🎣 Fishing Spot: River Test – Hampshire, England

🏞️ About the River Test

The River Test is the most celebrated chalk stream in the world and the birthplace of modern fly fishing. Flowing for 40 miles (64km) from its source at Ashe in north Hampshire through the quintessentially English countryside to Southampton Water, the Test is more than just a river — it's a living monument to fly fishing history and tradition.

This pristine chalk stream system rises from underground aquifers, creating crystal-clear waters with stable temperatures and flows year-round. The Test is not a single channel but a complex braided system of main river, tributaries (Bourne Rivulet, Dever, Anton, and Dun), and man-made carriers created centuries ago for water meadow irrigation and milling. At some points, three or four parallel streams flow through the valley, all fishable and teeming with life.

Immortalized by legendary anglers and writers including Frederic Halford (father of dry fly fishing), G.E.M. Skues (pioneer of nymph fishing), and Harry Plunket Greene, the Test remains the gold standard for chalk stream fly fishing. The river flows through historic villages like Stockbridge, Longstock, and Houghton — each steeped in fly fishing lore and home to famous beats that have been fished by royalty, aristocracy, and the world's most passionate anglers for centuries.

🌟 Why the River Test Is Special

• Birthplace of Modern Fly Fishing
  The Test is where dry fly fishing was perfected in the Victorian era. The techniques, ethics, and traditions developed here became the foundation for fly fishing worldwide.

• The Ultimate Chalk Stream
  Fed by underground springs filtering through chalk aquifer, the Test maintains constant 10-11°C temperatures, crystal clarity, and stable flows regardless of weather — creating perfect trout habitat year-round.

• Legendary Mayfly Hatch
  The Test's late May/early June Mayfly hatch (Ephemera danica) is one of fly fishing's most iconic spectacles — thick clouds of large flies bringing every trout to the surface in a feeding frenzy.

• Extraordinary Insect Diversity
  Over 100 aquatic invertebrate species including 22 mayfly species, 40 caddis species, and 6+ stonefly species create unparalleled hatches from April through October.

• Wild and Stocked Trophy Trout
  While many beats are stocked, the Test maintains wild brown trout populations and produces fish of exceptional quality, with 2-5 lb fish common and specimens over 10 lbs possible.

• Salmon and Sea Trout
  The lower tidal reaches at Broadlands, Testwood, and Nursling offer the unique opportunity to fish for Atlantic salmon and double-figure sea trout in a chalk stream — nowhere else in the world provides this experience.

• Quintessential English Experience
  Fish past thatched cottages, medieval stone bridges, water meadows grazed by sheep, and riverside pubs like The Mayfly and The Boot Inn at Houghton. This is fly fishing steeped in 150+ years of tradition.

• 90 Minutes from London
  Despite its exclusivity, the Test is remarkably accessible — less than 2 hours from central London by car or train.

🐟 Fish Species of River Test

🌤️ Seasonal Fishing Overview

🌱 Spring (April – May)

• Season opens April 6 (varies slightly by beat — check specific dates).
• Early season: Grannom caddis (April) and Iron Blue mayflies trigger consistent rises.
• Water temperature perfect 10-11°C; fish eager after closed season.
• Late May: MAYFLY HATCH — the most anticipated event of the year.
• Peak Mayfly typically May 20-June 10; book 6-12 months ahead.
• Expect premium pricing during Mayfly (£300-600+ per rod/day).

☀️ Summer (June – August)

• Post-Mayfly period — fish return to smaller flies after gorging.
• Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) hatches dominate; size 16-18 patterns essential.
• July-August: Warmest months but constant chalk stream temperatures keep fish active.
• Best fishing: early morning (6-10am) and evening (6pm-dusk).
• Small olives, pale wateries, sedges (caddis), and terrestrials productive.
• Sunny days challenging — overcast conditions improve catches.
• Some beats close or go to half-day rods in August heat.

🍂 Fall (September – October)

• September: Excellent fishing as temperatures cool; Large Dark Olive hatches return.
• Browns feed heavily before spawning; some of largest fish of season caught.
• October: Final month of trout season (closes October 31); fish in prime condition.
• Late October-November: Spawning begins; many beats close early.
• Lower prices than summer; less crowded beats.

