ONE OF Hampshire’s famous chalkstreams, the Itchen is shorter than its equally famous neighbour, the Test, and is therefore more exclusive. Many Itchen beats are controlled by syndicates and private owners with fishing reserved for members and friends only, although there is some day-ticket availability – and even a free stretch through Winchester city centre.
Salmon
The lower reaches provide the best chance of a salmon, with the Lower Itchen Fishery one of the best beats to try. Most Itchen salmon are caught on spinners or the prawn (fishing with worms is prohibited) but they can be induced to take a fly. The more unusual method of fishing a salmon nymph, by casting upstream and fishing down to a sighted fish, is one of the most effective ways of taking chalkstream salmon.
Sea-trout
Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av Trout & Salmon.
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Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av Trout & Salmon.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Mr Goldhead And The Grayling
Lawrence Catlow fishes the rapidly recovering River Irfon in Powys.
Moody Beasts
Stan Headley searches for the elusive sea-trout of Loch Ailsh in the northwest Highlands.
Alone On The River
Cliff Hatton encounters a mighty Wye salmon.
Hop To It
Richard Donkin has a no-nonsense approach to tackle and amphibians.
River Blackwater
THE BLACKWATER rises in the boglands of County Kerry, and although the peaty tinge it carries gives rise to its name it also flows through limestone and that helps it to support a diverse range of fly-life which provides plenty of sustenance for salmon parr and trout. The river is one of Ireland’s most productive salmon fisheries, along with the River Moy.
Hampshire Avon
THERE CAN be few places in fishing more famous than the Royalty Fishery on the Hampshire Avon, even Mr Crabtree has fished its illustrious waters. Two seasons ago an enormous salmon of 40lb was caught in the spring at the Royalty and big salmon are regularly caught in the early months of the season.
A Strange Kind Of Magic
Charles van straubenzee introduces a salmon fly that combines the most unlikely colours and materials to deadly effect.
A Deep-Water Experiment
Stan Headley hatches a plan to catch three species of fish in one day at Loch Calder in Caithness.
Rutland's Old Warriors
James Beeson enjoys supercharged surface sport with Rutland Water’s fry-feeders.
Plucked From The Jaws
Looking for affordable back-end sport? Andrew Flitcroft recommends the challenging Chollerton beat on the North Tyne.
