Frequently referred to as the birthplace of Fly Fishing, where the rivers Test and Itchen are the lifetime pilgrimage for many a devoted angler, Hampshire is one of the most culturally important destinations for the modern fly fisher. The county exists at the very confluence between English heritage and fly-fishing history.
Izaak Walton, now buried under the Winchester Cathedral, published The Compleat Angler in 1653 imprinting his name into local history in such a way that still resonates with the modern angler. Frederick Halford ‘invented’ the discipline of modern dry fly fishing in the late 1800’s, on the now hallowed banks of the mighty river Test, whilst George Skues, just 15 miles away on the River Itchen, developed what we refer to today as ‘nymphing.’
Nestled in the heart of the famous Test valley and pride of place along the well-trodden path for many a visiting angler, Stockbridge is a village frozen in time and steeped in fly-fishing history. Its quaint buildings and welcoming aura burning through the ambience of a rolling mist on a cool, crisp autumn morning, exudes an atmosphere like no other. You simply can’t help but be dragged toward the water’s edge.
River Test
The River Test is the chalkstream of all chalkstreams. It draws a south-western curve through 39 miles of Hampshire countryside, rising in the hamlet of Ashe before the Bourne, Dever and Anton join the main river.
Sweeping water meadows, burbling carriers, trickling mill leats and the powerful main channel amalgamate into the world-renowned Test valley. At some points two, three or even four streams run parallel. All are fishable and such is the nature of the river that it is often hard to distinguish the carrier from the main channel. Below Stockbridge the river grows appreciably bigger, in places too wide to cast across. The Wallop Brook and the Dun join the main river and it is only south of Romsey, a few miles from the sea that the River Test finally becomes one single channel.
River Itchen
In much the same way as the Test, the River Itchen is highly regarded among fly anglers for its prestigious history and immortal reputation for prolific wild fish fisheries. The Itchen brings together the Alre, Tichborne and Candover Brook, to form a chalkstream with a reputation to rival even that of the Test.
Rises to the south of New Alresford and flowing 26 miles to meet Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge. The Itchen Navigation was constructed in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to enable barges to reach Winchester from Southampton Docks but is largely abandoned today. The river is one of the world's premier chalk streams for fly fishing, amenable to dry fly or nymphing. The local chalk aquifer has excellent storage and filtration, and the river has long been used for drinking water.
For seven lovely miles it flows westerly through the antiquated water meadows and wetland pastures until it reaches the ancient capital of England, Winchester. Heading south it flows almost beneath the shadow from the tower of the Cathedral, alongside the playing fields of Winchester College and on into open country again. Eventually, fourteen miles into its journey the river reaches Southampton, turning brackish at the Woodmill salmon pool before spilling into the Estuary to confluence with that of the neighbouring Test.
More about chalkstream fly fishing
If you like to read more about these streams, read this article that covers the inner workings, the fish and the flies. Or have a look at this video:
