River Itchen, Hampshire, England
A classic English chalkstream
The River Itchen in Hampshire is an iconic chalkstream - known as the Queen of Rivers, for some it's even better than the Test.
The Itchen has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its chalkstream habitat and is noted for the high quality of its habitats, which support a range of protected species including the water vole, otter, brook lamprey and white-clawed crayfish.
Like the Test, the clarity of the water provides excellent sight fishing opportunities.
Some venues, such as the Lower Itchen Fishery, offer day ticket access, which must be booked in advance.
Lower Itchen Fishery
The Lower Itchen Fishery lies just above the tidal reaches of the river and is a superb trout and grayling venue. I normally fish here from the start of the grayling season and have had great sport on the dry fly well into November. Salmon and sea trout are caught regularly, as well as genuine 2lb plus grayling. Bait fishing is allowed on parts of the fishery during the grayling season.
The Lower Itchen offers excellent but challenging dry fly fishing 
over five beats. The river has superb Ranunculus cover which is cut in the traditional method of line and bar. The five beats all have different qualities, giving a good variety with white water pools, faster riffled stretches and deep pools, and providing excellent sport.
Four of the five beats are fishable from both banks with footbridges placed on each beat to enable easy access. The fifth beat is only fished from one bank with the other bank being owned by the fishery but left natural to provide a haven for bird and insect life. All five beats are adjoining, with a central fishing lodge and BBQ area.
Regular stocking is carried out on the trout beats using only the highest quality brown trout ranging up to 5lbs. The fishery's policy is to only stock with brown trout and not rainbow trout, with the stocked brown trout complementing the wild brownies indigenous to the river.
The Lower Itchen Fishery
The average trout weighs in at just over 2lbs with a few fish between 3-5lbs later in the season. The largest brown trout caught on the fishery was 8lbs.
The ecology of the water meadows is extremely rich, and provides the right environment for the abundant fly hatches. This commences with the Grannom, followed by the Hawthorn and Mayfly. From June onwards we experience prolific hatches of Blue Winged Olive providing excellent late evening sport. During August and September, Sedges and Daddy Long Legs prove to be the favourites which is typical of a Hampshire chalk stream.
Popular flies include: Greenwell's Glory; Grey Wulff; Black Gnat; Adams; Walker's Red Sedge; Ginger Quill; B.W.O.; Lunn's Particular; Iron Blue Dun; and Sherry Spinner. For the days when the conditions are against you may, at the Keeper's discretion, use a nymph.
I will happily guide you on this fishery - please contact me for more details.