Chalk Stream · Chalk · Hampshire, GB-ENG

River Test

River Test fishing venue photo
Today · Slow going — pick your moments
Pink Shrimp
Forecast · Today
Slow going — pick your moments
Slow going — pick your moments and do not force it.
45% projected
Today's fly
Pink Shrimp
Pink Shrimp
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
0.04 m
Lifting fast
Water temp13.9°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather18°C
WindN 19 km/h
Pressure1012 hPa
Rain · recent1.7 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal
14°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Mayfly Duffer's Fortnight from mid-May through early June; the canonical hatch. Outside that window, BWO evenings June through September are the most consistent fishing — late afternoon into dusk, when fish settle on emergers and spinners.
Where
The classic chalk-stream sequence — pool-riffle-glide on flint gravel over chalk. Sit and watch the water before casting. Fish hold in known lies; the Test rewards spotting the rise, not blind covering.
Method
Upstream dry to spotted rising fish — match the size above pattern, Test trout inspect carefully. When no rise shows, Sawyer-style induced-take nymph upstream where the beat allows. No wading, no downstream presentation, no Czech or Euro nymphing — chalk-stream rules.
Kit
9 ft #4 — chalk-stream classic. Floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 5x or 6x tippet. Polarised glasses for spotting fish.
Why this works
Excellent — conditions well-balanced, with water temperature particularly in your favour.
Likely species
Mayflies
Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 14 Uhr

12 Uhr(now) — Daddy Long Legs

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 45%
Also:Brown Sedge31%Pale Watery29%
Weather boost9 food groups active

Peak activity at 14 Uhr — Brown Sedge (Brown Sedge, Weather boost)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 4 as a supporter.

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14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Grayling seasonSeason
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
Mayfly (Green Drake)Hatch
2
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Brown SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Brown Trout
Local classics: Grey Wulff·Pheasant Tail Nymph·Blue-Winged Olive
Beats · 18 · 5 reaches

The Test is not one fishery — it is a chain of estate beats, syndicate water, hosted-inn rods and agent-booked day beats, grouped here from the upper river down to the tidal lower Test. Some water is bookable by the day or season; the most famous middle-river beats are effectively members-only. There is no single Test permit — always confirm season, rules and price with the individual beat or agent before travelling.

