New Boy on the forum

Hiya all

This is my first posting on this forum - just bought myself some fly fishing kit & looking for a water in south Essex where I can make a fool of myself for not too much dosh. The best value trouting I've managed to find so for is Hanningfield res, ?13 for a 4 fish limit which is very good but the venue is a bit daunting for a (more or less) total novice. Chigboro & Green Oaks are both nice venues but at around ?30 quid for a days fishing are a bit expensive for what amounts to a days practise.
If anyone has any alternative suggestions I'd love to hear them.
Also if there is anyone in the area willing to show a new boy the ropes it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Barry

you could always give walthamstow a try although its a ressie its a smallish water perhaps the size of some of the smaller still waters you are trying. I think smaller still waters are more expensive than the ressies just because ressies tend to stock fish say 2lb whereas still waters stock with fish say upto 10lb and therfore need to keep the revenue coming to continue stocking fish of this size.
prehaps its anglers with their need to catch big fish that keeps the price so inflated

oh by the way
welcome to the site
just keep thrashing the water!!

I certainly have an alternative to paying ?30 to practise and thats to go along to a park or field and practise your casting for 1/2 hour every day until you're confident that your ?30 is well spent. Also spend your ?30 on a casting lesson it will be be the best investment you make. I'm sure hanningfield lodge could put you onto someone. never be afraid to ask for help cos it saves a lot of time and effort in the long run. Welcome to the gang and remember nothing wothwhile is ever easy.
cheers
Al.

Thanks for the response lads, never even considered Walthamstow - I'll check it out.

Went to Chigboro on Tuesday - very frustrating morning, I was really struggling to get the line out! Made myself a cup of tea at the lodge at lunchtime & spent 5 mins or so talking to a guy there (think his name was Allen). When I told him that I was having problems he gave me a couple or 3 tips:

1. ditch the tapered leader I was using - and he gave me some Drennan double strength to try.

2. Slow things down by about half.

3. relax the shoulders & use only the fore arms.

Went back to the small lake (not too confidently) but the difference was amazing. I really began to feel that I was getting somewhere. Packed up about 3pm, totally knackered but really feeling that I had accomplished something. Didn't get a fish but missed 3 or 4 cagey takes.
a really pleasant & enjoyable day.

Her downstairs is buying me a tuition day at Hanningfield for my birthday - can't wait!

Thanks again
Barry

PS practising in a field is OK but it's not like being beside the water - & there's always some **** with a dog who asks 'ow many you cort then? my usual response is 'you're the first'

You're right a field isn't water but when you can't catch a fish you can focus on learning to cast which is your aim. fly fishing IS fly casting they are one and the same and ?30 a time to play around on the water is inadvisable. Congratulations on booking a proper coaching session it will pay for itself in the end. cheers and tight lines.
Al

Barry,
Don't be put off by the size of a water. When you can cast proficiently 30 yards will be a high average cast whether on a large or small water. Very often you will find the takes/pulls come within 15 yards of the bank.
I have never fished at Hanningfield but I would assume it will respond to similar methods as at Grafham, Rutland, Pitsford etc. so do as the man says slow everything down and remember small flies are visible to trout.
I assume you are using a floating line? Double strength is fine but get some Fulling Mill flourocarbon as well. This will help get you down to the fish which are usually deep at this time of the year. Weighted flies are a must as well. An Intermediate line [clear/slime line] is a good investment as well. These sink extremely slowly but with patience can used to fish quite deep water. They will also float if treated with some line floatant.
Get some fly tying lessons as well and save yourself some money as well as giving you a new way to while away those winter nights.
Colin

last year I had a casting lesson of 2hrs with henry lowe who is regarded by many as one of the best
I think the wife paid ?60 for the 2 hrs for my birthday he has a little lake on the farm where he teaches and you go on that to try roll casting

Barry,
Jack & Phil from Simpsons of Turnford usually do FREE casting lessons in Cheshunt Park on Sunday mornings for about an hour or so this time of year.There's no catch (pardon the pun) and you don't have to splash out on a Sage rod or anything. It's worth giving them a ring on 01992 468799 to check it out.

Thanks Dom, I'll bear it in mind.

It's my Birthday this week and I managed to persuade 'er downstairs' to spring for a tuition day at Hanningfield. They run two courses a month there & I managed to get on to yesterdays course (worst weather for a month - coincidence. sods law, or what!)

8 other brave souls on the course & very good it was. A couple of hours in the classroom, a couple of hours on the paddock for basic training, an excellent hot lunch & then fishing for a couple of hours with an experienced guide. Bloody good value for ?40 quid I'd say. As a bonus, due to the bad weather, Andy Hathaway, the main instructor, persuaded the reservoir management to agree to allow us to return on another tuition day for the afternoon fishing session. The only down side was that I should not have purchased a rod 'til after I'd had the lesson, my #7/8 Masterline XL was found to be far too, stiff & pokey & more suited to heavier lines. I tried one of their hire rod's (no charge for anyone on the course)& found it to be much more usable. Also the consensus was that a 6 or 7 rod would have been better. Anyone got a medium quality 9'rod for sale for not too much dosh?

Thanks again to all for the advice.

Barry