River Nadder
Barford St Martin Fishery
Barford St Martin Fishery is a fishing beat on the River Nadder. Club members only.
Pricing and season
Fishing details
Barford St Martin Fishery at a glance
- Rods
- Up to 3
- Difficulty
- Adventurer (3/5)
- Length
- –
- Water type
- chalk stream
Fishing methods
Fly methods
A three rod stretch of the Nadder running upstream on the true right bank from the bridge over the A30 at Barford St Martin, just west of Wilton. Park at the local pub and walk down. It is a premium wild fishery with good numbers of trout and grayling, and dace and chub are taken on the fly too. A few fish of around a pound and a half come out each year but most are a pound or less.
The beat alternates deep slow bends with shallow gravelly runs. The deep water holds the better fish and is best approached in the late evening and through the summer. Early in the season most fish are in the weed in the shallower areas. Large dark olives hatch in the middle of the day early on, there is a good grannom hatch on warm April days, a healthy mayfly population, and yellow may duns appear in numbers.
Summer evenings give the best of it, and the last hour before dark is almost always the best of those. The top third allows wading, where the banks are steep and lined with trees; take care of one or two deep spots and the undercut roots sticking out from the bank. The rest is open meadow on the edge of the village with easy casting and level banks, which makes it a safe fishery for older members. Bigger stocked fish occasionally drop in from fisheries further up the river.
Stocking and fish species
Rules and policies
Fishing rules for Barford St Martin Fishery
Three rods. True right bank, running upstream from the bridge over the A30. Wading allowed in the top third of the fishery where the banks are steep.
Where Barford St Martin Fishery is
The beat's boundary, with parking where we have it.
51.07958, -1.92058
Similar beats on the River Nadder
Compton Chamberlayne Beat 1
Beat 1 at Compton Chamberlayne covers around 0.38 miles of the River Nadder near Dinton in Wiltshire, just west of Salisbury. It is the most open of all the beats on the fishery, with the downstream section running through the water meadows and the top section more shaded with trees and a deep pool. The Nadder is deeply incised in the ground, with a series of serpentine bends slowing its flow and creating sequences of riffles through to deep pools. It is classified as a mixed-geology chalk stream — flowing over chalk where the main fishing takes place, but rising in sands and clay, which means it can carry a slight tinge of colour and may cloud more noticeably after heavy rain. Brown and rainbow trout are the target species, with the beat heavily stocked throughout the season, which runs from 18 April to 3 October. Fly fishing only, with upstream dry fly the method from the season opener. From 1 July, upstream nymph up to size 12 may also be used. The Nadder fishes well from the off, with strong early-season hatches of large dark olives and grannom — the latter in particular can drive trout into a feeding frenzy and make for a memorable season opener. The main event is the mayfly, which can be spectacularly good even after heavy rain and poor visibility. Through summer, long evenings bring hatches of olives and sedges that keep brown trout rising well into the dusk. The beat is rated as adventurer difficulty — the open water meadow character of the lower section suits a range of abilities, but the deeper, tree-lined upper pool demands more considered presentation. Up to six rods can fish the beat in a day. Wading is permitted but generally not necessary. A fishing hut is on site for shelter and kit storage. Catch returns should be delivered to the river keeper at the end of the day. A current Environment Agency rod licence is required.
Compton Chamberlayne Beat 2
Just under 0.4 miles of single-bank dry fly and nymph water on the River Nadder at Compton Chamberlayne, in the Nadder Valley of Wiltshire. The river here is deeply incised, with a series of serpentine bends that slow the flow and create sequences of riffles leading into genuinely deep pools — the kind of varied chalk stream character that rewards careful reading of the water. The Nadder is classed as a mixed-geology chalk stream, flowing over chalk where the main fishing takes place but rising in greensand, which means it can carry a slight tinge of colour and may colour more noticeably after heavy rainfall — worth bearing in mind when planning a visit. Beat 2 holds both brown and rainbow trout and is heavily stocked, giving good numbers of fish throughout the season from 18 April to 3 October. Up to six rods can fish simultaneously, making it well suited to groups. Fly fishing only, with dry fly and nymph permitted. The Nadder starts the season well with good hatches of grannom; the main event is the mayfly, which can be spectacularly good even in poor visibility conditions; and later in the season, early morning and evening sedges offer the best chance of sport. The beat is rated as adventurer difficulty, banks are mown but not overly manicured, and the river is fairly narrow in places with contrasting deeps and shallows, so expect some bankside vegetation to negotiate and tight casting angles in places. The water is generally clear enough to spot fish, making sight fishing a real option when conditions allow. A fishing hut on the beat provides a base for the day. A 9-foot rod for a 4- or 5-weight line covers most situations here; fine tippets and accurate presentation matter on this water.