Upper Test · 4 beatsDay rods
Leckford Estate (Longstock), Wherwell Estate, Bullington Manor, Middleton Estate — Half Water (Longparish)
The 4 beats
Leckford Estate (Longstock)Day tickets
Leckford Estate / John Lewis Partnership
The largest single block of bookable upper-river water — sixteen named river beats plus two lakes through classic Longstock water meadows. River days are sold day-by-day online as well as on season rods, and a river day is for up to two people fishing two rods.
Chalk-stream rules: fly-only, dry fly and upstream nymph, no wading on most beats. Confirm the individual beat's rules and weed-cutting dates when booking.
Wherwell EstateSeason rods
Wherwell Estate office
Seven named river beats and a private lake on intimate upper-river water, each beat with its own character from carrier junctions to willow-lined meanders. Trout run from early May to mid-October and grayling from mid-October to mid-March; day and season rods are arranged through the estate office. Beat 11 features in Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.
Fly-only chalk-stream rules; separate trout and grayling seasons. Confirm beat allocation and rules with the estate office.
Bullington ManorAgent booking
Bullington Manor (let via Fishing Breaks)
Around two and a half miles of unspoilt upper chalk stream split into four double-bank beats, with maintained huts and a resident keeper. Booked as day rods through the agent Fishing Breaks.
Visit official site ↗
Middleton Estate — Half Water (Longparish)Agent booking
Middleton Estate (let via Fishing Breaks)
Just over a mile of varied main-river water at Longparish — slow glides, faster runs, deep holding sections and hatch pools — with a good head of wild fish supplemented by careful stocking. Hut and parking; suits two or three rods. Booked through Fishing Breaks.
Visit official site ↗
Stockbridge & Houghton · 3 beatsMixed
Houghton Club (Stockbridge), The Greyhound Beat, Houghton Lodge (upper & lower beats)
The 3 beats
Houghton Club (Stockbridge)Members-only
The Houghton Club
Founded in 1822 and often called the oldest fly-fishing club in the world, the Houghton Club holds the prime water through Stockbridge and Houghton. Membership is for a small number of rods and there is no visitor route — listed here only so you know the headline middle-river beats are not bookable.
The Greyhound BeatGuide / lodge
The Greyhound on the Test (hosted) / Upstream Dry Fly
Double-bank fishing on famous Houghton-Club-adjacent water immediately upstream of Stockbridge, with a hatch pool and a riverside hut tied to the inn. Hosted/day-rod access through the Greyhound and the agent Upstream Dry Fly — this abuts Houghton Club water but is not Houghton Club access.
Houghton Lodge (upper & lower beats)Enquiry
Houghton Lodge
A privately let stretch just upstream of Houghton village, split into an upper carrier-stream beat (about half a mile) and a lower main-river beat (about 300 yards), each with a fishing hut. Season roughly 1 May–15 October; access by enquiry rather than open day-ticket retail.
Mottisfont & River Dun · 2 beatsDay rods
Mottisfont Abbey — Oakley, Rectory & Dun, Dunbridge (River Dun)
The 2 beats
Mottisfont Abbey — Oakley, Rectory & DunAgent booking
National Trust / Wilde Trout (agent)
Three historic beats including Oakley, the Halford dry-fly water, now managed for habitat and wild fish rather than heavy stocking. Day rods and exclusive use for up to four rods are arranged through Wilde Trout, April–October; pressure is deliberately light — only three fishing days a week and never two days running. Wading recommended on parts.
Wild-priority, habitat-restoration water — technical upstream dry fly and nymph. Light-pressure rules; confirm fishing days and wading guidance when booking.
Visit official site ↗
Dunbridge (River Dun)Agent booking
Let via Fishing Breaks
An intimate beat on the River Dun, the Test tributary that joins at Mottisfont — deep pools, fast riffles and shaded cover holding wild trout, grayling and the occasional very large fish. Bank fishing for one rod or two friends; booked through Fishing Breaks.
Visit official site ↗
Middle & Lower Test · 6 beatsDay rods
Lower Brook, Kimbridge / Ginger Beer Beat, The Parsonage, Timsbury Fishery (syndicate)…
The 6 beats
Lower BrookAgent booking
Let via Fishing Breaks
A prime middle-Test beat downstream of Compton Manor, almost all double-bank main-river fishing with open casting room. Cabin, riverside parking and keeper-tied flies; suits two to four rods. Booked through Fishing Breaks.
Visit official site ↗
Kimbridge / Ginger Beer BeatAgent booking
Let via Fishing Breaks / Orvis (syndicate route)
About a third of a mile midway between Stockbridge and Romsey — steady flow, shallows, deeper sections and a turbulent hatch pool. Bookable exclusively for up to five rods with a thatched lodge and parking; syndicate membership opportunities also appear via Orvis.
Visit official site ↗
The ParsonageAgent booking
Let via Fishing Breaks
Wide main river plus a long carrier — glides, deep pools and shallow runs holding wild and stocked trout, strong grayling, and the occasional late-season sea trout or salmon. Cabin and parking; ideal for up to four rods or larger parties. Booked through Fishing Breaks.
Visit official site ↗
Timsbury Fishery (syndicate)Season rods
Timsbury Fishery Ltd
