A lone fly fisherman casting on a misty river at dawn
UnHooked

Fly fishing · Recovery · Reconnection

Step into the river.
Leave the noise behind.

UnHooked is a sanctuary on the water — guided fly fishing days for those recovering from addiction and mental health challenges.

Plan your dayOur mission

01 — Why we exist

A trout doesn't care who you used to be.
It only asks that you show up, and pay attention.

UnHooked was built for the moments after the storm — for people walking the long road of recovery from addiction, anxiety, burnout, or grief. Fly fishing is our medicine: rhythmic, patient, and quietly demanding. It pulls you out of your head and into your hands.

No pressure. No performance. Just running water, a rod in your hand, and a guide who has walked it too.

02 — Experiences

Three ways to meet the water.

Every day on the river is shaped around the person standing in it. Tell us where you are, we'll meet you there.

A man wading in a river fly fishing
Half day01

The Quiet Cast

Three hours on a chalkstream with a guide. Learn to cast, learn to breathe. Built for first-timers and anyone who needs a soft entry back into the world.

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A wild brown trout being released
Full day02

River Days

Sunrise to dusk on private water. Tackle, lunch and waders provided. A full day to lose track of time and remember what stillness feels like.

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Hand-tied fishing flies on a wooden bench
Retreat03

The Long Reset

Three nights, four days. Riverside lodging, guided sessions, fly-tying evenings, and quiet conversation. Designed in collaboration with recovery practitioners.

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A fly rod and reel resting on a rain-spattered car bonnet, overlooking Midlands countryside

03 — Our story

How did this start?

UnHooked began on a rainy bank in the Midlands, the morning after a hard year. One rod, one friend, one fish. It was the first hour in months that the noise had gone quiet.

James Alexander works with therapists, recovery coaches, and some of the finest fly fishing guides in the country to build days that hold space for whatever you're carrying — and gently put it down.

Guests
240+
Rivers
17
Years
8
"I came here trying to catch a fish. I left having caught a piece of myself I thought was gone."

Daniel · 18 months sober

From the bank

Last light on the reservoir
Weather passes. The water stays.
Every riverbank needs a dog
Never too late to learn a new cast
Geese for company
A good fish, a better smile
Standing still in moving water
Held for a moment, then let go

04 — Veterans on the water

For those who've served, the river asks nothing back.

UnHooked grew out of years spent on the water with UK military veterans — many of them living with PTSD, others carrying the isolation that so often follows service. Some arrived through charities and welfare officers; most arrived because a mate dragged them along. All of them found the same thing: water that asks nothing of you, and company that asks even less.

The magic isn't the fish. It's the people. Out on the river the old hierarchies dissolve — no rank, no small talk, no need to explain. The fly fishing community wraps around veterans the way a good squad does: quietly, reliably, and for the long haul.

Camaraderie without ranks

Riverbank friendships form shoulder-to-shoulder. Nobody needs to know what you did or what you carry — you're just two people watching the same rise.

A routine you can hold

Knots, casts, seasons, hatches. The river offers structure without pressure — rhythm enough to anchor a difficult week.

Isolation, undone

Days on the water end with shared lunches, group chats, and return dates in the diary. Connection becomes habit, not effort.

Peer support that lasts

Many of our guides and volunteers are veterans themselves. The person beside you has been where you are — and is standing on the other side of it.

An angler in a boat fly fishing a reservoir under a dramatic sky at sunset
A day afloat — where the water does the talking.
Bring a veteran, or come as one

05 — Meet the founder

James Alexander, founder of UnHooked, wearing a tweed cap and fishing vest with tied flies

James Alexander

James spent fifteen years in the pressure-cooker of London finance before addiction brought everything to a halt. His recovery began on a rain-soaked Midlands riverbank with an old split-cane rod and a patient friend. Today he pairs that lived experience with professional training in peer-support mentoring to guide others back to themselves — one quiet cast at a time.

Founder & Head Guide

06 — Your first day

Your first day, without the unknowns.

Walking into anything new is the hardest cast of all. So here's exactly how a first day unfolds — what happens, what to bring, and who to talk to before you come. Most guests arrive nervous and leave asking when they can come back.

01

Meet

We meet at the water — often a quiet stretch of chalkstream or stillwater. No office, no waiting room. James greets you, we walk the bank, and we talk only if you want to.

02

Kit up

Waders, boots, rod and tackle are all provided and fitted for you. Casting is taught from scratch, at your pace — many guests have never held a rod before.

03

On the water

The rest belongs to the river. Read the water, cast, watch, wait. Some guests talk the whole time; some say almost nothing. Both are right.

04

Home

We finish with a hot drink and a loose plan — whether that's your next session, a retreat, or simply knowing the door is open.

What to bring

  • Warm layers — weather on the water changes fast
  • Waterproof jacket and a hat, whatever the forecast says
  • Old trainers or wellies are fine; waders are provided
  • A packed lunch for full days (lunch is provided on River Days and retreats)
  • Any medication you'd normally carry
  • Nothing else. No kit, no experience, no fitness requirement.

Before you come

Every booking starts with a conversation, never a form with boxes to tick. Call or email James for a no-pressure chat — about how you're doing, which day might suit you, and anything you're worried about. If a friend, keyworker, or support worker is helping, they're welcome on that call too.

There's no assessment, no waiting list and no wrong moment. If you'd rather just ask a question and think about it, that's a perfectly good first step.

Start the conversation

07 — Get in touch

When you're ready, we are too.

Tell us a little about yourself. There's no script. We'll reply personally within 48 hours.

Telephone
+44 07811 207274
Based
Midlands · Travelling rivers UK-wide