A true chalkstream, and a little known gem that looks more like the Itchen in some places. The river provides access to spooky little wild Brown Trout of 1/2lb – 1 1/2lbs, but is also run by Sea Trout who can throw you a surprise now and then. Stealthy approach, careful wading and accurate casting is needed, so this river is only available under our metoring service programme of 1 to 1 guiding.
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Sea Trout, Chub, Dace
How to fish: Bank and wading, up stream dry fly only
Great Stour
River
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the Great Stour River is.
See more detail about the Great Stour River here
Eyebrook Reservoir
Reservoirs
A beautiful scenic old reservoir with prolific weed beds and fly life. Well stocked with Trout, it has a prolific buzzer hatch in late March, April and May. In late May and early June it also gets a spectacular damsel hatch, particularly in the shallows, and a limited Mayfly hatch as well., In other respects it is similar to its Midland reservoir cousins, Rutland, Grafham and Ravensthorpe. Eyebrook Trout from early May onwardsa re often on the top of the water particularly in the evenings when fishing dries can provide fantastic sport.
Type of fish: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Pike
How to fish: Fly: boat and bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Eyebrook Reservoir is
See more detail about Eyebrook Reservoir here
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Reservoirs
A charming, managabley small old Victorian reservoir with some very big Trout. It has the hatches of large buzzer in March, April, May and a great damsel hatch in late May, June, like Eyebrook, but also a very good sedge hatch from May onward, mostly in the evening. Like Eyebrook, it often sees fish feeding on the surface and anglers can do well with dries.
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout.
How to fish: Fly, boat and bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Ravensthorpe Reservoir is.
See more detail about Ravensthorpe Reservoir here
River Test
River
The quintessential English chalkstream and home of upstream dry fly fishing is in much demand, and isn’t cheap. We off everything from 1 to 1 mentoring to corporate/mates parties of up to 5 rods, depending on the available water. The package is flexible, and allows you to choose the number of ghillies, as well as catering options from do-it-yourself, the pub, to full Silver Service at the riverside.
The season begins in April, but fly life really gets going in May, which sees a crescendo at the end of the month, with the famous Mayfly hatch known as ‘duffers fortnight’. Mayfly spinner falls and sedge hatches continue throughout June and fishing continues to be good right through to the end of the season in September
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
How to fish: Bank (no wading), upstream dry fly only
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the River Test is.
See more detail about the River Test here
Powdermill
Reservoir
A beautiful, secluded little reservoir run by the Hastings Fly Fishers Club. This reservoir comes into its own with a massive ‘Vulgata’ Mayfly hatch. These Mayflies are darker and quite different to their white ‘danica’ chalkstream cousins. The Trout start taking nymphs and emergers in mid-May and then the dark Brown Spinners in the evenings from late May, petering out towards the end of June. Fishing from the bank or a rowing boat (electric outboards are allowed, but not supplied).
Unfortunately, the water heats up quickly in July and fishing becomes increasingly difficult. If you fancy dry Mayfly fishing on a reservoir, then this venue ticks the box
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
How to fish: Fly, boat and bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Powdermill Reservoir is
See more detail about Powdermill Reservoir here
River Findhorn
River
We have access to the Moy and Farr beats of the river near Tomatin (and its distillery). Salmon start coming in numbers in June where early in the month you can still come across the odd Springer in among the Grilse. The Grilse run peters out in August and like all Scottish Salmon fishing is hugely dependent on water conditions. The September and October runs can also be very good if the conditions are right, with some bigger red and fresh run fish. This year we will be concentrating our efforts during June and the Grilse runs, but are happy to take September bookings if there is sufficient demand. The letting comes with a self-catering cottage that sleeps 3-4 people.
Type of fish: Atlantic Salmon, Sea Trout
How to fish: Bank, wading, traditional salmon gear, switch and single handed rods, swung fly/down and across, riffling and bombers
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the River Findhorn is
See more detail about the River Findhorn here
Damerham Fisheries
River
For beginners I prefer to use Damerham in the New Forest which is a complex of clear water lakes on the River Allan that can be very exclusive and private. The lakes being clear mean that you can see the fish and it is much easier to teach beginners because of that.
