Lets get ready for Spring Fishing.
The chalkstream fly fishing season will be soon underway. A wet winter means that out rivers are in excellent shape for the season ahead hopefully not as much water as last year. Spring give us a chance to get back out on the river and sharpen up our dry fly skills ahead of the impressive mayfly hatches that come a little later.
The spring is always an interesting time on the chalkstreams, the estates have been lightly fished through the winter for grayling and many have undergone restructuring work and added in-river improvements. When the season opens, each stretch of water has their own opening date with some getting going in mid-April whilst others hold on until the 1st May. This is our first chance to see and experience these works and how they have inevitably improved the fishing experience.
As an angler you may wonder what you might encounter during an early season fly fishing trip to an English chalkstream.
April days are always filled with anticipation as to what the new chalkstream season will bring. The hope is for settled conditions and no sign of the dreaded North-Easterly winds. Large Dark Olives are the mainstay of the trout’s diet early on in the month before the emergence of the Grannom that really brings everything to life through the middle weeks.
As the month progresses and warmer days become more frequent the first of the hawthorn flies start dance around the bushes set along the river. The hawthorn can last into May and sometimes longer but this can be a fickle hatch. The ideal conditions tend to be dry days with a gentle breeze to blow the fly onto the water.
May is a wonderful month to fish with dry fly sport reaching its peak for the season. Hatches of small Iron Blues can bring days to life when there are few Hawthorn showing. These hatches are all just the warm up act to the main mayfly emergence through the latter half of May and into June.
It is possible to secure your preferred spring dates whether a single angler or group now. So do not hesitate to contact us for details on availability.
Here is Alex talking us through what to expect early season on the chalkstreams.
Spring Fly Fishing Availability 2025:
Although it is limited, we still have access and some availability.
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 10 rods
Lower Itchen, River Itchen – 1to 6 rod
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 4 rods
River Kennett , Private Syndicate group day 1 to 6 rods
Wherwell Priory ,River Test group day 3 to 6 rods
For more information about fly fishing this coming season we now have availability for the Trout season on our books or to grab a last minute grayling day, please contact Justin Hancock or call our office on +44(0)1980 847389.