❄️ Winter (November – March)

• Trout season closed (most beats close November 1).
• GRAYLING SEASON: June 16 – March 15 (open when trout closed).
• Winter grayling fishing from November-March is spectacular.
• Fish rise to midges, small olives, and winter BWOs even in snow.
• Grayling average 1-2 lbs; 3 lb+ specimens possible.
• Far less expensive than trout season; incredibly atmospheric fishing.

🪶 Fishing Techniques on River Test

⚖️ Regulations & Permits

The Test is entirely privately owned with no public fishing. Access only through estate beats, fishing clubs, or booking agents.

PRICING (2025 estimates):

Famous beats (Houghton, Broadlands, Testwood) command premium prices. Upper river and tributaries generally cheaper.

BOOKING AGENTS:

• Fishing Breaks (fishingbreaks.co.uk) — largest portfolio of Test beats
• Upstream Dry Fly (upstreamdryfly.com) — Howard Taylor; specialist agent
• Aardvark McLeod (aardvarkmcleod.com) — Bill Latham; worldwide reputation
• Famous Fishing — William Daniel; wide selection
• Fly Odyssey Chalkstream — Gilly Bate; expert guide and agent

Direct Estate Bookings:

• Houghton Lodge
• Wherwell Estate
• Bossington Estate
• Broadlands Estate
• Testcombe Beat

⚠️ Critical Regulations (vary by beat):

• Most beats: Upstream dry fly only until June 30, then upstream nymph allowed
• Some beats: Dry fly only to visibly rising fish (no searching/speculative casting)
• Barbless hooks required on most waters
• Wading: Often not permitted or unnecessary (banks maintained for casting)
• Catch limits: Usually brace (2 fish) per day if keeping; many now catch & release
• Guide often included in day rate on premium beats
• Season: Trout April 6 – October 31; Grayling June 16 – March 15

🧭 Summary

The River Test is the most famous, most historic, and most revered trout stream on Earth — where fly fishing as we know it was invented and perfected. To fish the Test is to walk in the footsteps of Halford and Skues, to wade waters that have defined the sport for 150 years, and to experience English chalk stream fishing in its purest form.

This is not easy fishing. The Test's clear water reveals every mistake; its educated trout refuse anything that doesn't drift perfectly; and its strict "dry fly only to rising fish" traditions demand patience, observation, and precise casting. You may spend an hour stalking a single 3 lb brown trout sipping BWOs in a side channel, getting only one chance at a drag-free presentation. This is the point. The Test teaches discipline, rewards skill, and creates moments of perfection that define a lifetime of angling.

The legendary Mayfly hatch remains fly fishing's greatest spectacle — 10 days in late May when the entire river erupts with large flies and rising fish. Booking Mayfly week requires planning a year ahead and paying premium prices, but witnessing this ancient ritual is a bucket-list experience for any serious fly fisher.

Beyond trout, the lower Test offers the world's only chalk stream salmon and sea trout fishing — Atlantic salmon in crystal-clear spring water and double-figure sea trout at night in the famous Testwood Pool. Winter grayling fishing provides affordable, atmospheric sport when trout season closes.

Fish the Test to understand where fly fishing came from and where tradition matters more than numbers. Have lunch at The Mayfly pub on the riverbank, stay in Stockbridge's historic coaching inns, and fish water that Plunket Greene declared "the loveliest thing in the world." This is English fly fishing at its absolute finest — steeped in history, defined by beauty, and guarded by tradition.

Location: Hampshire, England (40 miles/64km long)
Main Towns: Stockbridge, Longstock, Romsey, Whitchurch
Fishing Season: Trout April 6 – Oct 31; Grayling Jun 16 – Mar 15
Main Species: Wild & Stocked Brown Trout, Rainbow, Grayling, Salmon, Sea Trout
Best Methods: Upstream Dry Fly, Upstream Nymph (post-June), Match-the-Hatch
Regulations: Private beats only, Dry fly only on most beats early season, Barbless hooks
Special Features: Birthplace of fly fishing, Mayfly hatch (late May), Chalk stream clarity, Historic villages, Salmon/sea trout (lower river), 90 minutes from London