This two-day Fly Fishing Experience will give you the full lake to plate experience, beginning with a day’s fly fishing under the guidance of expert instructor Neil Keep, followed by a day in the kitchen learning how to really make the most of fresh fish as an ingredient, covering everything from key preparation skills to delicious recipes. Lunch is included on both days.
Day One: Fly Fishing
Involving an artificial ‘fly’ which is cast on a line, fly fishing often has a bit of a reputation as a tricky skill for beginners to acquire – which is why all of our courses take place under the expert guidance of our tutor Neil Keep, who has forty years’ experience fishing all over the UK and plenty of tips & tricks to share. The day begins with a briefing at the stunning Manningford Trout lakes, where Neil will teach you all the skills you need to cast successfully, and supervise you as you spend the day fishing – and hopefully landing a fair few trout for the table!
Skills
• How to set up the tackle and what it does
• How to make a fly cast safely
• Choosing which fly to use and basic entomology (the study of fly life)
• Different fishing techniques
• Playing and landing fish (what to do once you have hooked your fish!)
Day Two: Fish Cookery
Fresh fish is a truly wonderful ingredient to work with in the kitchen, but can often be a little intimidating if you don’t cook it regularly, so this course is designed to give you the confidence you need to whip up fabulous fish dishes. We begin day two with a talk on how to choose the freshest, highest-quality fish for your supper table, whilst navigating the tricky minefield of sustainability. After that you’ll get stuck in, with a series of demonstration-led cookery lessons to help you master all the skills you need, including how to filet, scale and skin fresh fish, the art of smoking and curing your own fish, and mouth-watering quick recipes that make it really easy to put fish on the menu at home.
Skills
• Fileting
• Quick cooking
• Scaling
• Skinning
• Smoking and curing
If you want to read more about trout check out this article in FoodLover Magazine by our very own Bod Griffiths…https://www.foodlovermagazine.com/features/trout/15395
Neil Keep
Having picked up a fly rod at the age of 7, Neil has nearly 40 years’ experience of casting flies at all manner of species of fish. Neil was coached at junior level by world renowned Spey Caster, Simon Gawesworth, with whom he entered many casting tournaments across the country and in Europe. Now as a fully qualified instructor Neil spends many hours on the water passing on his skills to others, whether it is a complete novice picking up…
Kieran Lenihan
Kieran Lenihan is an inspirational modern chef with a career as rich and varied as the Mediterranean and British influences that inform his reputation as a burgeoning British Talent. Born in Weston-super-Mare, Kieran’s love of local seafood, and passion for creating dynamic plates from locally-sourced and seasonal produce, have cemented his reputation as popular head chef in the south west. As returning customers testify, Kieran’s cool-head and creative combinations are making a real splash on the local dining demographic. Career…
Bod Griffiths
Bod Griffiths runs Vale House Kitchen with his wife Annie, and after six years of working with a whole range of fantastic tutors is excited to start leading his own courses. He grew up helping his Grandmother in the kitchen, and it’s from her that he got his love for traditional skills like baking bread and making preserves, as well as a profound appreciation for cooking in tune with the seasons. As an adult, he lived and worked in London,…
