salt during the summer season and Meon Springs the rest of the year. I was making fishing friends too who offered their help and guidance. What now? I started watching fishing programmes and really looked forward to any fly fishing parts. Salmon fishing seemed the next step. However, I always remembered a comedian’s comment after catching three salmon in Russia: this isn’t proper fishing; proper fishing is Scotland where you don’t catch anything. But the tropical saltwater fly fishing looked spectacular. To go tropical saltwater fly fishing became a burning ambition, and catching a torpedo like bonefish in particular.
I looked at various websites, did some research and then saw an advertisement for a bonefishing school in Crooked Island in the Bahamas organised by Go Fishing Worldwide and hosted by Dave Grove and Fly Fishing & Fly Tying’s Mark Bowler. Supported and encouraged by my wife, in November last year I found myself on a plane to Crooked Island and experienced six days of exhilarating fly fishing for bonefish. I had satisfied a burning ambition.
|
|
What now? It was back to Meon Springs, where the journey began; fly fishing, learning to tie flies courtesy of the monthly sessions run by Mark Roberts of Lost Lake Fly, having a cup of coffee and an obligatory Kitkat and catching up with Greg and the team. Crooked Island still beckons for another day…