Chilbolton Fishing BeatRiver Test Fly Fishing Beat

A 280-metre stretch of the main River Test adjacent to Chilbolton Common in Hampshire, this single-bank beat offers one or two rods a private day on one of England's most significant chalk streams. The beat has two mid-stream islands, which break the flow into varied current seams, slacker inside bends, and defined lies that reward careful reading before the first cast. During the winter of 2021, the Wessex Rivers Trust carried out extensive bank improvements resulting in better access and a more sinuous river profile. The beat is reached via an 800-metre walk across the flat, open common and is fished from the left bank only; no wading is permitted.

The fishing is for brown trout and grayling on upstream dry fly and nymph only. April brings Large Dark Olive, Grannom Caddis, and Hawthorn to the surface, while mayfly can be expected from mid-May to June — the most productive fortnight of the chalk stream calendar. The latter half of the season is largely dominated by hatches of various caddis flies, with olives and terrestrials filling the gaps through summer. The beat is rated beginner-friendly — open banks and readable water make it a sound introduction to chalk stream technique. All grayling must be returned, as must all trout under 12 inches. The season runs 31 March to 30 October.

Day tickets are priced at £175 for a single rod and £330 for two rods during the main trout season; grayling-only days are available at £55. On site there is a rustic fishing hut with tables and chairs, a BBQ, and a selection of wellies and hire tackle, along with a fishing jetty, an outside fishing table, and a composting toilet — everything needed for a full day without leaving the water.