Ladies Fishing ‘try-it charity day’ is aimed at complete newcomers of all ages, to encourage female participation into this superb sport.

Ladies Fishing coaches will take you step by step, teaching you everything you need to know to be able to have an enjoyable days fishing. Equipment is included. All instructors are UKCC Level 2 qualified, first aid trained, insured and CRB checked.

The full £30 for the fishing and tuition will be donated to breast cancer charity Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland.

There will be prizes for the biggest fish caught, best dressed ladies, most improved etc.

Venue Derwent Reservoir time 9.30am till 4.00pm (sat nav DH8 9TT)

Price £30.00 (includes tuition, equipment and fishing)

For more information and to book your place please contact Anne Woodcock at Ladies Fishing on 07540 834852

Derwent Reservoir 01207 255 250

Many thanks to Northumbrian Water fishery officers and management for their help, assistance and kind donation.

Ladies please bring with you hat, glasses, wellies or walking boots, waterproofs and your lunch.

Each day will consist of 2 sessions; during the morning there will be one to one and group tuition on fishing, fly dressing, entomology, equipment selection and advice, casting, demonstrations, catering for beginners to advanced. After lunch ladies can fish, (with support if required) take their first fish home and then catch and release for the rest of the session. Equipment is available to borrow at no additional cost.

All instructors are UKCC Level 2 qualified, first aid trained, insured and CRB checked. During the 6 months there will be guest casting & fly dressing instructors from AAPGAI & GAIA.

Ladies please bring with you hat, glasses, wellies or walking boots and waterproofs. Hot & cold food and drinks can be purchased from the lodge.

Both events start at 10am and finish at 4pm.

Witton Castle Lakes, Bishop Auckland Saturday 19th May Price £21.00*** (Witton Junior club will be running their own coaching sessions, tuition is free)  Contact the fishery to book your place on 01388 488691

Chatton Trout Fishery, Northumberland Sunday 20th May Price £20.00 includes fishing and junior places are free. (you do not need a 1 day EA trout licence at Chatton) Contact the fishery to book your place on 01668 215226

***Price, does not include your 1 day Environment Agency trout licence of £3.75. This can be purchased from the fishery officers at the lakes

Dates for your diaries

Witton Castle Lakes dates are as follows:
Saturday 19th May
Saturday 16th June
Saturday 14th July
Saturday 18th August
Saturday 15th September
Saturday 20th October

Chatton Trout Fishery dates are as follows:

Sunday 20th May
Sunday 17th June
Sunday 15th July
Sunday 19th August
Sunday 16th September
Sunday 21st October

Friday 8th June Ladies Fishing are holding a salmon day to raise money for breast cancer angling charity Casting For Recovery UK & Ireland. The day is open to females who would like to try salmon fishing to experienced salmon anglers.

The beat lies in glorious countryside, enjoys 2.5 miles of secluded double bank fishing in some of the best scenery the Tyne has to offer. From the fish pass at Corbridge to the edge of Eltringham beat. The beat has 2 huts.

So if you would like to go salmon fishing and help raise money for breast cancer the cost is £50.00 (please make your cheque payable to Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland) this includes fishing, tuition, equipment and bacon rolls on arrival. Does not include lunch

Please email annefishing@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to attend.

8.15-9.00 Bacon rolls with fresh ground coffee on arrival.

9.00 Safety talk

9.00-1.00 Introduction to salmon workshop for beginners with Paul Little AAPGAI Master double handed rod and assisted by Cliff Johnston. Covering rod assembly, lines, casting tuition, fly choice and how to wade with safety in mind. Ladies will start fishing for salmon during the morning.

9.00-1.OO Ladies who have fished for salmon before will join Bywell ghillies Gary & Chris who will explain each section of the water you are going to fish. From hot spots, terrain, where to cast the fly and water craft, including any tuition to improve your line presentation.

1.00-2.00 Lunch ( to be discussed, we are considering a bbq)

2.00-5.00 Fishing for salmon and sea trout. The ratio of guides/instructors to ladies is 1:2

Last year we had two ladies days at Bywell Beat.

Quotes from the days….

“Really enjoyed the day and want to go back! Chris and Gary made the day really fun” said Sarah.

Ladies Fishing head coach Cliff said “I have fished for salmon for over 30 years and have never seen so many summer fish running on one beat (Bywell). This is similiar to an Autumn run of salmon”

“Super day, lovely beat, lovely ghillies and great picnic, best for a long time” said Marion

I would like to thank Lord and Lady Allendale for their generous support. Thanks must also go to Bywells head ghillie Gary Hilary.

Read more about Bywell Beat from the girls…….

Cathy’s Salmon Red Letter Day at Bywell..read more

Spring Success for Jenny at Bywell…..read more

The consensus was finally agreed to tie flies, when you have four talented female fly dresser’s in your midst and a celebrity fly dresser it was not what flies but how many were they going to tie? After discussion cats whiskers and green headed black tadpoles and lots of fishing talk.

During a break for coffee, casting tuition was discussed and double hauling. Paul gave a master class with one-to-one tuition for everyone.

Then it was time to go fishing. The wind swirled in all directions and it was cold! Aptly summed up by Alison Anderson: ‘What a fantastic day, despite the horrible weather!’

We had lots of pulls and fish lost too….flies were changed from small to large. Cats Whiskers were shortened and finally fish were tempted with Crunchers. Marion won the number of ‘fish-lost-close-to-the-net’ contest. We love her relaxed style of fishing and long arm release tactic!

Marion emailed this moring saying: “Anne, thanks for organising a lovely day yesterday, it may have been cold but the humour was good. Please convey my thanks to Paul and Cliff. I was cold by the time I got home, had a hot shower and a glass of red wine.”

