There are a large number of stillwaters for fly fishing in Hampshire. Here you have a comprehensive listing, with all the information you may need (when available). Click the relevant links below to find the fishery you are looking for:
At the end of the fishery a location, fish size and quality, and fishability rating will be given, ranging from * to *****.
Location: * = located in the middle of Portsmouth or similar. ***** = A great escape into the countryside. Tranquil, picturesque and pleasant.
Fish size and quality: * = Poor average size and streaky, diseased fish. ***** = Good average size (i.e. 5lb+ and doubles) and fish fighting well, looking healthy.
Fishability: * = unpleasant atmosphere, unfriendly reception and difficult to physically fish. ***** = Generally a pleasing fishing experience. Happy to return to often.
Description: I am yet to visit Amport, but will be as soon as possible on my return from university - review to come.
Pricing: FISHING BY BOOKING ONLY, at £20 for an evening (2 fish, from 4PM in summer and 12PM in winter) and £35 for a full day (4 fish).
Lakes: 1 Lake, stocked with rainbows of 2.5lb and upwards.
Situation: Amport,
Location:
FIsh size and quality:
Fishability:
Avington Fishery 
Description: Avington, deservedly winner of our **Best Overall Stillwater Award**, is a top of the range fishery located at Avington, near Alresford. The Three Lakes (originally named 1, 2 and 3) feature a good head of consistently 5lb+ fish, with some MUCH bigger trout to be found. Avington has built its reputation on large and high quality fish, and it doesn't disappoint. The lake record brown is a staggering 22LB, with the record rainbow an even more impressive 27LB. A host of other 20lb+ fish can be found under 'big fish' on the website. Avington is reknowned for its stalking abilities (as this is how the bigger fish are caught) and therefore the water quality is first class 99% of the year. There is also the itchen carrier running alongside the length of the fishery which holds an excellent head of wild and stocked brown trout (catch and release only-included in the cost). The facilities are first class, with a new, extensive clubhouse offering a bar, hot food and extremely clean toilet facilities. Further down, the fishing hut contains scales, a catch return and gutting facilities (you can even ask to have your fish gutted for you). A shop provides all of the essentials. Avington cater for corporate fishing days, so the quality of service and facilities is in-line with a corporate event, although this is reflected in the price. It is difficult to stress the quality of experience at Avington enough. I have fished there personally on a number of occasions, and wholeheartedly recommend Avington as a great day out, well worth the higher prices.
Pricing: A day ticket (4 fish) costs £60 and a half-day ticket (2 fish) costs £35. If a ticket is used, an unlimited number can be bought on the day.
Lakes: 3 and the Itchen carrier.
Tuition: Yes
Awards: Trout Fisherman stillwater of the year, and second in overall fishery of the year.
Situation: Avington, nr Alresford, Hampshire.
Location: * * * * *
FIsh size and quality: * * * * *
Fishability: * * * * *
Description: Chiphall is a lovely fishery. There are limited facilities, a shop with a small few flies and a toilet, but the 4.5 acre lake is lovely. It is of varying depth, is always crystal clear, and is always well stocked. On a recent S&TA Junior Day, everyone caught a fish, an accolade not many of the Taster Day Fisheries have been able to claim. The fish are well finned and fight well, and the good head of Brown Trout (catch and release only) continues to grow in size. I personally had a thoroughly enjoyable day at Chiphall, and its lovely surroundings, set well back from the road, were a pleasure to be in.
Pricing: 1 fish ticket = £11 for 2 hours. 2 fish ticket = £20 for 4 hours. 3 fish ticket = £27 for 6 hours. 4 fish ticket = £36 for 8hours. Complete tackle hire is £5 per day.
Lakes: 1 lake, fed by the River Meon.
Contact: 01329 833295 or 07776 256792
Tuition: Yes
Situation: Droxford Road, Wickham, Hampshire.
Location: * * * *
FIsh size and quality: * * *
Fishability: * * * *
www.deversprings.freeserve.co.uk
Description: Dever springs is reknowned for its huge fish. The lake record is a whopping 36LB rainbow and 28LB 2OZ brown, huge indeed. The lake features in John Wilson's Go Fishing DVD. Dever Springs enjoy a prolific Mayfly hatch on both the lakes and Dever, a tributary to the river Test. Stalking is the name of the game as Dever's gin-clear water hold large numbers of double figure (and 20lb+) fish. Some feel that fish quality is slightly forgotten as these great barrels are fattened up, whilst others feel that there is no substitute for size, in which case Dever Springs wins hands down. If its big fish you're after, this is the place to go. Booking is recommended.
