Roles on the Fishery
The Hungerford Fishery is administered by, and under the control of, the charity the Town and Manor of Hungerford. Fishing permissions are given three ways: to Rods (fishermen) on payment of fees, to Commoners on the basis of rights of access granted to them, and to Guests — accompanied by a Rod or Commoner — at the discretion of the Water Keeper. Water Bailiffs are Commoner members of the Fishery Committee, and all have the authority to examine licences, baskets and flies to ensure conformance to the rules.
Season & licence
The trout and grayling season on the Hungerford Fishery opens 1st May. Trout fishing closes on 30th September, while grayling fishing closes on 31st December. No fishing is permitted before 9 o'clock in the morning or later than one hour after sunset.
All Rods, Commoners and their Guests must hold a valid Environment Agency Fishing Licence.
Commoners, Rod subscriptions and Guest tickets are issued subject to the Commoners' right of fishing on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the season.
Guest Tickets may only be obtained from the Hungerford Fishery Office. They are not transferable and are valid only for the specified day. All Guests must be accompanied by a Rod or Commoner — they cannot fish in their stead or alone. Non-fishing Guests are not permitted within the Dun Mill or Eddington Mill boundaries. See Bringing a Guest for how to apply for a ticket.
The rules must be adhered to by all Rods and Commoners, whose responsibility it is to ensure their Guests are also familiar with them before fishing. Any indiscretion by a Guest is treated as an indiscretion by their host. Infringement of any rule may lead to the withdrawal of fishing rights without compensation, and the Honorary Secretary and the Town and Manor of Hungerford reserve the right to cancel any Rod Subscription or ticket without explanation.
Tackle & method
Fishing is upstream only with a dry fly. Nymph fishing is permitted only from 1st July. Wet flies, lures or goldheads may not be used, and no hook is permitted larger than size 12, with a maximum shank length of 3/4″ (20mm).
Barbless hooks must be used at all times when fishing Freeman's Marsh, and when fishing for grayling after the close of the trout season. Any Rod, Commoner or Guest who does not intend to keep fish should use barbless hooks.
Wading is not permitted, except on Freeman's Marsh.
Catch limits
The maximum catch in any one day is four (4) brown or rainbow trout of catchable size — 13″ (33cm), 1½lb (400g) — whether returned or kept. Only two trout may be taken from any one beat, except for ‘Lower Meadow’. Any undersized trout should be returned to the water as quickly as possible, if undamaged and likely to survive. Undersized trout and grayling do not count towards the daily limit of four fish. Rods should leave the river after catching their daily limit.
Fishing for grayling should be selective — shoals should be targeted, and general fishing is not permitted. Grayling fishing is only allowed in clear water conditions.
Access & fishing restrictions
There is no right of access during the close season.
Eddington Mill
Rods should use the south bank of the River Kennet above Eddington Bridge, following the path south of the lake to gain access to the Draughts.
Lower Meadow
Keys to the gates providing access to the River Dun, for those unable to climb the stiles, can be obtained from the River Keeper. The private drives to Eddington Mill and Dun Mill are out of bounds to all cars, and vehicles are not permitted on Lower Meadow.
Cleared paths, bridges & memorials
Cleared riverside paths should be used by Rods, Commoners and Guests only — where a bank has not been cleared, it is out of bounds. Where access paths exist, use them both arriving and leaving. Fishing from the War Memorial site in Bridge Street, or from any bridge carrying a public highway, is prohibited.
Mill Hatch & Dun Mill
Only Commoners may fish from the Mill Hatch lawn, and only Commoners may fish from the east side of Duffer's Pool Bridge downstream to Denford.
Parking
Parking is available through the electric gate opposite the Shell garage on the A4, using your access code, and at Denford, between the River Kennet Bridge and the River Dun. For access to the River Dun on Freeman's Marsh, there is space for a few cars on the roadside at the western access to Freeman's Marsh, opposite Cobbs Farm shop. For fishing on Lower Meadow, parking is available at the Fishing Car Park adjacent to the road at Lower Denford.
Wild Brown Trout & grayling
Wild Brown Trout (WBT) are key to the development of the Fishery. Rods, Guests and Commoners are asked to return WBT to the water where possible throughout the Fishery. Freeman's Marsh is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), managed specifically as a WBT river, increasing the biodiversity of the River Dun corridor and, with it, the populations of WBT and grayling. See Identifying Wild vs Stocked Brown Trout for how to tell the two apart.
Dogs
Dogs may accompany their owners on sufferance, but it is preferred that Rods don't bring them to the riverbank. If brought along, they must be kept under strict control and not allowed to dig, hunt or enter the water. Dogs must not be taken into the Dun Mill or Eddington Mill boundaries.
Catch returns
To assist effective restocking, all Rods must complete an entry in the fishing log — nil returns included — before leaving the Fishery, at the A4 car park. It is the responsibility of Rods and Commoners to ensure their Guests' returns are listed. If a Rod forgets to complete the log, they are asked to contact the River Keeper and provide a record of their day. Entries should be completed in print.
Public liability
All Rods, Commoners and their Guests acknowledge that the Town and Manor of Hungerford accepts no responsibility for personal injuries received while on the Fishery or elsewhere on the Town and Manor's property, nor for any loss or damage to private or personal property while exercising their fishing rights. Rods, Commoners and Guests acknowledge that they have read and accept the Rules and the Safety Statement.