Maiden Newton Beat

Maiden Newton Beat covers 1 miles of chalk stream on the River Frome at Maiden Newton, a village that straddles the river in the heart of the Dorset chalklands. The beat offers a fine succession of pools, riffles and glides, with beds of ranunculus characterising the upper and middle river. Wading is permitted, and the beat is available to up to two rods who know each other, making it a focused, quiet day on a lightly stocked stretch of wild water.

Compared with most southern chalk streams, the Frome is relatively unaffected by abstraction, which keeps flows consistent and the fishing productive across the full season. The season opens with a grannom hatch, followed by hawthorn, mayfly and blue-winged olives as the season progresses, with sedges rounding off the year. Mayfly hatches are excellent from mid-May until mid-June, and the high summer evenings in July and August can be surprisingly productive with hatches of Pale Wateries, Blue-Winged Olives and sedges extending well into autumn. The Grayling, Brown Trout are both present, and the Frome has a growing reputation as one of the best rivers in the country to target big grayling. The beat is rated for adventurous anglers: these trout and grayling demand delicate presentation and a slow approach. All fishing is catch and release, fly only, with dry fly and nymph both permitted.

A 9ft rod with a 4 or 5wt floating line covers most situations, with fine tippet essential on the clear chalk water. Day tickets start from £60, varying by season.