Pricing: A 2 fish evening ticket is £30, a 3 fish half day costs £40 and a full day, four fish ticket costs £50.
Lakes: 2 spring fed lakes totalling 6 acres, plus a half mile stretch of the river Dever.
Contact: 01264 720592 or pippa@deversprings.freeserve.co.uk
Tuition: Yes
Situation: Barton Stacey, nr Andover, Hampshire.
FIsh size and quality: * * * * *
OTHER RATINGS DELETED AS WE HAVE NEVER VISITED DEVER SPRINGS.
Description: Holbury Lakes fill the price/quality gap between fisheries like Chiphall and Avington. It is set in rural Hampshire, and peace is easy to find at Holbury. The four lakes, Pond, Island, Long and Willow are stocked with a good number of rainbow and blue trout, plus a few browns. The river contains a few stocked browns but mostly wild fish. The lakes are a good depth and most offer great room for casting. Water quality is excellent (see website for up-to date news) and the facilities like the lodge with tackle shop, and new 'barn' where refreshments can be provided, are excellent. Corporate days provide a good team building/celebratory day, with meals, tuition and fishing provided.
Pricing: A half day (2 fish & up to 6 hours) is £25. A half day of lakes and river is £30. A half day just on the river is £28. A full day (4 fish) is £37. A full day on lakes and river is £56. A full day just on the river is £38. A half season (13 days of fishing with 4 fish on each) is £350. A half season of 26 half days is £550. A full season of 26 full days is £850. Also corporate days available, and bulk fish tickets (certain number of fish over however many visits, in a specific monthly period).
Lakes: 4 Lakes and fishing on the river Dun (tributary of the test)
Contact: salmo_trutta@btinternet.com
Tuition: Yes
Situation: Lockerley in Hampshire (roughly half way between Salisbury and Winchester)
Location: * * * * *
FIsh size and quality: * * * *
Fishability: * * * * *
Description: John O'Gaunts is by no means a corporate fishery. The extent of the facilities is a fishing hut with scales and catch records, a hut where you pay and a portaloo in the car park. What 'Gaunts' lacks in facilities, however, it more than makes up for in location. Set just outside of Stockbridge and a short walk away from the test, it is right in the heart of fly fishing Hampshire. Without a road, train line or other man-made object in the sight, Gaunts is a great escape into the country. It enjoys a prolific Mayfly hatch at the right time of the year, and offers great fishing on its two, well matured and often stalkable lakes. The lakes are easily accessible and offer varying depths for a great variety of approaches to catching your fish. The lack of website and publicity mean the lake is rarely packed, but this also makes quite hard to find (if you aren't in the know!). To keep it this way, let's just say look for King's Somborne and guess from there (or phone them up). Use the phone number to check in advance that its open, and what flies and tactics are working best at that time of the year, or use the catch returns as guidance.
Pricing: Phone up for exact amounts, but a half day (2 fish) is around £20, with a full day (4 fish) priced at around £40.
Lakes: 2
Tuition: Yes.
Contact: 01794 388130
Situation: King's Somborne, near Stockbridge.
Location: * * * * *
FIsh size and quality: * *
Fishability: * * * *
Description: Meon Springs is a very well run fishery, with a recently built clubhouse and catch and release lakes. It is situated in the heart of the Meon Valley and especially in the summer, offers a truly picturesque and peaceful fishing experience. There are two main lakes, Coombe and Whitewool, which are stocked with a good head of rainbow and brown trout. Brown trout must be returned, and due to this are growing larger and larger in size! The rainbows touch a minimum of two and half pounds, and the maximum is much higher. Due to the Troutmaster status of the water, there are a good number of double figure trout in the lakes too (September last year saw 12 double figure trout!). The catch and release lakes are extremely well stocked with 2-4 lb fish (some larger perhaps) that bite well, and are a good resort when you have paid for enough fish! The Meon beat is well stocked with small brown trout, that take size 16-18 dries. For up to date water conditions and recommended tactics see the website. The new lodge offers refreshments, tackle for hire and a well supplied tackle shop where you can find all the essentials.
Bonus Feature: Meon Springs is not just a fly fishery. They offer corporate shooting and fishing days too, as well as day ticket shooting. Surprisingly, self storage is also available from them too!
