Beat Six

Beat Six is the furthest beat downstream on the East Burton Estate, with Wool Bridge marking the estate boundary on the River Frome in Dorset. It runs 0 mile, fished from the right-hand bank only, and the River Win joins the Frome partway down the beat. Parking is shared with Beat Five, or in the layby off the main road at the start of the beat. Deep glides and bends make this a popular section for salmon, alongside the resident wild trout and grayling. The estate maintains a good head of wild brown trout, with light supplementary stocking on the main river, and grayling are plentiful, including fish over three pounds. Fly only is the rule, with upstream dry fly and nymph covering both species across the season. The Frome opens in April with strong grannom hatches, followed by hawthorn fly and blue-winged olives, then mayfly from late May into June bringing larger fish to the surface; after mayfly, evening falls of spinners and sedges extend the dry fly fishing, with pale wateries and blue-winged olives producing daytime rises through to the end of the season. The Frome is less affected by abstraction than any other chalk stream, and the fishing holds up well throughout as a result. The river has three times produced the British grayling record, each fish over four pounds. Day tickets start from £50 during the main season. Grayling days are available from £35. Accommodation can be arranged through the estate, and a riverside hamper, lovingly prepared by the estate and full of home-made breads and pastries, can be ordered and delivered to the beat at a time of your choosing.