Dun&Spinner Ltd can lay on a corporate day for up to 10 people of mixed ability/experience or do smaller parties or 1:2:1 tuition/guiding. The link below gives more details of the venue. Attached are some photos of complete beginners catching on previous days there. The day typically starts with a full English in the lodge followed by fishing with hire tackle and instructors for those that need them (myself and son Alex plus Ian from the fishery if we need him). The morning session can be followed by a large buffet lunch with fine wine and beer if requested. Then the afternoon session finishes at 5.00pm. The party can be put up in the village pub (the Compasses) the night before or after the fishing but let us know what suits you in that regard and the sooner the better as the pub is very popular.
The cost will be £300 per head upto a maximum of 10 people. Monday is a good day because the traffic is light on Sunday if you want to travel down the night before. If not then any weekday but Friday is equally good.
Type of fish: Damerham Blue Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
How to fish: Bank (no wading), dry fly and traditional nymphs only
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the Damerham Fisheries is.
See more detail about Damerham Fisheries here
Iceland
River
Over the years, we have taken parties some great Icelandic rivers. The land of fire and ice is rugged and has an extreme beauty, capped off by the Northern Lights (if you’re lucky).
Mummi is our local man, and uses local guides depending on river and size of the party. For the next season, he is looking at Char and Trout based trips with the chance of Salmon, as a more economical option to the classic Salmon rivers, which are increasingly expensive. Someone once described Salmon fishing in Iceland as like ‘tearing up £20 notes in a cold shower’, but neglected to add ‘…and still found it a great experience!’
One technique you must try in Iceland is fishing the riffled fly. Particularly the tiny microtubes in size 16 or less. The skating fly and explosive surface take are a real heart pounding Adrenaline rush. It’s not just the fishing that gets the Adrenalin pumping thought; often it’s also the ascent and descent to the river down impossible vertical looking cliffs that does it too!
Type of fish: Atlantic Salmon, Arctic Char, Brown Trout
How to fish: Fly: boat, bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Iceland is
See more detail on Iceland here
June
Great Stour
River
A true chalkstream, and a little known gem that looks more like the Itchen in some places. The river provides access to spooky little wild Brown Trout of 1/2lb – 1 1/2lbs, but is also run by Sea Trout who can throw you a surprise now and then. Stealthy approach, careful wading and accurate casting is needed, so this river is only available under our metoring service programme of 1 to 1 guiding.
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Sea Trout, Chub, Dace
How to fish: Bank and wading, up stream dry fly only
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the Great Stour River is.
See more detail about the Great Stour River here
Eyebrook Reservoir
Reservoirs
A beautiful scenic old reservoir with prolific weed beds and fly life. Well stocked with Trout, it has a prolific buzzer hatch in late March, April and May. In late May and early June it also gets a spectacular damsel hatch, particularly in the shallows, and a limited Mayfly hatch as well., In other respects it is similar to its Midland reservoir cousins, Rutland, Grafham and Ravensthorpe. Eyebrook Trout from early May onwards are often on the top of the water particularly in the evenings when fishing dries can provide fantastic sport.
Type of fish: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Pike
How to fish: Fly: boat and bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Eyebrook Reservoir is
See more detail about Eyebrook Reservoir here
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Reservoirs
A charming, managabley small old Victorian reservoir with some very big Trout. It has the hatches of large buzzer in March, April, May and a great damsel hatch in late May, June, like Eyebrook, but also a very good sedge hatch from May onward, mostly in the evening. Like Eyebrook, it often sees fish feeding on the surface and anglers can do well with dries.
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout.
How to fish: Fly, boat and bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Ravensthorpe Reservoir is.
See more detail about Ravensthorpe Reservoir here
River Test
River
The quintessential English chalkstream and home of upstream dry fly fishing is in much demand, and isn’t cheap. We off everything from 1 to 1 mentoring to corporate/mates parties of up to 5 rods, depending on the available water. The package is flexible, and allows you to choose the number of ghillies, as well as catering options from do-it-yourself, the pub, to full Silver Service at the riverside.
