The Angling School was formed in September of 2003, to give access to anybody wishing to try fishing for the first time or to improve their fishing skills with the help of a fully qualified professional angling coach.

The founder Ian Boden is the National Federation of Anglers Senior coach for the West Midlands region, a qualified level 2 angling coach and LICENCED BY Fish coach.org, regulated by the Joint Angling Development Bodies and is also a licenced level 2 fishing coach with Birmingham and Solihull Councils. Ian Boden is sponsored by Maver Solihull for his match fishing expertise. 

• We have an extensive range of fishing courses for the beginner from 2 hour taster sessions through to the 5 session guide to course fishing for beginners. We also cater for those looking to return to fishing or those who just wish to improve there fishing experiences. New for 2007 is the OCN course called, The introduction to angling and the environment. This course is set over 20 hours and is designed for 16 hours classroom tuition, a 1 hour written exam and 3 hour practical assessment. On completion of the course the participants will be graded and receive a nationally recognized qualification. New for 2008! We now offer AQA qualifications through fishing. To schools and youth clubs. 

These have been designed with the new comer in mind. During the 2 hour taster session we will talk about rules and regulations surrounding fishing, set up and fish with a fishing rod, and hopefully catch a few fish. It is hoped that after just 1 x two hour session, you will gain enough knowledge to go out and purchase your new fishing tackle, knowing that you are spending your hard earned cash on the right equipment for your needs. Also knowing that you will be able to go out and have some idea of how to catch and handle some fish. These taster sessions start at £35.00 per person (small groups). We guarantee that this money will be the best £35.00 that a new comer to fishing will spend. As we will over come most of the mistakes that as a new comer to fishing you would normally come across and leave safe in the knowledge, that you will be able to catch fish. You will not spend money on fishing tackle and bait that you do not need and once you have been on a taster session, you can Email me at anytime and I will help out with local venue knowledge, advance fishing techniques and also purchasing new fishing tackle as you progress with your fishing. These taster sessions are available throughout the year either morning, afternoon or evening sessions are available and can be booked for either 1 person or as a group of up to 10 people. Email ianthefish2000@yahoo.co.uk For date availability

• This is the ideal way to be taught to fish. Your coach will pick up on the parts of your fishing that need improving, giving a more personal touch to your learning experience. This allows you to take in the information at your own pace. Which in turn will improve your own fishing experiences.

• These courses have proved popular with both adults and children alike. Parents are more than welcome to come along and learn along with their children if they wish.
This course is a complete guide to course fishing, it uncovers the complexities of tackle and tactics, taking away some of the mysteries an cutting through the jargon surrounding angling terminology, it explains the lifestyles and habits of some of our more popular fish. Also the rules and regulations surrounding fishing are explained.
• Fishing tackle can be supplied for beginners courses, at no extra cost.

• As more and more diverse teaching methods are being used now, fishing is reaching the school curriculum. At the angling school we cater for small groups of students, wishing to learn either about fishing or the environment that surrounds our waterways.

 Hi Ian, Steve from Devon here.

I'm back at work but would just like to put in black and white my thanks to you for a tremendous day out last Wednesday at Wixford. Taking around 30-40 fish in conditions of bright sunlight and gin clear low water in a tiny river is not a bad effort – you know your stuff, for sure.

It brought back many memories of the time my Dad and I fished there so was extremely therapeutic in more ways than one.

Again many thanks - for me it was two years well worth waiting for.
PS I owe you two floats.....

 

Well how do I start this 1?

  After giving so many clients red letter days its hard to think that I can give myself one, but here is my own personnel Red letter day.

 June 26th 2010: While most people were stopping in to watch England get knocked out of the world cup finals, I decided to go to Woodlands view fishery in Worcestershire. To fish in round 2 of the Sonu/ Preston innovations qualifiers, this is a series of competitions in which the top 10 qualify to fish a final held on August bank holiday Sunday (last year i qualified first round) . 

 The draw time was 2.30 pm, after a nightmare journey down a blocked M 5 motorway i arrived at about 2.15, the queue was already being formed for the draw as i was paying in my entry fee's (this does not affect me because in my opinion if your going to draw well then it does not matter if your first or last in the bag), As usual i drew last because I do not like standing in queues. On the day I drew high pool peg 13 (not a noted area of the pool but I drew on the pool I wanted to be on and not being superstitious I do not mind number 13. From the draw in the cafe I had to walk past my peg to get to my car. So stopping for a look to see if their were any signs of fish in my area, I could see lots of big fish cruising around the surface (sun bathing) but would I be able to tempt them into feeding later in the evening when the sweltering heat cooled a little.

 It was decided at this point I was going to fish 3 lines, first of which was straight out in front at 4 meters, second to my left under the grass from the bank at 3 meters and the 3rd would be to my right between 2 and 4 meters again under the over hanging grass. The baits for the day Woodlands view management are very strict on what is allowed bait wise (but this is why the fish are kept in such good condition. Anyway my bait for the 5 hour competition was 10 tins of pre soaked Sweetcorn and 2 bags of Sonu competition pellets 1 bag 4 mm 1 x 6 mm Plus a small range of pre soaked pellets for use on the hook if needed.

 With the whistle blow at 3.30 I went straight out on the 4m shallow line starting depth was about 45 cm deep in 2m of water. Flicking 3 x 4 mm pellets about every 10 seconds and feeding a hand full of corn and a few pellets on both my margin swims (these swims are for later in the match). The first fish was a small F1 carp weighing about 1Lb, not bad only about a minute and a half into the competition. This continued with the odd bigger fish for the first 2 hours. with about 100Lbs in the net and good signs of bigger fish feeding confidently on my margin lines it was time to swap to the inside lines. First to the 3 meter line to my right where the float buried almost straight away and a carp of about 8 lbs went charging off into the middle of the lake. Soon tamed and into the keepnet I fed another handful of corn and went straight back over it, another carp hooked and heading for the middle of the pool. This continued for the rest of the match, catching bigger carp to about 15 lbs from both margin swims (I did not go back on the shallow 4m line but kept feeding it just in case the inside lines dried up.

The final whistle was blown at 8.30 pm now time for the weigh in, I was 5th to weigh in on my pool but already all the weight were well over 100 lbs, i was confident i had beaten my previous best weight of 148 lbs. the guy next to me weighed in a staggering 195. 5 lbs. The fishery owner was on the phone to his son discussing that the venue record of 272 lbs, had just been beaten with a weight of 275 lbs. With me to be weighed in next, the first net to weigh in was my small fish net all fish less than 3 lbs in this net, After 3 weighs it totalled 100 lbs, second net which was put in the water with 1 hour left of the match left. These were bigger fish averaging about 5- 8 lbs but still this net had 90+ lbs then we lifted the last net out and already the guys around us were talking about it being new record. The final total after 3 nets and 8 weighs on the scales was yes you guessed it was a staggering 285.5 lbs and a new venue record.

To end the perfect match I had to draw for the bonus peg (to win this the winner of the match has to draw the peg they won off out of the hat for a second time). Dipping in to the hat I picked out H 13 the peg I had just caught the new venue record off and walked away with almost £700. 

What a day but this time it was not me being thanked by some one else but me being congratulated by others for one hell of an achievement, Thank you to the management at Woodlands view for making it possible for me to amass such a weight and making my dream come true.