Over three miles of main river and carriers between Romsey and Stockbridge, divided into four private beats of two rods each. Fishing rights attach to company shares — shareholders normally fish a specified day once a fortnight — so this is members' water rather than a day-ticket fishery.
Brown trout on upstream dry fly and nymph; salmon must be returned; winter members may fish grayling and coarse. Syndicate share access, not a day ticket.
Timsbury 5Agent booking
Let via Fishing Breaks
A separate day-rod beat — roughly half a mile of main river plus a catch-and-release carrier — with mayfly and prolific later-summer sedge hatches. Suits three to five rods; booked through Fishing Breaks and distinct from the Timsbury Fishery syndicate.
Carrier is catch-and-release. A different product from the four-beat Timsbury Fishery Ltd syndicate.
Visit official site ↗
Broadlands EstateSeason rods
Broadlands Estate
Around 4.5 km of the lower Test through the Broadlands Estate downstream of Romsey, fished across five named beats — Grove, Moorcourt, Longbridge, Lee Park and Rookery & Lord Louis — holding native brown trout, grayling and, on the lower river, salmon and sea trout. Available for both season rods and day tickets; 2026 trout season 3 April–16 October.
Upstream dry fly and nymph for trout, natural imitations only, no lures, hook size no greater than 10; wild fish returned; wading to knee depth only with buoyancy aids. Weed-cutting dates affect conditions.
Lower & Tidal Test · 3 beatsDay rods
Nursling Mill Trout Beat, The Little River, Nursling, Testwood — sea-trout night fishing
The 3 beats
Nursling Mill Trout BeatAgent booking
Let via Upstream Dry Fly
Double-bank main-river fishing from the Broadlands boundary downstream to Nursling Mill, with heavy mayfly hatches, large trout and the occasional salmon or sea trout. Lower-river water that fishes more heavily than the upper chalk stream; booked through Upstream Dry Fly.
Visit official site ↗
The Little River, NurslingAgent booking
Let via Upstream Dry Fly
A mixed-species lower beat with both tidal and non-tidal water — classic chalk-stream upper sections and tidal lower water holding trout, sea trout, bass and coarse fish on the fly. Maximum two rods per day with lodge facilities; a different proposition from the upper-river dry-fly beats.
Tidal/transitional water — tide window, water colour and lower-river level matter more than hatch timing. Not an upper-river dry-fly beat.
Visit official site ↗
Testwood — sea-trout night fishingAgent booking
Let via Upstream Dry Fly
Lower-river water centred on Testwood Pool, regarded as some of the best sea-trout fishing in southern England, fished at night through the summer run. A specialist night fishery, scored on tide, sea-trout movement and summer water temperature rather than the chalk-stream hatch.
Night fishing for sea trout — separate logic from day trout beats. Check tide windows, summer temperature safety and beat rules before booking.
Visit official site ↗
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
John O Gaunt's Fishery
3.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
River Anton
5.0 km
Brown trout · Grayling
Dever Springs
8.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Amport Trout Fishery
10 km
Rainbow trout
Holbury Lakes Trout Fishery
10 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 8
  1. Brownie on the Test
    Brownie on the Test
  2. Upstream dry fly fishing on the River Test
    Upstream dry fly fishing on the River Test
  3. Gin-clear chalk-stream water of the River Test flowing past a fishing hut at Mottisfont, with aquatic weed visible.
    River Test - Chalk Stream
  4. A wide view of the River Test at Mottisfont, the chalk stream flowing through wooded estate grounds.
    River Test at Mottisfont
  5. An upstream view along the River Test near Mottisfont, clear chalk-stream water flanked by woodland.
    River Test near Mottisfont
  6. The River Test flowing through the grounds of Houghton Lodge Gardens near Stockbridge in summer.
    Houghton Lodge Gardens, The River Test
  7. A spring view of the River Test flowing through Houghton Lodge Gardens, clear chalk-stream water.
    River Test at Houghton Lodge Gardens
  8. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown
Water quality details
  • Dissolved oxygen: High
  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): High
  • Ammonia (Phys-Chem): High
  • pH: High
  • Phosphate: High
  • Temperature: High
  • Physico-chemical quality elements: High
  • Chemical: Does not require assessment

EA (England) · UKGB107042022670

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 89 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time80 × 13%10.4
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity83 × 12%10.0
Conditions total= 89
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 3 April → 31 October
  • Grayling 16 June → 14 March

    Statutory window is 16 June – 14 March, but the Test treats grayling as a winter product. Most bookable beats run 1 October – December or November. Wherwell/Fullerton-style estate water may extend to mid-March. Always check the beat — windows vary widely.

    Run as a winter fishery — most beats sell grayling 1 October → 31 December; the wider legal window is rarely offered.

    Prime sport 1 October → 28 February

Salmon: Negligible (2026) — 187 adult salmon returned in 2024 — lowest in 35 years. Genetically unique chalk stream stock at critical risk. Not a salmon fishing destination.

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