Huge thank you to Ali for a great days fishing and the tasty bacon and egg sandwiches.

Next event at Chatton Trout Fishery will be Sunday 20th May. Please book your place with Ali at the Fishery on 01668 215385

Witton Castle Ladies & Junior event Saturday 19th May. Please book your place with Stewart and John at Witton Castle Lakes on 01388 488691.

To view more images of the day please click

Casting coaches for the event are AAPGAI Master Paul Little and GAIA/ ADB Coach Educator Cliff Johnston. UKCC Level 2 coach Anne Woodcock will be fly dressing.

The day will consist of 2 sessions; during the morning there will be one to one and group tuition for casting catering for beginners to advanced anglers from Paul & Cliff. Anne with assistant (TBA) will be indoors coaching fly dressing.

After lunch ladies can fish, (with support if required) take their first fish home and then catch and release for the rest of the session. Equipment is available to borrow at no additional cost.

Junior places are free with a fee paying adult

Time 9.30am to 4.30pm (lunch is not included)

Price £20 which includes fishing. To book your place please contact Ali & Izzy on 01668 215226

Paul Little is a senior assessor (all disciplines) for AAPGAI one of the UK’s leading fly fishing and casting organisations. At their Spring Assessment weekend, Cockermouth, Paul assessed provisional to master candidates for the single and double handed fly rod and fly dressing. (see photographs)

Last weekend he travelled to Scotland to assess for SANA (Scottish Anglers National Assoication) on the banks of the river Tay. Again single & double handed casting qualifications. (see photographs)

This weekend (Easter) he’s relaxing after a busy schedule and is off pike & perch fishing from his rowing boat on Bassenwaite lake.

Cliff Johnston GAIA instructor and a Coach Educator all 3 disciplines for the Angling Development Board. Cliff has been travelling as far as the midlands during the last few weeks to deliver and assess Level 1 & 2 courses for sea, game & coarse.

From the ADB site, ADB’s Coaching Courses Commened: The UKCC has recently confirmed the re-accreditation of anglings level 1 and level 2 coaching qualifications for the next two years. Sports Coach UK’s Rachel Hooper explained that the Sports Coach UK assessment panel had stated that the coach qualification schemes produced by the ADB for angling were amongst the best of all sports. She also stated that angling is one of only 25 sports with both levels 1 and 2 fully accredited.

Cliff can be found this weekend boat fishing Hallington Reservoir for rainbows and brown trout.

We are very lucky at Ladies Fishing to have coaches of this high calibre. Both coaches are committed to the advancement of the ladies group during 2012.

Females in the south of the region now have the opportunity to try fly fishing with the help of Ladies Fishing coaches.

Head Coach Cliff Johnston will be running Bishop Auckland & District Angling clubs, junior club on the day to.

Witton Castle Ladies days announced.

Erin from Sonik Sports Marketing Team at a Ladies Day

Ian McCormack, Commercial Director, Sonik Sports, who presented the equipment to club chairman Sean O’Grady, said: ‘We are delighted to be able to help support the Ashington Trout Ticklers to encourage more young people to take up the sport. Read more

Ladies Fishing used funding received in 2011 to purchase Sonik fly rods and reels, which are ideal for beginners of all ages. Thank you to Ian McCormack & the Sonik team for their generous advice & assistance.

Sonik have just launched a new range of SKS fly rods, which start from only £59.99 RRP and should be available in all our dealers, which are ideal for this sort of purpose.”

Fishing Fontburn reservoir 2 weekends ago it was great to catch up over a coffee with Level 2 coach Cate Middleton out with the Trout Ticklers, regular visitors to Northumbrian Water reservoirs.

Ladies Fishing recommend Hirst Park Trout Ticklers to parents who’s children are interested in fly & bait fishing.

Four simple steps via the Post Office website, payment taken and receipt confirmation 30 minutes later I was ready to go fishing. You can buy day licences via the post office too and confirmation is on your mobile phone if you have a web enhanced phone.
Don’t forget you need to a valid Environment Agency Rod Licence if you are aged 12 or over and fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England (except the River Tweed), Wales, and the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland.

Please note a licence gives you the right to use a fishing rod and line, but does not give you a right to fish. You must have the permission of the owner or tenant of the fishing rights before starting to fish.

Tight Lines for the 2012 season everyone.

The jewel in the Maldivian fishing crown has got to be the GT fishing on the flats. All of punched well above their weight and were perfect to target on an 8wt with a small baitfish pattern. The first GT took me well into the backing twice – not bad for a 3lb fish.

Honakulhi Island in the North Atoll was just sooooo cooooool! Every morning my other half & I discussed which part of the island, leader set up, rod, flies and also the excitement of stuff breaking…. including my skin! I love saltwater!!!!

The most awesome thing was snorkling with schools of bones – just drifting with them while them were feeding. I was about 5ft distance away and they were watching me too but totally cool about my presence. The big bones are always right at the back and low in the school and they really look you right in the eye.

I almost stopped fishing for them after that!

The resort is both stunning and luxurious with fantastic staff – nothing was too much trouble. This is without doubt the most exciting new saltwater fly fishing destination around and even better it’s within easy reach of the UK!

If you would like to visit this amazing destination Matt McHugh from Fly Odyssey has fishing trips to destinations around the globe working with UK experienced guides. Gilly visited the Maldives in February 2012.

Ladies Fishing went to Mexico with Matt & Paul Procter last year, we can’t recommend him enough. If you are planning a fishing trip abroad during 2012 visit the Fly Odyssey website.

Gilly Bate is a Orvis Guide working in the South of England, predominately on the River Test. She also runs ladies days for Orvis.