The season begins in April, but fly life really gets going in May, which sees a crescendo at the end of the month, with the famous Mayfly hatch known as ‘duffers fortnight’. Mayfly spinner falls and sedge hatches continue throughout June and fishing continues to be good right through to the end of the season in September
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
How to fish: Bank (no wading), upstream dry fly only
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the River Test is.
See more detail about the River Test here
Powdermill
Reservoir
A beautiful, secluded little reservoir run by the Hastings Fly Fishers Club. This reservoir comes into its own with a massive ‘Vulgata’ Mayfly hatch. These Mayflies are darker and quite different to their white ‘danica’ chalkstream cousins. The Trout start taking nymphs and emergers in mid-May and then the dark Brown Spinners in the evenings from late May, petering out towards the end of June. Fishing from the bank or a rowing boat (electric outboards are allowed, but not supplied).
Unfortunately, the water heats up quickly in July and fishing becomes increasingly difficult. If you fancy dry Mayfly fishing on a reservoir, then this venue ticks the box
Type of fish: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
How to fish: Fly, boat and bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Powdermill Reservoir is
See more detail about Powdermill Reservoir here
River Findhorn
River
We have access to the Moy and Farr beats of the river near Tomatin (and its distillery). Salmon start coming in numbers in June where early in the month you can still come across the odd Springer in among the Grilse. The Grilse run peters out in August and like all Scottish Salmon fishing is hugely dependent on water conditions. The September and October runs can also be very good if the conditions are right, with some bigger red and fresh run fish. This year we will be concentrating our efforts during June and the Grilse runs, but are happy to take September bookings if there is sufficient demand. The letting comes with a self-catering cottage that sleeps 3-4 people.
Type of fish: Atlantic Salmon, Sea Trout
How to fish: Bank, wading, traditional salmon gear, switch and single handed rods, swung fly/down and across, riffling and bombers
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the River Findhorn is
See more detail about the River Findhorn here
Damerham Fisheries
River
For beginners I prefer to use Damerham in the New Forest which is a complex of clear water lakes on the River Allan that can be very exclusive and private. The lakes being clear mean that you can see the fish and it is much easier to teach beginners because of that.
Dun&Spinner Ltd can lay on a corporate day for up to 10 people of mixed ability/experience or do smaller parties or 1:2:1 tuition/guiding. The link below gives more details of the venue. Attached are some photos of complete beginners catching on previous days there. The day typically starts with a full English in the lodge followed by fishing with hire tackle and instructors for those that need them (myself and son Alex plus Ian from the fishery if we need him). The morning session can be followed by a large buffet lunch with fine wine and beer if requested. Then the afternoon session finishes at 5.00pm. The party can be put up in the village pub (the Compasses) the night before or after the fishing but let us know what suits you in that regard and the sooner the better as the pub is very popular.
The cost will be £300 per head upto a maximum of 10 people. Monday is a good day because the traffic is light on Sunday if you want to travel down the night before. If not then any weekday but Friday is equally good.
Type of fish: Damerham Blue Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
How to fish: Bank (no wading), dry fly and traditional nymphs only
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to the Damerham Fisheries is.
See more detail about Damerham Fisheries here
Iceland
River
Over the years, we have taken parties some great Icelandic rivers. The land of fire and ice is rugged and has an extreme beauty, capped off by the Northern Lights (if you’re lucky).
Mummi is our local man, and uses local guides depending on river and size of the party. For the next season, he is looking at Char and Trout based trips with the chance of Salmon, as a more economical option to the classic Salmon rivers, which are increasingly expensive. Someone once described Salmon fishing in Iceland as like ‘tearing up £20 notes in a cold shower’, but neglected to add ‘…and still found it a great experience!’
One technique you must try in Iceland is fishing the riffled fly. Particularly the tiny microtubes in size 16 or less. The skating fly and explosive surface take are a real heart pounding Adrenaline rush. It’s not just the fishing that gets the Adrenalin pumping thought; often it’s also the ascent and descent to the river down impossible vertical looking cliffs that does it too!
Type of fish: Atlantic Salmon, Arctic Char, Brown Trout
How to fish: Fly: boat, bank
Please look at the Event Calendar to find out when our next trip to Iceland is
See more detail on Iceland here