River guide
River Avon (Hampshire) in Dorset
9 checked stretches so far — day tickets, club waters and guest tickets, each checked against the club's own pages.
The lowdown
The river here is the Hampshire Avon, with the Royalty Fishery at Christchurch in Dorset. For a public-ticket outing on this part of the Avon, the Royalty offers both daytime coarse fishing and a separate overnight option.
The Royalty's named fish give this Dorset section a varied angling line-up: barbel and chub alongside roach, bream, dace and pike. Keep the seasonal distinctions in mind — the published coarse-ticket season and the tighter pike-fishing dates aren't the same thing.
Close season reminder
Coarse fishing on English rivers is closed from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. That's the law for coarse fish on rivers — it's not a club rule, and game-fishing seasons work differently.
GOV.UK — Freshwater rod fishing rules: when and where you can fishStretches
9 of 9 checked stretches. No rankings — we don't know which is "best" on your day, and neither does anyone else.
Royalty Fishery, River Avon, Christchurch
River Avon (Hampshire) · Day ticket or night ticket
The Royalty Fishery brings public day-ticket fishing to the Hampshire Avon at Christchurch, with barbel, chub, roach, bream and pike on the list. South West Lakes Trust runs it for Bournemouth Water, with night tickets and separate Top Weir Compound bookings available too.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Lower Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
River Avon (Hampshire) · Members and accompanied guests
Lower Winkton is Christchurch Angling Club’s stretch of the Hampshire Avon in Dorset, with weedier shallows upstream and deeper holes downstream. Most of it is lightly fished, apart from the water immediately below Winkton Weir.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Upper Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
River Avon (Hampshire) · Members only — holiday membership available
Upper Winkton is a Christchurch Angling Club stretch with two big weir pools and slower, deeper water between them. There’s proper variety here, from winter roach to hefty barbel, chub and pike — but no day tickets.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Sopley Main River, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
River Avon (Hampshire) · Members only
Sopley Main River gives Christchurch Angling Club members approximately 2 km of left-bank Hampshire Avon fishing, with deep glides, gravel bars and overhanging trees. Large chub dominate, and the lower access can be properly boggy — wellies or waders are usually needed.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Lower Severals & Avon Castle, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
River Avon (Hampshire) · Members and guest tickets
Lower Severals & Avon Castle gives you roughly three-quarters of a mile of the Hampshire Avon under Ringwood & District Anglers Association. A winding stretch with trees and a millstream junction, it’s a cracking one to size up for barbel, chub and roach.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Bisterne Fishery, River Avon (Hampshire), Week Farm access on the Dorset side
River Avon (Hampshire) · Day ticket or club members — confirm availability
Bisterne Estate’s Avon fishery offers varied swims and plenty of water, with large chub and barbel the main draw. Week-side access goes through Week farmyard on the Dorset side — but check availability before setting off, as the estate’s older fishing page carries a November 2023 closure notice.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Ringwood Fishery, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
River Avon (Hampshire) · Members and permitted guests; no public day tickets
Ringwood Fishery is Christchurch Angling Club’s bit of the Hampshire Avon between Somerley Estate water and the Severals. Deep pools, shallow runs and side channels give it a proper mix, with winter trotting at the splits a club-recommended approach.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Severals, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
River Avon (Hampshire) · Members and guest tickets
Severals gives Ringwood & District Anglers Association anglers two miles of the Hampshire Avon along the Dorset–Hampshire boundary. It’s a members-and-guests stretch, with barbel, chub and plenty more on the fish list — but no public day tickets currently.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Lower Avon mouth at Stanpit Bank–Claypool, Christchurch, Dorset
River Avon (Hampshire) · Day ticket or annual permit
This is the Lower Avon mouth beside Stanpit Bank, heading towards Claypool, with bank fishing managed by South West Lakes Trust on behalf of South West Water. There’s a day-ticket option, a cheeky evening ticket and a 24-hour ticket if you fancy staying overnight.
Checked 5 Oct 2026
Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.
Access & tickets
2026 coarse day ticket
South West Lakes Trust
16 June–13 March, from 07:30 until the seasonal fishery closing time. Available online and from Christchurch Angling Centre.
£17 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Royalty Fishery, River Avon, Christchurch
2026 coarse night ticket
South West Lakes Trust
18:30–07:30, with availability listed from 16 June to 13 March.
£32 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Royalty Fishery, River Avon, Christchurch
Top Weir Compound 24-hour booking
South West Lakes Trust
Separately priced booking for up to three anglers. Separate compound rules apply.
Covers: Royalty Fishery, River Avon, Christchurch
Full annual membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Valid for 365 days from joining. A £20 new-member joining fee also applies.
£182 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
14-day holiday membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Must be purchased before entering the fisheries.
£120 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
Accompanied guest tickets
Christchurch Angling Club
Adult £10; under-18 £5. Guests must accompany a full paying member, with one guest per member daily under the current guest-ticket page.
Covers: Lower Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
Full annual membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Valid for 365 days from joining. New members pay an additional £20.
£182 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Upper Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
14-day holiday membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Starts on purchase day.
£120 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Upper Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
Seven-day holiday membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Starts on purchase day. The description lists £70, but the fees table lists £90; confirm before buying.
Covers: Upper Winkton, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset
Full annual membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Open to everyone and valid for 365 days. New members pay an additional £20 joining fee.
£182 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Sopley Main River, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
14-day holiday membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Starts on the purchase date.
£120 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Sopley Main River, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
7-day holiday membership
Christchurch Angling Club
The membership text says £70, but the fee table says £90. Confirm the price before purchasing. Starts on the purchase date.
