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River Dun · Holbury Lakes Trout Fishery

Island Lake

stillwater

Island Lake is a fishing beat on the River Dun at Holbury Lakes Trout Fishery. Day tickets from £55.

Book now from £55 View on map Visit website

Pricing and season

Indicative prices only. This calendar does not show whether a beat is bookable or already booked out, and other prices may apply. Always confirm availability and the final price with the booking provider before you travel.

Price calendar

October 2026
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
1£55
2£55
3£55
4£55
5£55
6£55
7£55
8£55
9£55
10£55
11£55
12£55
13£55
14£55
15£55
16£55
17£55
18£55
19£55
20£55
21£55
22£55
23£55
24£55
25£55
26£55
27£55
28£55
29£55
30£55
31£55
November 2026
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
1£55
2£55
3£55
4£55
5£55
6£55
7£55
8£55
9£55
10£55
11£55
12£55
13£55
14£55
15£55
16£55
17£55
18£55
19£55
20£55
21£55
22£55
23£55
24£55
25£55
26£55
27£55
28£55
29£55
30£55

Day tickets

2 fishTwo Fish
1 Jan – 31 Dec
£55
per day
Lakes only. Fishing may be limited to six hours if the fishery is busy.
3 fishThree Fish
1 Jan – 31 Dec
£68
per day
Lakes only.
4 fishFour Fish
1 Jan – 31 Dec
£80
per day
Lakes only. Choose any of the four lakes.
4 fishFour Fish, Adult and Child
1 Jan – 31 Dec
£90
per day
A parent and a child under 16 fish together, sharing four fish between two rods. Holbury itself suggests the Pond for this ticket.
2 fishTwo Fish, Lakes and River
2 Apr – 30 Sep
£150
per day
Covers the lakes and Holbury’s River Dun stretch on the same day. Two fish may be taken from the lakes (catch and kill); no fish may be taken from the river, which is strictly catch and release. Valid 2 April to 30 September only, a shorter window than the river-only ticket.

Season & syndicate rods

10 fishMulti Ticket, 10 Fish
1 Jan – 31 Dec
£230
per season
Unlimited visits to the lakes over six months for the holder and a guest, until ten fish have been caught. The ticket itself is valid one year from purchase.
25 fishMulti Ticket, 25 Fish
1 Jan – 31 Dec
£500
per season
Unlimited visits to the lakes over twelve months for the holder and a guest, until twenty-five fish have been caught. The ticket itself is valid one year from purchase.

Fishing details

Island Lake at a glance

Rods
–
Difficulty
Adventurer (3/5)
Length
–
Water type
stillwater

Fishing methods

Fly Only

Fly methods

Wet Fly Dry Fly Nymph
Wading allowed
Bank fishing only
Double bank

Island Lake is one of the two one-acre lakes at Holbury Lakes Trout Fishery, with clear banks running all the way round it so there’s no awkward ground to work around. Most of the lake sits at two metres or more, though it drops away to holes as deep as fourteen feet in places, giving fish somewhere to sit out the warmer months.

It’s described by the fishery as a mixed bag, and the range of depth is exactly why: there’s room here to fish a team of buzzers deep over the holes, work a nymph along the margins, or cover a rising fish on a dry, all within the same session. Wet fly, dry fly and nymph are permitted on the lakes, a wider rulebook than the fly-only, dry-and-nymph water on the fishery’s own River Dun stretch.

Rainbow trout and blue trout are stocked here along with the other three lakes. Tickets are sold by the fish, two, three or four at a time, catch and kill rather than catch and release, and every fish taken must be weighed and logged in the return book, nil returns included.

Tickets start from £150.

