Start with Booby (8-10) on a fast strip on floating line or static on sinking. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Fish early and late, try deeper during the heat of the day with a fast-sinking line.
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.
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Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.
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Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.
An iconic chalk-stream-fed stillwater complex beside the River Allen between the New Forest and Cranborne Chase, home of the Damerham Blue Trout, with three miles of bank fishing, no wading, dry fly and nymph only. Long a members' water, now also day-ticket by advance booking.
An iconic chalk-stream-fed stillwater complex beside the River Allen between the New Forest and Cranborne Chase, home of the Damerham Blue Trout, with three miles of bank fishing, no wading, dry fly and nymph only.
Start with Booby (8-10) on a fast strip on floating line or static on sinking. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Fish early and late, try deeper during the heat of the day with a fast-sinking line.
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.
An iconic chalk-stream-fed stillwater complex beside the River Allen between the New Forest and Cranborne Chase, home of the Damerham Blue Trout, with three miles of bank fishing, no wading, dry fly and nymph only. Long a members' water, now also day-ticket by advance booking.
