Fishing with a Ghillie on the River Frome

Fishing with a ghillie means someone who knows the beat walking the bank with you: where the fish lie, what's hatching, what's worked this week. That local knowledge is worth having on unfamiliar water, or on a first chalk stream day when the banks and the bugs are new to you. These beats can arrange one.

5 beats match. Use the filters below to refine by price or availability, or switch to the map view to see locations.

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5 beats on the River Frome

£130 today

Stratton Beat

Just under two-thirds of a mile of double-bank dry fly and nymph water on the River Frome, the major chalk stream of southwest England, the Stratton Beat sits on the quiet water meadows south of Stratton village in Dorset. The beat opens with straighter, faster water near the top before the river broadens into long, sweeping bends with deep pools running down to the bottom boundary — a varied character that suits up to two rods without crowding. The Frome and its tributaries provide a rich habitat for wild brown trout and grayling, and stocking is virtually non-existent along much of the river, which allows wild trout and grayling to thrive. The Frome is less affected by abstraction than most chalk streams, and the season opens with fine hatches of upwinged flies in April and early May; mayfly hatches are excellent from mid-May until mid-June, with high-summer evenings producing pale wateries, blue-winged olives and sedges extending well into autumn. 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. The beat's long trout season runs from 1 April, with grayling fishing continuing through to 31 January — late summer and autumn grayling fishing is primarily sight nymphing, with methods turning to deeper nymphing techniques through winter. Day ticket prices range from £75 for grayling to £190 during the mayfly window, reflecting the beat's seasonal variety. A thatched fishing hut with toilet facilities is on site, and accommodation is available, making Stratton a practical base for a multi-day visit. A 7–9 ft rod with a 3–4 weight floating line and fine tippet down to 6x covers most situations on this accessible, beginner-friendly beat.

main river0.67 miles+3

main river0.67 milesfly only+2

£60 today

Beat Three

Beat Three on the East Burton Estate offers 1 mile of double-bank fly fishing on the in , on one of the most southerly chalk streams in England. The estate holds four miles of fishing split across nine beats on the main arm of the Frome, plus a network of carriers. Beat Three sits on the main river and is rated as a genuinely challenging piece of water, suited to an angler who is comfortable reading unfamiliar chalk stream and working hard for fish. The beat carries a good head of wild brown trout, lightly supplemented by stocking, with plentiful grayling that run to over three pounds, and the chance to target salmon and sea trout in the hatch pools and runs. 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 high summer evenings in July and August can fish surprisingly well with hatches of Pale Wateries, Blue-Winged Olives and sedges extending well into autumn. The Frome has a growing reputation as one of the best rivers in the country for big grayling, with sight nymphing the primary approach through late summer and autumn, giving way to deeper nymphing techniques in winter. The beat is available to one or two rods on a fly-only basis, using dry fly and nymph. A 7.5ft rod with a 3 to 4wt floating line and tippet to 6x is the recommended trout outfit. A fishing hut is on site, and accommodation and a BBQ are available for those making a longer stay of it. Day tickets start at £60 during the main season. Grayling and winter rods are available from £35.

main river0.6 miles+3

main river0.6 milesfly only+2

£65 today

Dairy House Home Beat

Dairy House Home Beat sits on the middle reaches of the at West Stafford in , managed by a riverkeeper with more than twenty-five years of hands-on experience of this water. The beat runs for 2 miles of mostly double-bank chalk stream through open water meadows, carrying classic Frome character throughout: crystal-clear water over bright gravel, ranunculus weed beds, hatch pools, and deeper runs that hold fish year-round. Crucially, the main river here has never been stocked, making it one of the few genuinely wild day-ticket beats on any southern chalk stream. The fishing is for entirely wild Grayling, Brown Trout, and the grayling in particular are exceptional, with fish to well over four pounds recorded on the beat. The season opens with grannom and early olives in April, progresses through hawthorn and mayfly, and rounds off with blue-winged olives and sedges into autumn. Fly hatches occur consistently through the year, with a strong mayfly appearance in early June. Dry fly and nymph are both permitted, and the wild fish demand careful presentation and a considered approach. Nomadic grayling move into the beat from elsewhere on the Frome, adding an unpredictable and exciting element to the winter fishing. Day tickets start at £65 for the main trout season, with a dedicated mayfly period priced separately. Grayling and winter season rods are available from £45. A fishing hut is on the beat, and self-catering accommodation at the Dairy House Annexe is available for anglers who want to make a longer stay of it. Wading is permitted, and all fishing is catch and release.

main river1.5 miles+2

main river1.5 milesfly only+1

£60 today

Beat Four

Beat Four on the East Burton Estate sits on the lower in , covering just under 0 mile of double-bank chalk stream on the main river channel. This is a genuinely wild beat that draws salmon and sea trout anglers, and has produced grayling to 3 lb and brown trout to 6 lb. Wading is permitted, and the character of the water rewards an angler prepared to read the river carefully and cover it methodically. The is one of the few Dorset chalk streams that carries a meaningful run of migratory fish on its lower reaches, and the hatch pools and runs here give a real opportunity to fly fish for salmon and sea trout alongside resident Sea Trout, Salmon, Grayling, Brown Trout. The estate stocks the main river with brown trout from time to time to complement a good head of wild fish, and grayling are plentiful throughout. 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. The Frome has a growing reputation as one of the best rivers in the country for big grayling, with sight nymphing the dominant method through late summer and autumn, giving way to deeper nymphing techniques in winter. Fly fishing only, with both dry fly and nymph permitted. A 7.5 ft rod with a 3 to 4 wt floating line and tippet to 6x is the recommended trout outfit, though a longer 9 ft rod suits the deeper glides when nymphing for grayling. The beat is rated for the more adventurous angler who is comfortable working challenging, lightly stocked water. Day tickets start at £60 for the main season. Grayling season rods are available from £35. A fishing hut, BBQ and on-site accommodation make this a practical base for a multi-day visit.

