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Post by MoneyThing on Mar 26, 2015 7:53:11 GMT
Morning,
My mother is about to reach a big Birthday in May and I would really like to arrange a surprise day's fly fishing for her somewhere suitable in the UK.
She has always wanted to stand in an idyllic river somewhere and have a lesson on how to cast and maybe catch something.
If anyone has any suggestions as to perhaps where in the country would be good or might be able to recommend someone I can speak to then this would be a huge help.
(I have never done it myself)
Kind regards,
Ed
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 26, 2015 10:28:06 GMT
Morning, My mother is about to reach a big Birthday in May and I would really like to arrange a surprise day's fly fishing for her somewhere suitable in the UK. She has always wanted to stand in an idyllic river somewhere and have a lesson on how to cast and maybe catch something. If anyone has any suggestions as to perhaps where in the country would be good or might be able to recommend someone I can speak to then this would be a huge help. (I have never done it myself) Kind regards, Ed : Ed, not a fisherman myself either, however I do konw that one of the premier spots for fly fishing is the Test Valley. I could recommend a base location and a hotel I would recommend in the area as well. Be aware: fishing here is NOT cheap, and forward booking is almost certainly required. Also a great area for doing a bit of walking and cycling (but I doubt the latter is what you had in mind).
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Post by MoneyThing on Mar 26, 2015 10:41:48 GMT
Thank you bracknellboy - please PM me with your recommendations. Very kind. Ed
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ilmoro
Member of DD Central
'Wondering which of the bu***rs to blame, and watching for pigs on the wing.' - Pink Floyd
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Post by ilmoro on Mar 26, 2015 11:45:40 GMT
Morning, My mother is about to reach a big Birthday in May and I would really like to arrange a surprise day's fly fishing for her somewhere suitable in the UK. She has always wanted to stand in an idyllic river somewhere and have a lesson on how to cast and maybe catch something. If anyone has any suggestions as to perhaps where in the country would be good or might be able to recommend someone I can speak to then this would be a huge help. (I have never done it myself) Kind regards, Ed : Ed, not a fisherman myself either, however I do konw that one of the premier spots for fly fishing is the Test Valley. I could recommend a base location and a hotel I would recommend in the area as well. Be aware: fishing here is NOT cheap, and forward booking is almost certainly required. Also a great area for doing a bit of walking and cycling (but I doubt the latter is what you had in mind). Also Beaulieu Motor Museum for your Dad, assuming hes allowed to go, just down the road
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Post by MoneyThing on Mar 26, 2015 13:44:32 GMT
MoneyThing: Ed, not a fisherman myself either, however I do konw that one of the premier spots for fly fishing is the Test Valley. I could recommend a base location and a hotel I would recommend in the area as well. Be aware: fishing here is NOT cheap, and forward booking is almost certainly required. Also a great area for doing a bit of walking and cycling (but I doubt the latter is what you had in mind). Also Beaulieu Motor Museum for your Dad, assuming hes allowed to go, just down the road Perfect idea - thanks!
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ilmoro
Member of DD Central
'Wondering which of the bu***rs to blame, and watching for pigs on the wing.' - Pink Floyd
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 11,549
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Post by ilmoro on Mar 26, 2015 14:06:55 GMT
Also Beaulieu Motor Museum for your Dad, assuming hes allowed to go, just down the road Perfect idea - thanks! Your welcome. Despite it being 'down the road' I confess Ive never been, but then the Test is even nearer & Ive never been fly fishing either (youthful dabble in fishing proved shortlived).  Secret Death Star testing area  Oops! Damm Bothan Spies
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ianj
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Post by ianj on Mar 26, 2015 14:28:55 GMT
MoneyThing: Ed, not a fisherman myself either, however I do konw that one of the premier spots for fly fishing is the Test Valley. I could recommend a base location and a hotel I would recommend in the area as well. Be aware: fishing here is NOT cheap, and forward booking is almost certainly required. Also a great area for doing a bit of walking and cycling (but I doubt the latter is what you had in mind). Fishing the Test isn't expensive either...... it can be much, much more than expensive! Have a look here.
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 26, 2015 16:27:53 GMT
As well as not being a fisherman,I'm also not a gardener, but Mottisfont Abbey is renowned for its garden - providing rose's are in season. Also Longstock water gardens is different and worth a visit: but its only open one day a month (a Sunday I think) so you'd need to check.