Stocking and fish species

heavy stocking

Rules and policies

Catch & release
Bag limit: 4 fish
EA rod licence required
Dogs allowed
Ghillie available
Ghillie required

Fishing rules for Island Lake

Only fly fishing is allowed, one single hook, maximum size 8. Wet fly, dry fly and nymph may all be used on the lakes. On the lakes it is catch and kill only, and once you reach your ticket’s fish limit you must stop fishing, though you can buy another ticket. All fish caught must be weighed and recorded in the return book, nil returns included. No wading or swimming, no litter, radios or animals. One non-fishing guest per angler, and every angler needs a landing net and a priest. A current Environment Agency rod licence is required on the day. Gates open at 8.30am; if you arrive early, park on the village green rather than Holbury Lane.

Amenities

parking fishing lodge picnic area toilet tackle and rod hire

Where Island Lake is

The beat's boundary, with parking where we have it.

51.04097, -1.58742

The fishery and river

River

A compact chalk stream in the Test Valley, the River Dun rises near the villages of East and West Grimstead in Wiltshire and flows roughly 11 miles eastward before joining the River Test near KimbridgeDun. Depending on winter rainfall, the river rises between East and West Grimstead and flows almost due east to meet…

Flies for this beat

Expected in October on the River Dun

October

Typical months from the river’s hatch calendar, which applies along its whole length rather than to this beat. Not a live report.

In season

Caperer

Sedge · #10-12

Heavy hatchLarge Dark Olive

Kite's Imperial

Dry fly · #14-16

In season

Daddy Long Legs

Terrestrial · #10-12

In seasonFreshwater Shrimp

Sawyer's Killer Bug

Nymph · #12-16

The year ahead

Full calendar

Every hatch on the River Dun and the months it usually runs.

FlyJFMAMJJASOND
Kite's Imperial
Grannom£2.25
Hawthorn Fly£1.75
Black Gnat£2.25
Grey Wulff
Iron Blue Dun£2.25
Elk Hair Caddis£2.25
Last Hope
Lunn's Particular£2.25
Pale Watery£2.25
Blue Winged Olive£2.25
Red Ant
Daddy Long Legs
Caperer
Black Buzzer£1.45
Sawyer's Killer Bug
Build a fly box for a date

We get a small commission if you buy through these links, and it costs you nothing extra. If the calendar has been useful and you feel like supporting an independent site, buying your flies this way is an easy way to do it.

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.

FAQ

Island Lake FAQs

Practical questions anglers ask before fishing Island Lake, from tickets to tactics.

01How many rods are allowed on Island Lake at any one time?
The rod limit for Island Lake is listed on the beat page — check before booking, as limits vary by season and fishery preference. Contact Holbury Lakes Trout Fishery directly if you need to confirm current availability.
02What species can I expect to catch on Island Lake?
Island Lake holds Rainbow Trout. The beat is heavy-stocked to supplement the wild fish — see the Stocking section on the page for details.
03Do I need to wade, or can I fish from the bank?
Island Lake is bank-fishing only — no wading is permitted.
04Is a ghillie available, and do I need one?
No ghillie service is listed for Island Lake at Holbury Lakes Trout Fishery — contact the provider directly if you'd like informal guidance on your first visit.
05Where do I park, and how do I access the beat?
Parking details for Island Lake are shown on the beat page, including a map pin where one is provided. Always confirm access arrangements with the provider when you book.
06What tackle should I bring?
Island Lake permits the following fly methods: wet_fly, dry_fly, nymph. The fly recommendations section on the Island Lake page suggests the most effective patterns month by month.
07What happens if conditions are poor on the day I've booked?
River conditions can change quickly, especially after rain. Contact the provider as early as possible if you're concerned about Island Lake at Holbury Lakes Trout Fishery — many are happy to offer an alternative date if the river is unfishable. Cancellation and rescheduling policies vary by provider; check the notes on the booking page or ask when you book.
08Are dogs allowed on the beat?
Dogs are not listed as permitted on Island Lake. Check the Beat Rules section on the page or contact the provider before bringing a dog, as policies can vary by season and stretch of the River Dun.

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