River Test · Mottisfont Abbey
Rectory Beat
Verified beat. Information confirmed by FishingBeats.
Rectory Beat is a fishing beat on the River Test at Mottisfont Abbey. Day tickets from £270.
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
How Rectory Beat compares on the River Test
Typical, lowest and highest full-day rod, from 50 beats with published day rates
Day tickets on the River Test run from £55 to £388. The typical full-day rate is around £260, peaking in May.
Compare with other riversFishing details
Rectory Beat at a glance
- Rods
- 1 – 2
- Difficulty
- Expert (4/5)
- Length
- 0.35 miles
- Water type
- main river
Fishing methods
Fly methods
Rectory Beat sits on the main channel of the River Test within the Mottisfont Abbey estate in Hampshire, covering about 0.35 mile of chalk stream water downstream of the Oakley Beat. It is a beat for one rod, or for a pair taking it in turns to spot a fish and make the cast.
The river here is narrow and intimate, with woody debris, small pools and dense marginal cover. The bottom half is close to jungle in places, and the regulars will tell you not to rush it, because there is good fishing inside the first fifty yards. From the bottom of the beat up to the fishing hut you will do best wading. Above the bridge it becomes a mix of wading and bank work depending on water levels, and the final stretch opposite the Rectory House garden is fished from the true left bank with no wading.
The beat is unstocked and catch and release, and holds Brown Trout, Grayling. The season runs from 1 April to 30 September, and it is upstream dry fly and nymph throughout. Early season brings the best grannom hatches on the fishery, and the mayfly in late May is as good here as it is on Oakley. There is a fishing cabin on the beat with indoor seating, though most parties walk back to the Oakley hut for lunch. Day tickets start at £270 and cover all three Mottisfont beats.
Stocking and fish species
Rules and policies
Amenities
Where Rectory Beat is
The beat's boundary, with parking where we have it.
51.03787, -1.53455
The fishery and river
River
Rising at Ashe, near Overton, the River Test runs for 40 miles through Hampshire, flowing south through Whitchurch, Longparish, and Wherwell before the Rivers Dever and Anton join the main channel near Chilbolton. For much of its length the Test is not one river but an amalgam of main channel, mill leats, carriers,…
Flies for this beat
Expected in October on the River Test
Typical months from the river’s hatch calendar, which applies along its whole length rather than to this beat. Not a live report.
Caperer
Sedge · #10-12
Kite's Imperial
Dry fly · #14-16
Daddy Long Legs
Terrestrial · #10-12
Sawyer's Killer Bug
Nymph · #12-16
The year ahead
Full calendarEvery hatch on the River Test and the months it usually runs.
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.
Similar beats on the River Test
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
Rectory Beat FAQs
Practical questions anglers ask before fishing Rectory Beat, from tickets to tactics.