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ianj
Member of DD Central
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Post by ianj on Mar 26, 2015 16:36:28 GMT
Morning, My mother is about to reach a big Birthday in May and I would really like to arrange a surprise day's fly fishing for her somewhere suitable in the UK. She has always wanted to stand in an idyllic river somewhere and have a lesson on how to cast and maybe catch something. If anyone has any suggestions as to perhaps where in the country would be good or might be able to recommend someone I can speak to then this would be a huge help. (I have never done it myself) Kind regards, Ed ' She has always wanted to stand in an idyllic river somewhere and have a lesson on how to cast and maybe catch something.' Fishing, the 'Contemplative Man's (or woman's) Recreation', and especially casting a fly, is IMO therapeutic, and a healthy alternative to alchohol to escape from the pressures of modern life (I enjoy both just to be sure).  Unfortunately, many non-angler's concept of 'idyllic' is often far from what usually constitute the best conditions for catching a fish. Wild trout in crystal clear waters are easily spooked. Stealth and delicacy when casting are prerequisites on small streams and don't come easily to someone learning the craft, while dull conditions are usually preferable to bright sunshine. Still waters, stocked with 'tame', farmed rainbow trout, are much more likely to produce results for the novice, but might not have all the scenic attributes of the Test. On the other hand, if catching was all that gave the sport meaning I wouldn't still be doing it more than fifty years after landing my first fish. After all this time I now consider myself qualified to fail anywhere, frequently in 'idyllic' settings. 
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ilmoro
Member of DD Central
'Wondering which of the bu***rs to blame, and watching for pigs on the wing.' - Pink Floyd
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 11,549
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Post by ilmoro on Mar 26, 2015 17:26:43 GMT
As well as not being a fisherman,I'm also not a gardener, but Mottisfont Abbey is renowned for its garden - providing rose's are in season. Also Longstock water gardens is different and worth a visit: but its only open one day a month (a Sunday I think) so you'd need to check. On the gardening front, also the famous Hilliers Arboretum just outside Romsey
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 26, 2015 19:42:53 GMT
As well as not being a fisherman,I'm also not a gardener, but Mottisfont Abbey is renowned for its garden - providing rose's are in season. Also Longstock water gardens is different and worth a visit: but its only open one day a month (a Sunday I think) so you'd need to check. On the gardening front, also the famous Hilliers Arboretum just outside Romsey Thanks for that: I need to log it in the memory bank for when we're next down at one of my favourite weekend away spots. Edit: I've got a GREAT idea for a website, only problem is I don't know what to call it. Ah, how about TripAdvisor ? That sounds good.
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ilmoro
Member of DD Central
'Wondering which of the bu***rs to blame, and watching for pigs on the wing.' - Pink Floyd
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 11,549
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Post by ilmoro on Mar 26, 2015 20:08:15 GMT
On the gardening front, also the famous Hilliers Arboretum just outside Romsey Thanks for that: I need to log it in the memory bank for when we're next down at one of my favourite weekend away spots. Edit: I've got a GREAT idea for a website, only problem is I don't know what to call it. Ah, how about TripAdvisor ? That sounds good. Hmm, never been there either and that is literally just up the road. Apart from Broadlands, Ive never been to any of the doorstep attractions but have done most of the north of Italy (repeatly). Funny how that happens
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Post by p2perrr on Mar 26, 2015 20:30:50 GMT
I've never been fly fishing, but a brown trout did once accidentally catch itself on my line while I was ... ahem ... otherwise engaged, 'further up the bank'. (I can't imagine this would happen to your Mother).
I tried putting, "fly fishing day course", into Google, (refine by 'UK' and 'past year'), and there seem to be a lot of possibilities. Maybe one would suit?
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 26, 2015 21:23:50 GMT
I've never been fly fishing, but a brown trout did once accidentally catch itself on my line while I was ... ahem ... otherwise engaged, 'further up the bank'. (I can't imagine this would happen to your Mother).
Don't bank on it....
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Post by ablrateandy on Mar 27, 2015 0:04:45 GMT
This has always struck me as something that may be quite therapeutic, though I fear that I lack the patience. I was up in the Highlands not so long ago and a chap in a pub told me that a lot of the estate gillies will take people out to great locations to go fishing if you cross their palm with silver.
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