Oakley Beat

Oakley Beat sits on the main channel of the River Test within the Mottisfont Abbey estate in Hampshire, covering just under 0.44 mile of single and double-bank chalk stream water. The river runs clear over bright gravels between dense marginal vegetation, with the character typical of the lower Test: a steady, readable current, good weed growth through summer, and bankside trees that demand accurate casting.

The Oakley Beat is managed as an unstocked, wild fishery where the focus is on long-term river health and habitat improvement. When you spot a fish rising under the trees, there is every chance it is a genuinely wild chalk stream trout. The beat holds Brown Trout, Grayling, with the trout season running from 1 April to 30 September. Fishing is fly only, with upstream dry fly and nymph the expected methods. The River Test supports twenty-two species of mayfly and nearly forty species of caddis fly, with grannom and hawthorn opening the season in spring and the mayfly hatch in late May drawing considerable attention. Post-mayfly, June can produce evening hatches of blue-winged olive, and as summer progresses, evening sedge hatches complement the olives. The overgrown banks and wild fish make this a beat suited to an experienced angler comfortable with tight presentations. Up to four rods can fish the beat, and a fishing hut is available on site. Day tickets start at £270.