main river0.43 miles+2

main river0.43 milesfly only+1

£60 today

Beat Two

Beat Two on the East Burton Estate sits on the , Dorset's 30-mile chalk stream and the major chalkstream of southwest England. This is roughly 0 mile of double-bank main river water, carrying classic chalk stream features including riffles, pools and glides, with crystal-clear water that rewards careful sight fishing. Wading is permitted, which opens up the fuller width of the river and is particularly useful when working the far bank in summer. The target species are Sea Trout, Salmon, Grayling, Brown Trout, and the beat is lightly stocked to complement a resident wild population. Grayling run to over three pounds on the East Burton water, and the fishing is rated as challenging, suiting an angler who is comfortable reading water and presenting a fly accurately. Fly fishing only is permitted, with both dry fly and nymph in use across the season. The trout season opens in April with a grannom hatch, the mayfly follows from late May into June, and olives, sedges, ants and daddy-long-legs extend the dry fly fishing well into autumn. The Frome is less affected by abstraction than any other chalk stream, so the fishing holds up well throughout the season. The river has a growing reputation as one of the best in the country to target big grayling, with sight nymphing the primary approach through late summer and autumn. Day tickets start from £60 during the main season. Grayling season day tickets are available from £35. The beat has a fishing hut with BBQ facilities, and on-site accommodation makes it a practical base for a multi-day visit to fish the full season. A light rod of 8 to 9 feet for a 3 or 4 weight line suits the water well, with fine tippets essential given the clarity of the .

main river0.37 miles+2

main river0.37 milesfly only+1

3 fisheries on the River Frome

£95 today

1 beat

Wrackleford Estate

The River Frome is the most westerly of England's chalk streams, and it rises in the chalk downs of west Dorset, maturing into a fine trout river by the time it reaches Wrackleford. The Wrackleford Estate sits in the Frome valley, with the river flowing through a series of water meadows and withybeds just north of Dorchester. Four of the estate's beats — 7 Hatches, Wrackleford Home Beat, Gaston Bridge Beat, and The Bricks Beat — are available on day tickets, with dry fly the required method. The beats vary in character: 7 Hatches covers three-quarters of a mile of main river for a single rod, Wrackleford Home Beat accommodates up to two rods on a similar stretch with a thatched fishing hut, and The Bricks Beat fishes a half-mile section of the Frome carrier. Each beat is well tended, regularly stocked, and has a fishing hut for shelter. Fly hatches occur consistently through the season, including a strong mayfly appearance in early June. Beyond the water, the estate offers tuition from a qualified instructor, equipment hire, and on-site accommodation ranging from B&B to self-catering, with parking, a lodge, kitchen, and picnic tables all available for visiting anglers.

Day ticketsAccommodation+2

Day ticketsAccommodationTuition+1

Example photoExample photo · River Frome£60 today

3 beats

East Burton Estate

East Burton Estate is a family-run sporting estate set on the River Frome, with fishing across two carriers of the river near Wool in . The river carries classic chalk stream features including riffles, pools, glides and overhanging trees, with clear water well suited to sight fishing. The fishery offers 4 beats on the main arm of the Frome and its carriers, all holding a good head of wild trout, with the estate stocking the main river with brown trout from time to time. Grayling are plentiful throughout, and fly fishing for salmon and sea trout is possible in the hatch pools and runs. Expect to encounter . The fishery offers Day tickets, Accommodation, making it a practical base for a multi-day chalk stream trip. Fishing huts are available on the water, and guiding can be arranged for those who want local expertise on the river. A riverside hamper, prepared with home-made breads and pastries, can be delivered to your beat at a time of your choosing. Fly hatches occur consistently through the season, with a strong mayfly appearance in early June. Day tickets start from £60. Winter grayling day tickets are available from £35.

Day ticketsAccommodation

Example photoExample photo · River Frome£65 today

1 beat

Casterbridge Fisheries

Sitting on the middle reaches of the River Frome in the village of West Stafford, Casterbridge Fisheries is run by keeper John Aplin, who has managed this stretch of the Dorset chalk stream for over two decades. The Dairy House Home Beat has never been stocked and holds wild brown trout alongside grayling, for which the Frome is well known. The trout season opens in early April and runs through to the first week of October, with good hatches of mayfly and a range of other insect species throughout. Grayling fishing becomes more focused from October through to mid-March. Grayling on the Frome grow to record proportions, with fish caught in the past to over four pounds. The fishery offers Day tickets, Accommodation, Tuition, and anglers staying over can use the self-catering Dairy House Annexe, just a short walk across the water meadow to the beat. Day tickets start at £65. Winter grayling rods are available from £45. The fishery is located in . Additionally, the fishery also sells day tickets to club and syndicate waters.

Day ticketsAccommodation+1

Day ticketsAccommodationTuition