Chris is a licensed angling coach, licensed under fishcoach.org the coach licensing scheme of the Joint Angling Governing Bodies. He is a  Professional Anglers Association Registered Coach, as a PAA coach Chris has undertaken training in angling coaching, child protection, has enhanced CRB Disclosure, holds a valid first aid certificate, is a member of Sports Coach UK and holds appropriate insurance cover for the purpose of coaching angling. Chris offers angling coaching for all ages and abilities, group or individual tuition, guided trips for specimen carp, chub, bream, pike and other species.  As well as organised sea angling trips and bespoke corporate events both at home and abroad.

  Grayling School 26th to 30th Nov. 2008       In recent years Kirkwood on the river Annan has been the venue for several highly acclaimed and successful "Salmon Schools" and Sea Trout Schools". Now Anthony Steel of Kirkwood, Glyn Freeman of Cumbria Fly Fishing and Chris are offering a residential Grayling School. Kirkwood holds some enormous grayling and fish to over 3lb have been landed. Chris landed one weighing 2lb 3oz together with one of 2lb 10oz (photo on home page) there in February this year.  Leaflets are being printed and further details will follow. But the course is ideal for the angler who wishes to learn everything about grayling fishing with lectures, fly tying and practical sessions in the evenings and during the day the emphasis will be on fishing hard on a beautiful stretch of river. You will learn about the grayling itself, its habits and food. You will learn about and have the opportunity to try for yourself fly fishing including Czech nymphing, North Country Spiders, nymphing tactics and fishing the dry fly. You will explore bait fishing techniques traditional and modern, long trotting, Wallis casting with a centre pin, ledgering using a swimfeeder  and how to use a bait dropper. You will be staying in 2 & 3 star holiday cottage accommodation, with your own bedroom. All meals (breakfast, packed lunch, evening meal) are included as is the fishing, accommodation and tuition..........the price for nearly 4 days is only £550.                              The Kirkwood grayling school takes place between 26th & 30th November, for more information contact Anthony Steel on 01576 510200 or aisteel@aol.com  information will soon to be found on the Kirkwood Cottages and Real Farm Holidays website www.Kirkwood-Lockerbie.co.uk alternatively contact Chris at the address at the bottom of this page.

   Why not join Chris grayling fishing on the river Eden, learn how to long trot with a centre pin reel in beautiful surroundings on a pristine river that is full of grayling. Jeremiah Warren, Leslie Sitz (both pictured below) and Tim Bryant  from the USA got 2008 off to a great start when they joined Chris on the river Eden on New Years Day, they all landed quality grayling during their session. On the 11th February Chris was joined by angling journalist and photographer Ian Chapman (far right) it was a glorious sunny day following a heavy over night frost, the grayling were feeding and the banter was good, an enjoyable day all round.                                         

 Surprise your friends and relatives with the perfect gift for birthdays or special occassions.  

Gift vouchers can be exchanged for any of Chris's guided trips, courses,  individual or  group tuition, give your loved ones a day to remember. Vouchers are available  in  £75 and £140 denominations which can be exchanged for tuition or guided trips of 3 or 6 hours duration. Any combination of voucher can be put together for longer trips or sessions. 

Izaak Walton said they were "the most fearfullest of fishes" and there is a lot of truth in that statement. The Border rivers have long been associated with big chub, why not join Chris on the beautiful river Eden in search of chub or as the Radio 5 team (left) did with Chris and follow in the footsteps of Doctor Cameron on the river Annan  in search of  a 10 lb. chub. Eden Rivers Trust Trustee Ian Gregg caught this 5lb 11oz chub  whilst fishing with Chris on the  river Eden on Thursday 22nd November. The last time Ian fished with Chris he landed a 5lb 14oz chub; the biggest taken by one of Chris's clients during the 2005-2006 season.

The river Eden offers some superb grayling, between 16th June and 14th March Chris can arrange grayling fishing tuition or guided trips to suit your needs and experience with fly, float or leger the hard fighting grayling can make your day an enjoyable one. BBC Radio Cumbria's Liz Barnes (right) exchanged her microphone for a float rod whilst covering a junior anglers day and landed her first ever fish, a pound plus Eden grayling. Give it a try it's great fun.

Karl McKentegart from Dublin enjoyed a great weeks fishing with me towards the end of October. Karl had contacted me as he was interested in learning all the necessary skills for general coarse angling, float, feeder and carp fishing on canals, lakes and rivers, asking if I could put together such a course. 

