Royalty Fishery, River Avon, Christchurch
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.
Run by South West Lakes Trust · checked 5 Oct 2026 · boundaries only partly described by the club
The lowdown
- Fancy a day on the Royalty? Public coarse tickets are available online or from Christchurch Angling Centre. The published 2026 day price is £17, and the shop takes card payments only for tickets — no rummaging for cash needed.
- The coarse day-ticket season runs from 16 June to 13 March. Your day starts at 07:30 and finishes at the seasonal closing time, so don't assume you can stay until dark. In October, closing is 20:00.
- There's a proper mix of named coarse fish here: chub, barbel, roach, bream, pike and dace. The operator also lists salmon, sea trout and bass, but don't treat a coarse ticket as a blanket green light for every species.
- A cheeky overnight session is an option, with coarse night tickets priced at £32. They run from 18:30 to 07:30, with availability listed from 16 June to 13 March. That's a separate ticket, not extra hours on a day permit.
- Top Weir Compound has separately priced 24-hour bookings for up to three anglers. Parlour Pool, Top Weir Compound, Bridge Pool and Waterloo Pool each have separate rules, so get those straight before settling into your chosen spot.
- Pike plans need a calendar check: no pike fishing before 1 October, and pike spinning or lure fishing is restricted to 1 October–31 January. For worm fishing, leave the lobworms at home; small worms are allowed on single hooks.
- The practical bits are bob on for planning: toilets are available and dogs are welcome. Use the open main Avon Buildings car park; the Mill Road anglers' car park is closed until further notice. Keep residents' access clear while waiting at the gate.
Methods: Coarse anglers can use two rods, provided they're properly attended; small worms may be fished on single hooks, but lobworms are banned. For pike spinning and lure fishing, stick to 1 October–31 January.
Access & tickets
2026 coarse day ticket
16 June–13 March, from 07:30 until the seasonal fishery closing time. Available online and from Christchurch Angling Centre.
£17 (as listed 5 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
2026 coarse night ticket
18:30–07:30, with availability listed from 16 June to 13 March.
£32 (as listed 5 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
Top Weir Compound 24-hour booking
Separately priced booking for up to three anglers. Separate compound rules apply.
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.
Fish the club names
chub, barbel, roach, bream, pike
Key rules
- Carry an appropriate Environment Agency fishing licence. Separate rules apply to Parlour Pool, Top Weir Compound, Bridge Pool and Waterloo Pool.
- Day-permit anglers must not enter before 07:30 or block residents' access while waiting. Follow seasonal closing times; October closing is 20:00 and the gate closes automatically.
- Two rods are allowed for coarse fishing if properly attended. Every permit holder must have a landing net and unhooking mat.
- Barbel, carp, pike and game fish must not be retained in keepnets.
- Pike fishing is prohibited before 1 October. Pike spinning and lure fishing are restricted to 1 October–31 January.
- Lobworms are prohibited. Small worms may be fished on single hooks.
- No fishing from bridges, including pipe bridges.
- No littering, fires or camping on or near the river.
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 fishRiver level
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
Where it is
Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.
Community reported
Recent angler updates
No angler updates yet — that's normal. Be the first to help the next angler.
How busy was it?
Nobody's said yet. It's part of the 20-second update below.
No live tracking — this is what anglers told us after their session, and it's never part of the venue score.
Water updates from anglers
No active water updates.