Wherever you are on your fly fishing journey you can develop your skills at Albury Estate Fisheries. Our beautifully maintained waters, close to London, offer the ideal venue for beginners and more experienced fly fishers.
Whether you are a complete beginner looking to start your fly fishing journey, or a more experienced angler wanting to develop your skills, our partner We Fly Fish can help.
Their coaching philosophy is to keep sessions safe and fun whilst developing your skills, and inspiring you to take the sport further.
Your coach will match the skills you will learn to where you are now, and where you want to get to.
For a complete beginner the objective might be to develop foundational skills to allow you to catch your first fish on the fly.
More experienced anglers often want to learn advanced skills to prepare for a trip to an English chalkstream, or a tropical saltwater fly fishing destination.
One to three, three-hour, sessions are typically enough to get a complete beginner confident to fly fish independently.
These include equipment set up, casting, landing fish, basic watercraft and fly selection.
Emphasis is on learning at your pace and adapting to your needs.
Skills refinement sessions are for intermediate fly fishers with some experience who want to hone casting and watercraft skills. These coaching sessions aim to polish existing skills and introduce more advanced techniques as appropriate. Your objectives will be discussed and realistic learning outcomes agreed. These sessions typically start with a review of foundational skills such as the static roll cast and overhead cast, and often introduce techniques such as off shoulder casts, roll cast pickups, shooting line, hauling, and constant tension casting.
Acquiring these skills allows you to fish at range when needed and also to fish in adverse wind conditions. Where appropriate and with permission video analysis is used. This can capture and slow down casting to point out opportunities for technical improvement.
These sessions can also be used to broaden the range of fly types used, from imitative classic dry flies and nymphs through to the latest attractor patterns and techniques.
Having a range of fly types you are confident with gives you more options and better chances of success.
Go to the WeFlyFish website to purchase lessons.
Please contact hello@weflyfish.co.uk to arrange a time or to discuss any questions you may have.
See below for frequently asked questions about fly fishing at Albury Lakes.
For complete beginners, one or two anglers per coach works very well. Three adult anglers per coach is our upper limit to ensure a coaching experience. We Fly Fish have a team of coaches available at Albury to be able to work with up to 15 beginners. Subject to availability.
Depending on conditions coaching sessions are held at Vale End and Weston fisheries both in Albury, Surrey. For longer sessions we often go to both fisheries.
Coaching is available throughout the year. Fishing conditions may be more challenging in the warmer months (August and September) when water temperatures are higher. Weekdays tend to be less busy.
Most importantly bring eye protection (ideally polarised sunglasses) and a hat with a peak. These are for safety and also to help spot fish.
You will be outdoors of course so bring clothing that will keep you comfortable in the conditions that are forecast. Albury Estate fisheries are very well maintained and you will never be more than a short walk (a few hundred meters) on well mown, fairly flat ground. Once fishing you will be standing still and concentrating on what is happening so make sure you are protected from the elements. In the winter fingerless gloves and layered waterproof clothing are helpful, and in the summer bring sunscreen and clothing that will protect you from the sun.
Bring whatever snacks and drinks you will need during the session, there is a village shop in Albury close to the fisheries.
Anglers over 13 need a Rod Licence in their name. You will need the ‘trout and coarse’ option. These can be bought for a day (cost £6), month or annually, and must be obtained in advance from any Post Office or from the official EA website.
We recommend 13 as a minimum age to start fly fishing. We’ve coached younger anglers who have a lot of fun, but they typically don’t have the development to be able to fish independently. For younger anglers we’d suggest they start with another angling discipline that doesn’t involve the challenges of fly casting and that can produce quicker and easier results.
We adapt session plans to the needs of younger anglers, making sure that adequate breaks for rest and snacks are built in, and that explanations and demonstrations meet their needs. Junior anglers need more supervision to keep the sessions safe and fun and we operate the following policy:
13-18 years old: up to two juniors per coach with a parent or guardian present throughout
Low coaching ratios mean junior anglers can usually avoid getting into frustrating tangles when getting started with fly fishing and have a positive experience that they want to repeat.