 I put together an itinerary for Karl intended to give him a thorough grounding in all the skills required to catch fish on variety of venues but more importantly one that would instill in him the confidence required to tackle any venue himself. I also told Karl that my angling days were not just about catching fish. I can of course run things to suit anyone's needs however I find that by giving participants a taste of the whole package, the freshwater environment, insects, plants, fish, bird and wildlife as well as safety, tackle, tactics, watercraft and angling etiquette I feel that they are better placed to return to angling themselves and enjoy the positive benefits it has to offer. I arranged Karl's accommodation and he traveled over in October and the rest as they say is history, he fished a variety of Stillwater and river venues learned a range of techniques and along the way caught some excellent fish, including pike to 17 lb. 10 oz. with 3 over 10 lb., chub to 5 lb. 10 oz. including 3 over 4 lb., grayling to 1 lb. 8 oz., perch, roach and gudgeon, trout and a 10 lb 2 oz. carp. Soon after Karl had returned home I received a lovely letter from him which, with Karl's permission is reproduced below. I enjoy my work and gain a great deal of pleasure from seeing people catch their first fish and watching their skills and confidence grow is a reward in itself, but when I receive a letter like Karl's it makes it all the more rewarding.

Dear Chris,

I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to mail you upon my return yesterday, Sunday, as I wanted, but time just didn’t allow.  Many thanks for the pics; you obviously made time for them despite the BBC man and carp overnighter with the kids.  They are fantastic, I’m really pleased with them and they came out perfectly, there’s a bit of life in the camera yet. Needless to say, all at home were very impressed, particularly with the 17lb’er despite our Chub being the catch of the week, but as we know, big is beautiful.

Anyway the reason I wanted to mail you was to thank you again for an outstanding week.  I could go through the dictionary and pick out every word describing brilliant, fantastic, marvellous etc and none of them would adequately describe my total delight and satisfaction with the week.  This was in no small part due to you yourself and quite honestly words fail me.  It was without a doubt one of the best and most enjoyable weeks I have had in many a long day.  As I said above, this was in no small way attributable to you, your approach, friendliness, skill, ability to impart knowledge and your undoubted commitment to ensuring I got the “whole package”.  It was in my estimation quite exceptional and, whilst definitely not wishing to cause you to bump your rates, went way beyond what I paid for or indeed expected.  However, it was very clear from talking with you even before I arrived that it was not just about the fee and that is what most impressed me.  Hence the reason I use the words above insofar as they are capable of describing something which it is hard to put into words. It is an increasingly rare quality and one, which I would say you, should take great pride in and indeed for which I am extremely grateful, as I reaped the benefits and rewards of your commitment and dedication to your profession.

On top of everything else I also caught fish, which as a novice, and as explained, was not my primary focus.  I thoroughly enjoyed the countryside and waters, the insight into how all the creatures and plant life interrelate in term of angling and for me therefore, the complete experience.  The countryside was beautiful, the people friendly and there was nothing omitted which could have improved the week, it was superb. It is something, as opportunity presents itself, I will most highly recommend and definitely intend repeating in order to hone and sharpen the many and varied skills I so much enjoyed learning.

So, once again, Chris, many, many thanks for everything and my very best regards to you and indeed your family, from whom I kept you for

 seven long days.  It was a memorable experience.

Best fishes,

Karl 

Monday 24 October 2005

Nutrabait News

Thanks to help from Carlton Hill Fishery owner Chris Wynne I have just secured sponsorship from Nutrabaits the specialist carp bait company. Nutrabaits have very kindly provided a range of carpet feed, pellets and boilies from their extensive range of carp fishing bait products  for my junior carp angling days. The provision of these quality baits will greatly assist with the junior angling tuition programme. For further information about this years junior introduction to carp angling sessions contact Chris on 01228 674519. For more information about Nutrabaits, Club Nutrabaits and the complete Nutrabaits product range take a look at the Nutrabaits website at www.nutrabaits.net

If you have never caught a double figure bream you can certainly improve your chances by having a session on Cumbria's premier big bream fishery with Chris. In recent seasons Longtown West Pond has produced bream up to 15 lb. 4 oz. and although Chris can't promise that  you will be able to catch them with your eyes shut like the chap on the right, he will show you how to go about targeting big bream, from tackle to tactics, bait, location and timing, and with the West pond producing up to 40 double figure specimens a season in recent years there is every chance of breaking that 10 lb. barrier.

