Compton Chamberlayne

Sitting within the Compton Chamberlayne Estate just west of Salisbury, Compton Chamberlayne offers 7 beats of fly fishing on the River Nadder in Wiltshire. The Nadder is classed as a mixed-geology chalk stream: it flows over chalk where the main fishing takes place but rises in greensand and clay beyond the chalk. Deeply incised into the valley floor, the river runs through a series of serpentine bends that slow the current and create sequences of riffles and deep pools. The beats vary considerably, with slower stretches suited to mayfly hatches and shallower riffles that fish well through the summer months on smaller olives. Each beat is sold for two rods, and the banks are mown for easy access without being overly manicured.

Upstream dry fly is the rule until 1 July, after which upstream nymph fishing with a maximum size 12 hook is permitted. The river holds both wild fish and stocked brown trout. The season opens well with grannom hatches, and the mayfly that follows can be spectacularly good even after heavy rain and in poor visibility conditions. The fishery offers Day tickets, and each beat is equipped with a fishing hut complete with table and chairs. Catch returns are submitted to the river keeper at the end of the day. Day tickets start from £210.