Pricing: Meon Springs run a very fair pricing system. You pay a visit fee of £12.50, then £6.50 for each fish that you catch (minimum two to be bought). If, however, you do not catch all of the fish that you paid for, this fish can be held in credit and used on a subsequent visit. It is £18.00 a day to fish the beat on the Meon (catch and release). Membership to the club is £60.00 per year, which gets you free entry on the frequent event days, and a reduced visit fee of £8.
Lakes: 2, plus two catch and release and a beat on the river Meon
Contact: 07766 525 840
Bailiff: Sam Seale
Tuition: Yes
Situation: East Meon in Hampshire.
Location: * * * * *
Fish size and quality: * * *
Fishability: * * * *
Description: Moorhen Farm is an excellent trout fishery. The lake is well fed and the recently installed water-beaters ensure the fish are not bothered by herons or other pests. The water is crystal clear most of the time, and the average fish size is of a high standard. The lake record is a 25lb rainbow. The lake surroudnings are well-kept and casting room is excellent. At present, a number of mirror carp are also in the lake (and will be taken out when caught) and have grown to a VERY large size. The lodge and toilets are spacious and comfortable, with a small selection of flies and food and drink available. Sandwiches and breakfast can be provided to order, and smoke house facilities and fish storage are also available on request.Tackle is also available for hire at reasonable prices.It's proximity to the road may be its one drawback.
Pricing: A 2 fish ticket is £15, a 3 fish ticket is £21 and a four fish ticket is £26.
Lakes: 1 spring fed, 3 acre lake, strecth of River Meon for Brown Trout.
Contact: 01730 829460
Tuition: Yes (£12 per hour)
Situation: Warnford, Hampshire.
Location: * * *
FIsh size and quality: * * * *
Fishability: * * * *
Unfortunately, we have never visited Sutton Springs, and it does not have a website, so we cannot provide much information on this fishery. The minimum stocking size is 10lb, and Sutton Springs did provide the fish for the 'guess the weight of the fish' competition on the S&TA stand at the 2005 Hampshire Country Sports Day.
Contact: 01264 720592 or 07808 812814
Situation: Sutton Scotney, nr Winchester, Hampshire
Unfortunately, we have never visited Wintershill Lake and it does not have a website, so cannot provide much information about it. If you have any burning questions, it will be best to phone the bailiff. Full and half day tickets are available, and can be obtained on site or from the bailiff after 6pm.
Contact: 02380 601421 (bailiff) or 01489 860200 (Wintershill Estate).
Location: Durley, Hampshire.
Description: On my first visit to Woodington I was slightly put off by the small lakes and ongoing work on the fishery. A couple of 2lb fish resulted and a mediocre visit was recorded in my fishing diary. On return, however, with the S&TA, aI found the lakes had matured, the work was complete and some casting platforms and a new lake were the result. The fishery was in much better condition, and the fish were too. Average size seemed to have increased, there were some good 5lb+ hulks shooting around, and surface action was good. The fishery now offers a very good service, with four lakes to be fished, casting platforms for tuition and practice, a beat on a Test tributary that even sees the odd run of Sea Trout, a well stocked shop for both coarse and fly and clean toilet facilities. The fishery also offers a number of coarse lakes so your doesn't even have to be limited to fly! Check the website for up-to-date catch reports, water conditions and successful tactics.
Lakes: 4 lakes and a tributary to the River Test.
Contact: jh@woodingtonfishery.co.uk
Tuition: Yes
Situation: East Wellow, nr Romsey.
Location: * * *
FIsh size and quality: * * *
Fishability: * * *
We have also awarded three fishery the 'coveted' Fish Hants awards for best overall fishery, best located fishery and best value fishery. Here are the results:
=Avington
Lakes Fishery. No contest here really, Avington wins hands down. FIsh
size (and often more importantly, quality), water clarity and facilities available
are the best there is.
=Chiphall
Lakes Fishery. Chiphall's pricing is cheap as it is, but unlike other
waters available, they allow you to buy a one or a four fish ticket. This
scope is fair and well-priced, so Chiphall deservedly receive the value award.
=John
O'Gaunts Fishery. 'Gaunts' may not offer many facilities or huge fish,
but they offer the greatest escape into the country possible. The fishery
is spacious and seems to be miles and miles from any sort of inhabitance.
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The information presented here is just our personal opinions based on first hand experience, reliable sources and various websites. We do not represent any official body.