Compton Chamberlayne Beat 3
The River Nadder is the most substantial of the Avon's tributaries, rising at Donhead St Mary and winding through the Wiltshire countryside before reaching the Compton Chamberlayne estate. Beat 3 covers just under 0.4 miles of single-bank main river on this mixed-geology chalk stream — deeply incised, with a series of serpentine bends that slow the flow and create sequences of riffles leading into genuinely deep pools. Classed as a mixed-geology chalk stream, it flows over chalk where the main fishing action takes place but springs to life in the sands and clay beyond, meaning the water carries a faint tinge of colour compared to the Test or Itchen — but it is generally clear enough to spot the fish at which you are casting. Brown and rainbow trout are present throughout the season, which runs from 18 April to 3 October, with up to six rods on the water. Stocking is heavy, so fish are reliably available, but the beat's character rewards patience and observation rather than blind searching. Fly-only rules apply, with dry fly from the off and nymphing permitted later in the season. The Nadder starts the season well with good hatches of grannom; the main event is always the mayfly, which can be spectacularly good even in poor visibility; and later in the season early morning and evening sedges give the best chance of good sport. The river has a healthy and diverse population of invertebrates with fly hatches throughout the season. A 9-ft to 10-ft rod for a 4- or 5-weight line suits the water well. A fishing hut on the beat provides shelter and a base for the day.
Compton Chamberlayne Beat 4
Around 0.38 miles of single-bank dry fly and nymph water on the River Nadder, Beat 4 at Compton Chamberlayne sits within a well-kept Wiltshire estate just west of Salisbury. The beat opens at a mill pool before the river straightens out upstream, meandering less than any of the other beats on the fishery. The Nadder runs deeply incised through the valley, with serpentine bends creating sequences of riffles and deep pools — varied enough to hold fish throughout the season. It is a mixed-geology chalk stream, flowing over chalk where the main fishing takes place but rising in sands and clay further upstream. As a result it carries a slight tinge of opaqueness and can colour more noticeably after heavy rainfall — worth bearing in mind when planning a visit. The beat holds both brown and rainbow trout and is heavily stocked. Although there are plenty of wild fish, the river is stocked with high-quality brown trout. The season runs 18 April to 3 October. Early in the season expect good hatches of large dark olives and grannom, while the mayfly is the main event and can be spectacularly good even in poor visibility conditions; later in the season, early morning and evening sedges give the best chance of sport. The beat is rated as adventurer difficulty — expect bankside vegetation that demands accurate casting. Upstream dry fly only applies until 1 July, after which upstream nymph on a maximum size 12 hook is permitted. Up to six rods can fish the beat, making it well suited to a small group day. Each beat has a small fishing hut equipped with table and chairs. A brace limit of two fish per rod per day applies, with a minimum size of 12 inches. A current Environment Agency rod licence is required.
Compton Chamberlayne Beat 5
The River Nadder is the most substantial of the Avon's tributaries, rising at Donhead St Mary and winding through the Wiltshire countryside before reaching the Compton Chamberlayne estate. Beat 5 covers just under 0.4 miles of single-bank chalk stream water in this quiet stretch of the valley. The river is deeply incised, with a series of serpentine bends that slow the flow and create sequences of riffles leading into deep pools — and Beat 5 features more of those deep, tree-shaded pools than the beats immediately below it, making for varied and often demanding presentation. The Nadder is classified as a mixed-geology chalk stream, flowing over chalk where the main fishing takes place but rising in greensand and clay, so expect water that is clear but carries a faint tinge — and can colour after heavy rain. Brown and rainbow trout are both present, heavily stocked across a season running from 18 April to 3 October. The beat is rated as adventurer-level difficulty: the river is fairly narrow in places with contrasting deeps and shallows, and the tree cover that shades the pools demands accurate, often tight casting. Dry fly is the primary method, with nymphing also permitted. The season opens well with good grannom hatches, the mayfly is the main event and can fish spectacularly even in poor visibility, and later in the season early morning and evening sedges offer the best chance of consistent sport. Up to six rods can fish the beat simultaneously. Each beat has a small hut equipped with table and chairs, giving anglers a practical base for the day. Fly fishing only throughout; a 9-foot 4- or 5-weight is the natural choice for this width of water.
Rising from greensand springs at Donhead St Mary near the Dorset border, the River Nadder runs approximately 20 miles east through Wiltshire before joining the Hampshire Avon at Salisbury. It is quickly joined by the River Sem at Wardour, west of Tisbury, then flows east through Tisbury and on to Barford St Martin and…
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FAQ
Barford St Martin Fishery FAQs
Practical questions anglers ask before fishing Barford St Martin Fishery, from tickets to tactics.
