The Little River Beat

A chalk stream main river beat on the Hampshire Test, the Little River Beat offers up to two rods a day's fly-only fishing on one of England's most historically significant rivers. The Test is generally regarded as the birthplace of modern fly fishing, and this beat puts you on the main channel in the classic Test Valley setting — clear, steady water over gravel, with the visibility to spot and stalk individual fish.

The Test is fly fished for brown trout, sea trout, and coarse fish, and this beat holds all three. The trout fly fishing season runs from early April to late October. The hawthorn hatch arrives in late April, the mayfly from mid-May to early June, and summer brings a variety of caddis, olives, and terrestrials. June sees blue-winged olives and medium olives hatching in numbers, while September brings the return of the large dark olive, with cooler weather and less sunlight improving conditions. Both dry fly and nymph are permitted — nymph fishing proves particularly useful on bright days when nothing is rising. The beat is graded for beginners, making it a sound choice for anglers new to chalk stream fishing who want to learn on forgiving, readable water without the pressure of a more technical stretch.

The beat is limited to two rods, keeping the water uncrowded. Between sessions, the Drawing Pool Lodge provides a comfortable base with a kitchenette with running water and electricity, a BBQ, and WC — everything needed for a full day on the bank. The River Test is around an hour and twenty minutes from London by road or train, making this an accessible day trip from the capital or a natural anchor for a longer Hampshire visit.