River Frome
The Little Syndicate
A fishery on the River Frome. 4 beats available to book, from £30.
About The Little Syndicate
The Little Syndicate is built mainly around the River Frome, though its beats spread across four rivers in Dorset. The syndicate is capped at 25 rods for the season, and the water is intimate rather than expansive: small beats of tight, technical fishing rather than long open runs. Expect to encounter Brown Trout, Grayling. All fish are wild, and every one goes back.
On the River Frome the syndicate holds Lower Wraxall Brook, a mile of water, and the Watery Beat, just under half a mile. On the River Piddle it fishes Ilsington Park, near Puddletown, and on the River Cerne a beat at Charminster split into two distinct halves.
Beyond these four beats, the syndicate also fishes the half-mile Dairy House Carrier, the north carrier of the Home Beat at West Stafford. The Watery Beat is also sold as a day ticket, from £30.
Beats at The Little Syndicate
4 beats availableEach beat has its own fishing details, pricing, and difficulty. Browse all beats on the River Frome or compare on the River Frome map .
The Watery Beat
The Watery Beat sits on a carrier of the , a couple of miles below West Stafford near Tincleton in . It runs just under half a mile, one of five beats held by across the Frome, Piddle and Cerne, and unusually for their water it's open on a day ticket as well as to syndicate members. The beat holds Brown Trout, Grayling, and everything caught goes back. It's carrier-scale water rather than main river: smaller and more enclosed, with close, careful fishing needed rather than open casting, but with the same clear-water, wild-fish character as the rest of the Frome's smaller channels. Trout run from April to mid-October, with grayling from mid-June to mid-March. Day tickets start from £30. It's a good way to try a piece of the syndicate's water before committing to membership: modest, quiet fishing rather than a big showpiece beat.
Ilsington Park
Ilsington Park sits on the at Puddletown in , part of 's spread of small syndicate waters across the Frome, Piddle and Cerne. It runs about 850 metres along the true right bank of the upper Piddle, reached through old metal gates and a walled garden before the water opens out into parkland, a setting that hints at the estate this stretch once belonged to. The water holds Brown Trout, Grayling, wild fish only, and every one is returned. Trout run from April to mid-October, with grayling taking over from mid-June through to mid-March. The parkland setting makes for pleasant walking between pools, even when the fishing itself is quiet, which on water this size, this far up the catchment, it often is. It's syndicate water, capped at 25 anglers a season and booked through John Aplin, with no day ticket available. Anglers used to the wider chalk-stream beats further downstream should expect something smaller and more intimate here.
Charminster
Charminster is 's beat on the , a chalk-stream tributary that joins the Frome at Dorchester in , one of five beats spread across the syndicate's Frome, Piddle and Cerne waters. The beat splits into two distinct halves: the lower stretch is fished wading, tight under trees, while the upper half opens out into meadow. The beat holds Brown Trout, Grayling, wild and unstocked, and every fish goes back. Trout run from April to mid-October, with grayling from mid-June through to mid-March. The change in character from one half to the other, enclosed and tree-lined below, open and airy above, gives the beat more variety than its modest size would suggest. It's syndicate water only, capped at 25 anglers a season, with no day ticket, booked through John Aplin. Worth knowing about if you want a taste of the Cerne, a smaller and much less written-about chalk stream than its famous neighbour.
Lower Wraxall Brook
Lower Wraxall Brook is one of the smaller waters held by , running 1 mile along a tributary brook of the up near the hamlet of Lower Wraxall, close to the top of the catchment in . This is not the main river: it's a tight, intimate little brook, closer in scale to a garden stream than a chalk river, and it fishes that way too. The fishing is for Brown Trout, Grayling, wild, and every one goes back. It's small-scale fishing: tight riffles, fallen trees and awkward pocket water rather than open glides, with plenty of cover to work around. Trout run from April to mid-October, with grayling from mid-June through to mid-March. It's syndicate water, booked through John Aplin, and there is no day ticket. Anglers who like close-in fishing and don't mind working for modest wild fish will find plenty to like here; anyone after a big chalk-stream day should look elsewhere on the Frome.
Pricing at The Little Syndicate
- Day ticket
- £30
Each beat below carries its own current price and season dates.
Services & Amenities
Where to find The Little Syndicate
The fishery's location.
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FAQ
The Little Syndicate FAQs
Common questions about The Little Syndicate and its beats, answered in one place.
