Lower Itchen Fishery offers excellent, challenging dry-fly fishing for brown trout across five distinctive beats. The River Itchen here has superb ranunculus cover, cut using the traditional line-and-bar method, and the beats offer a varied mix of white-water pools, faster riffled stretches and deeper holding water providing excellent sport.
Four of the five beats can be fished from both banks, with footbridges on each beat for easy access. The fifth beat is fished from one bank only; the opposite bank is owned by the fishery but left natural, creating a valuable haven for bird and insect life. All five beats adjoin one another and are served by a central Fishing Cabin and BBQ area.
Stocking and Fish Quality
Regular stocking is carried out on the trout beats using high-quality brown trout up to 5 lbs. The fishery stocks brown trout only, not rainbow trout, so the introduced fish complement the wild brown trout already indigenous to the River Itchen. The average trout weighs just over 2 lbs, with a number of fish between 3 and 5 lbs appearing later in the season. The largest brown trout caught at the fishery weighed 8 lbs.
Hatches, Flies and Tactics
The water-meadow ecology is exceptionally rich, creating ideal conditions for abundant fly hatches throughout the season. The hatch sequence begins with Grannom, followed by Hawthorn and Mayfly. From June onwards, prolific Blue-Winged Olive hatches provide excellent late-evening sport. During August and September Sedges and Daddy Long Legs prove to be the favourites, which is typical of a Hampshire chalkstream.
Popular flies include Greenwell’s Glory, Grey Wulff, Black Gnat, Adams, Walker’s Red Sedge, Ginger Quill, Blue-Winged Olive, Lunn’s Particular, Iron Blue Dun and Sherry Spinner. When conditions are unfavourable, a nymph may be used at the Keeper’s discretion.
Trout Fishing Options
- Season rods: Available fortnightly or weekly on a named day of the week from 24 April to 7 October, giving 12 or 24 days. Rods are allocated their own beat on each booked day and rotate through all five beats during the season. Season rods also receive guest tickets: 4 for fortnightly rods and 8 for weekly rods.
- We offer a degree of flexibility for our season rods to take into account holidays and work commitments whereby up to four allocated dates may be swapped, subject to availability and at least two weeks’ prior notice.
- Combo rod: A fortnightly combination of trout and salmon fishing on a named day of the week. The Combo Rod includes 6 days’ trout fishing with 3 guest tickets, plus 6 days’ salmon fishing with 6 guest tickets. From April, visits alternate between salmon fishing for two people on a salmon beat and trout fishing on the trout water.
- Day tickets: Available from 18 April to 7 October and must be booked well in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Read our full Frequently Asked Questions section here.
Can I have a BBQ?
Yes, there are two purpose built BBQ’s at the main fishing cabin on the trout beats. You will need to bring your own charcoal and make sure they are fully out when finished.
What Rod size do I need for Trout fishing?
8’6” or anything over 7’ is ok.
Can I hire rods for the day?
Yes, if booked in advance. See separate page for prices.
What methods of fishing for Trout?
Upstream dry fly preferred but upstream nymphs are allowed at the river keeper’s discretion when river conditions are not conducive to the dry fly. Maximum hook size for trout fishing: Size 12
Can I keep my catch?
Trout: You may keep up to 4 trout if you are fishing on your own on a trout beat or 6 if fishing with a guest. If you are fishing on a salmon beat you may take a maximum of 2 trout per beat. No trout under 12” to be killed unless diseased or in very bad condition.
Sea trout can be kept. No sea trout under 15" in length to be killed unless diseased or in very bad condition.
What hours can I fish for Trout?
Trout: 9am until one hour after sunset
Sea Trout: 8.45pm – 3am
What are the fishing seasons for Trout?
Trout: 18th April – 7th October
Sea Trout: 1st May – 31st October
Do you offer night-time Sea Trout fishing?
Yes, from 1st May until 31st October. From 8.45pm until 3am. Methof of fishing is fly only. Catch limits: None for Sea Trout, 2 per beat for brown trout. Any Salmon caught MUST be released. Minimum of 2 rods for safety reasons.
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