Covers: Sopley Main River, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Adult membership 2026/2027
Ringwood & District Anglers Association
Annual membership. New adult members pay an additional £30 joining fee.
£200 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Severals & Avon Castle, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Disabled/senior membership
Ringwood & District Anglers Association
Annual membership, plus £30 for new members.
£145 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Severals & Avon Castle, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Annual night-permit supplement
Ringwood & District Anglers Association
Standard annual supplement. This fishery’s evening finishing times still apply; it does not allow all-night fishing.
£60 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Severals & Avon Castle, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Public coarse-fishing day ticket
The Bisterne Estate
Advertised for Bisterne Fishery. Confirm availability and collection arrangements with Lynn Coombes; the older estate fishing page carries a November 2023 closure notice.
Covers: Bisterne Fishery, River Avon (Hampshire), Week Farm access on the Dorset side
Christchurch Angling Club member ticket
The Bisterne Estate
Six member coarse rods daily. Collect from Ringwood Tackle on the fishing day before entering estate land. Maximum twelve visits per membership year; no guest tickets.
Covers: Bisterne Fishery, River Avon (Hampshire), Week Farm access on the Dorset side
Full annual membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Valid for 365 days from joining. New members pay an additional £20.
£182 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Ringwood Fishery, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Fourteen-day holiday membership
Christchurch Angling Club
Starts on the purchase date.
£120 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Ringwood Fishery, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
River night permit
Christchurch Angling Club
Required for river night fishing. Does not allow night fishing beside the Fish Inn.
£50 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Ringwood Fishery, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Adult membership 2026/27
Ringwood & District Anglers Association
New adult members also pay a £30 joining fee.
£200 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Severals, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Senior/disabled membership
Ringwood & District Anglers Association
New members also pay £30.
£145 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Severals, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Annual night permit
Ringwood & District Anglers Association
Venue-specific finishing times still apply; this does not allow all-night fishing at Severals.
£60 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Severals, River Avon (Hampshire), Dorset–Hampshire boundary
Adult bank day ticket
South West Lakes Trust
Available through Catch. Valid from 7:30am to sunset.
£13 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Avon mouth at Stanpit Bank–Claypool, Christchurch, Dorset
Bank 24-hour ticket
South West Lakes Trust
Starts at 7:30am and provides an overnight option.
£20 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Avon mouth at Stanpit Bank–Claypool, Christchurch, Dorset
Single-person annual bank permit
South West Lakes Trust
Valid for one year from purchase.
£100 (as listed 05/10/2026)
Covers: Lower Avon mouth at Stanpit Bank–Claypool, Christchurch, Dorset
Species
We only tag a stretch with a fish when the club names it. Some clubs name fish across all their water rather than stretch by stretch — those are flagged on the card.
● named by the club for this stretch · ●* named across the club's waters · blank = not named (not "absent").
Rules — who runs what
South West Lakes Trust
Buy public coarse day tickets online through South West Lakes Trust or from Christchurch Angling Centre, where ticket payments are card only. The Trust is an independent charity and has managed the fishery for Bournemouth Water since April 2022.
Arrange membership or an eligible guest ticket through Christchurch Angling Club; annual membership runs for 365 days from joining. Buy holiday membership before entering, and follow the current guest-ticket page’s one-guest limit rather than the venue table’s two.
Club pageRingwood & District Anglers Association
Arrange membership or ask about guest tickets through Ringwood & District Anglers Association, and make sure you have the required club key. Public day tickets aren’t advertised here; the club’s ordinary day-ticket offering is restricted to Throop and Lower Stour.
Club pageThe Bisterne Estate
For current availability and public day-ticket arrangements, contact Lynn Coombes at lacoombes62@gmail.com before travelling. Christchurch Angling Club members collect their tickets from Ringwood Tackle on the fishing day, before entering estate land.
Fished the river recently?
Pick the stretch you fished and add a 20-second update there — one stretch at a time keeps it useful.
Each stretch page lists its own key rules. You'll need an Environment Agency rod licence on all of them.
River levels
Measured readings straight from the Environment Agency. These are the nearest gauges we've matched — not readings from the stretches themselves.
Measured — Environment Agency
Knapp Mill gauge
Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.
Loading latest reading…
We don't publish an "ideal level" — nobody can promise one. Flood water is dangerous: if it's up and coloured, stay well back from the edge. Open River Ready
Measured — Environment Agency
East Mills Flume gauge
Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.
Loading latest reading…
We don't publish an "ideal level" — nobody can promise one. Flood water is dangerous: if it's up and coloured, stay well back from the edge. Open River Ready
Tips & reports
Our take (editorial, not club advice): on any decent-sized river, a lead that holds bottom without dragging is half the battle — go up in weight before you go up in bait. A bit of extra colour after rain often brings barbel and bream closer in, but a fast-rising, debris-filled river is dangerous; if in doubt, don't. Weather tools built for still lakes don't translate neatly to rivers, so we haven't bolted a lake-style weather score on here.
No angler reports on these stretches yet — we'll only show real ones once our moderated river reports are live.
Where this comes from · checked 5 Oct 2026
- GOV.UK — Freshwater rod fishing rules: when and where you can fish
- South West Lakes Trust — royalty fishery (swlakestrust.org.uk)
- Christchurch Angling Club — lower winkton (christchurchac.org.uk)
- Ringwood & District Anglers Association — lower severals avon castle (ringwoodfishing.co.uk)
- The Bisterne Estate — home (bisterneestate.com)
Rules, prices and ticket availability change — the rights holder's own page always wins.