Wildetrout
Verified4 fisheries and 3 beats to book · guiding on 4 fisheries and 2 beats
Wildetrout was founded by fishing guide and riverkeeper Jamie Pankhurst, whose background spans guiding, keepering, and fishing agency work across the southern chalk streams. Beats cover rivers across Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Dorset, with the River Test as the core focus. A notable partnership with the Wessex Rivers Trust brings exclusive chalk stream fly fishing on the Oakley, Rectory, and Dun beats at Mottisfont Abbey on the River Test. Rivers covered include River Kennet, River Test. Wildetrout lists 3 beats in total.
Anglers can choose to be accompanied by a Wilde Guide, acting as a personal ghillie equipped with expert local knowledge, premium tackle, and hand-tied flies, or set out unguided with all the kit provided. Services include private tuitions and courses, fishing guides, tackle hire, corporate and group days, and picnic hampers.
What Wildetrout offers
Tuition & guiding
Access & membership
Packages & stays
Extras
Waters you can only book through Wildetrout
River Test
Mottisfont Abbey
On the River Test in Hampshire, sheltered in the valley of the River Test, Mottisfont Abbey carries a place in fly fishing history that few beats can match. It was here that F.M. Halford, one of the founding fathers of modern fly fishing, developed the techniques that formed the bedrock of upstream dry fly fishing as we know it. Since 2023, the Wessex Rivers Trust has been working alongside the National Trust, the custodians of these stretches of the River Test, to restore and enhance habitat for wild trout and the wildlife that calls the chalk streams home. The fishery now operates as an unstocked, catch-and-release water, managed with a focus on long-term river health, habitat improvement, and responsible access. The Oakley Beat sits within the 1-beat listing on FishingBeats, and the Day tickets, Accommodation, Tuition, Equipment hire on offer make it well suited to visiting anglers at any level. Anglers can step back in time in the Oakley fishing hut, where Halford once sat looking out over the river and tying his flies to match the evening rise. The water holds , fished exclusively on the dry fly. The fishery is located in .
River Kennet
The Wilderness
The Wilderness covers 5 miles of main-river chalk stream on the River Kennet, in , making it one of the more substantial single-beat offerings on this Berkshire chalk stream. Though the Kennet runs only 22 miles from source to Newbury, 18th-century water engineers created more than 80 miles of fishable water through a maze of carriers, and a beat of this length gives genuine scope to explore varied water, from open glides to tighter, tree-lined runs. The river fishes fly only, with both dry fly and nymph permitted, and the difficulty rating reflects water that rewards experience and a considered approach rather than simply covering the bank. The River Kennet holds a thriving population of wild brown trout and grayling, with the fishery moderately stocked with young brown trout to help maintain numbers. The river is also home to the legendary Kennet "greenback," a unique strain of wild brown trout; each season a lucky few anglers manage to encounter one. The trout season runs 1 April to 30 September. Spring brings olive hatches combined with grannom and hawthorn, giving way to impressive mayfly, followed by excellent evening fishing through summer as caddis flies gather. The mayfly arrives comparatively late relative to other southern chalk streams, with the best sport often found in the first weeks of June. September can be a productive month for stalking wary risers, though a stealthy approach is often required as water levels drop. are all present on the beat, giving variety across the season. This is a guided-only beat. Guided days are available from £665, with a guide on hand throughout the day, which is only available on Thursdays. On-bank facilities include a fishing hut, rod room, toilets, and refreshments, so a full day on the water is well catered for without needing to leave the beat.
River Kennet
Benham Park
At 3.5 miles, the Benham Estate is one of the most extensive private chalk stream fisheries in Berkshire, sitting on the River Kennet near Kintbury. The estate encompasses two fisheries — the Park and the Wilderness — each with its own full-time river keeper, run independently despite being under the same ownership. Between Hungerford and Kintbury, the river offers a range of wider open sections and wilder narrow sections, providing genuine variety across the day. The main river is criss-crossed by carriers and side streams, and the river flows crystal clear for almost the whole season, making it a true sight-fishery where you can target specific fish. A river restoration scheme was implemented on this reach, including narrowing the Kennet, restoring a side drain with added gravel, and creating fish spawning habitat. The beat is fly only, bank fishing throughout, and rated for experienced anglers. There is an excellent head of wild fish supplemented by brown trout stocking only. The season runs 30 April to 29 September, accepting one to four rods, with brown trout and grayling the primary quarry. Olive hatches in spring combine with grannom and hawthorn to keep fish looking up from the outset, and the river below Hungerford near Kintbury usually experiences massive hatches of mayfly. The mayfly hatch arrives comparatively late compared to other rivers, with the best sport often found in the first few weeks of June. Excellent evening fishing follows through summer as caddis gather and adult olives return to lay eggs, and September can be a rewarding month for stalking wary risers — though with water levels often low, a stealthy approach is required. The Park can on occasion suffer poor visibility due to algal blooms or murky water entering from the Kennet and Avon Canal, which joins the river just upstream — worth factoring into your timing. A 9 ft rod with a 4–5wt floating line and tippet to 6x suits most situations on the main river; drop lighter for the carriers. Keeper Gary Allen has been on the river for 30-plus years and is available on site. A traditional fishing hut adjacent to a former Victorian bathing pool is provided for rods, with toilets and parking immediately adjacent. Day rod prices run from £212 in late season to £347 during mayfly.