Chris runs three specimen coarse fisheries, one seven acre lake is used solely for the purpose of teaching carp fishing. You can learn how to pursue what has become Britain's most popular fish with Chris on a variety of waters from a secluded woodland pool to a 20 acre gravel pit. As well as one to one carp fishing tuition and guided trips Chris runs Introduction to Carp Angling Courses for  anglers young and old these cut through carp fishing jargon explaining spods, pods, boilies, PVA, etc., taking some of the mystery out of carp fishing for the beginner.

Chris is an experienced pike angler and has fished some of the largest waters in the British Isles in search of pike, the waters of the Lake District, Loch Lomond, Lough Mask. Chris can provide guided trips for up to two anglers aboard his 16 foot boat, such trips offer the perfect introduction to boat fishing for pike. Chris's own Longtown West Pond has produced pike to 25 lb. and has produced the first ever pike for many anglers attending Chris's introductory pike fishing courses. 

If you have never tried fishing for salmon or merely wish to learn more about this formidable and hard fighting “King of fish” try the Complete Angling Experience salmon fishing courses. Learn a little about river craft, try your hand at fly dressing, or simply improve your existing skills. Fly fishing tuition will be available for beginners, Improvers and advanced casters, along with demonstrations throughout the day, areas covered will include both floating and sinking line techniques, spinning techniques and of course, plenty of salmon fishing, on Cumbria’s river Eden. All tackle can be provided if required, at no extra cost, as is a BBQ lunch and tea and coffee through out the day, we will have exclusive use of the beat and fishing hut on the day, so don’t miss this great opportunity and book now. 

WWW.BORDERLINES.ORG.UK                                  Chris and his colleagues Glyn Freeman and Clive Mitchelhill  have worked with the Environment Agency, Carlisle City Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Care Visions Group, Impact Housing and other groups to provide coarse,  game and sea angling tuition for young people across Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. These bodies are to be commended for their forward thinking attitude in providing these youngsters with the perfect opportunity to become involved in angling free of charge.                                                                                                                                                                     In order to take this further and introduce more people to the positive benefits that participation in angling can provide in 2005 they formed Borderlines, a not for profit company with the aim of removing as many of the barriers to participation in angling as possible for all groups of the population regardless of age, ability, race, religion or social background with particular emphasis on the disadvantaged, disabled and those requiring rehabilitation. The sessions they provide are not just about catching fish, participants learn about life in both the freshwater and marine environments,  the fish,  as well as learning about tackle, tactics and how to cast those taking part learn how to be good anglers in every sense of the word with a caring attitude towards and a respect for the environment.                                                                                                                 We are not so naive to think that angling is some sort of panacea, a cure for all ills, but we have witnessed the significant individual and social benefits that participation in angling can bring to so many people over many years and would like to bring those benefits to a wider audience. If your school or group would like to try angling why not contact Chris. To learn more click on the Borderlines link above.

Well-known conservationist David Bellamy has said, " Good anglers are the eyes and ears of waterside wildlife. Without their lobby our rivers would still be used as sewers". As a Professional Anglers Association coach Chris tries to ensure that the budding anglers in his charge - tomorrow's anglers, will be good anglers in every sense of the word. He teaches all newcomers, the fundamentals of the sport and instills in them the essentials of good angling practice and a caring attitude towards the environment. Angling is a healthy outdoor recreation and  many people particularly youngsters would benefit from participating in this sport which takes them out of an urban environment and introduces them to the countryside and its waterside flora and fauna. Chris can arrange pond or river dipping and angling entomology sessions for local schools, youth groups and interested parties.

PLEA FOR HELP: Please don't throw your old angling magazines away, they can be "recycled"! When coaching youngsters, schools and youth groups Chris tries to encourage youngsters to read as much about the sport as possible by giving away old fishing magazines, Angling Times, Anglers Mail, Trout and Salmon, Sea Angler, Carp World, etc. It doesn't matter what branch of the sport the magazine is about nor how old the magazine is, it could encourage a youngster to broaden his or her horizons and learn more about this fascinating sport.

Unfortunately demand is now out stripping supply, so if anyone can assist please contact Chris at the address below. He can collect magazines from Carlisle and the surrounding area.

Chris Bowman Fishery Management

Crosshill Cottage, Blackford, Carlisle, Cumbria CA6 4DU

Tel: 01228 674519

Email: chris.bow.fish.man@tinyworld.co.uk

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