River Kennet
The Lamb Stream
The Lamb Stream runs for approximately 1 mile along a chalk stream carrier of the River Kennet in , threading through classic water-meadow habitat typical of the upper Kennet valley. Though the main river spans just 22 miles from source to Newbury, 18th-century water engineers created more than 80 miles of fishable water through a maze of carriers, and this beat is a product of that tradition. Expect a narrower, more intimate channel than the main river: overhung banks, tight casting angles, and fish that demand a careful approach. The beat is rated as adventurer difficulty and suits anglers who are comfortable reading complex water and placing a fly accurately under pressure. The here are pursued on dry fly and nymph throughout a season running 1 April to 30 September. Olive hatches in spring combine with grannom and hawthorn before the mayfly arrives, which is followed by excellent evening fishing through summer as caddis flies gather; the mayfly arrives comparatively late relative to other southern chalk streams, with the best sport often found in the first weeks of June. The river flows crystal clear for almost the whole season, making it a genuine sight-fishery where you can target specific fish. The Kennet is also home to the rare "Greenback" brown trout, a green-flanked and largely spotless strain found nowhere else on the chalk streams; each season a lucky few anglers manage to encounter one. The beat is fly only, with both dry fly and nymph permitted. A 9 ft rod for a 4 or 5 weight line suits the carrier conditions well, with fine tippet essential on clear summer water. A fishing hut and refreshments are available on site.
Fisheries you can book through Wildetrout
River Test
Wherwell Estate Fishing
Wherwell Estate Fishing sits on the upper River Test in Hampshire, within northwest Hampshire's rolling chalkland, owned and cared for by the same family for over 100 years. The fishery covers around three miles of river across open water meadows, with beats typically comprising carrier streams alongside tree-lined pools and gravel runs. Seven numbered beats are available — Beats Nine, Ten and Eleven fish the main river, while Beats Three, Four, Five and Seven cover the smaller carriers. Located on the upper Test, the river width is manageable for casting, with the majority of fishing done by overhead cast. The river holds good populations of wild brown trout and grayling alongside stocked fish. Trout fishing runs from the start of May through mid-October, with grayling fishing from mid-October through to mid-March. Day tickets and membership are both available. Each beat has its own fishing hut, suitable for a group to take lunch, and the estate also provides a lakeside fishing hut with a kitchen, catch returns folders, and electronic gates. A secluded lake stocked with rainbow trout accommodates up to six rods per day and is open for year-round booking, offering an alternative for groups or families alongside the river beats.
River Test
Bossington Estate
Sitting on the middle River Test, south of Houghton near Stockbridge, Bossington Estate lies in a catchment well known as the birthplace of dry fly fishing — it was on the banks of the River Test that Frederick Halford honed the ground-breaking thoughts that effectively invented modern dry fly fishing in the late 1800s. The fishery offers seven beats across the estate: six on the main river — Rushams, Home, Old Stews, Home Stream, House, and Old Station — plus two miles of the Wallop Brook, a lively tributary of the Test. The river beats each have their own individuality, with deep pools, riffled water and gravel beds, while the Wallop Brook fishes like a true chalk stream, rewarding patience and stealth. The iconic Home Beat is the most famous of all Bossington beats, where a Victorian thatched fishing hut offers magnificent views downstream. Every beat has its own fishing hut, and a secluded self-catering hut serves Horsebridge Lake, a spring-fed still water stocked with rainbow trout. Day tickets are available on all beats, and the estate provides GAIA and AAPGAI-qualified instructors for one-to-one or group tuition covering fly-fishing fieldcraft and casting. Equipment hire covers rods, tackle, clothing and flies, and corporate days with full catering and picnic hampers can be arranged through the estate office.
River Test
Leckford Estate Fishing
Sitting on the middle River Test, north of Stockbridge, Leckford Estate Fishing is managed as part of the John Lewis Partnership and offers one of the most accessible stretches of Hampshire chalk stream fly fishing available on day ticket. Eleven miles of the River Test are covered across nine bookable beats, with both single and double bank options and clear, nutrient-rich water holding brown trout, rainbow trout, and grayling. The Test at this point is not a single channel — carriers, side streams, and the main river run in parallel, giving each beat its own character, from carrier-focused beats with shorter main river sections to double-bank main river with shallow glides deepening into holding pools. A team of full-time riverkeepers maintains the fishery, which sits within the Test Valley SSSI, surrounded by water meadows and reed beds. Visiting anglers can book day tickets or membership, and the estate supports beginners and improvers with tuition and beginners' courses on the lakes. Two stillwater options — Testside Lakes and Longstock Park Lake — round out the offer, with fishing lodges at each. Equipment hire, ghillie services, accommodation, and corporate packages are also available, making Leckford Estate a practical base for a full chalk stream trip in Hampshire.
FishingBeats is an independent guide with no affiliation to the fisheries we list. Listings are editorial and unpaid, and are not supplied or approved by the fishery. See our listings policy. Listing details are compiled by FishingBeats and may change or contain mistakes. Some services, such as tuition, ghillies, or accommodation, may only apply to certain packages and not to standard day tickets. Always confirm pricing, fishing details, and what is included directly with the beat before you book. Spotted something wrong? Email hello@fishingbeats.com and we will correct it.
