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Merley Hall Farm — River Stour

Merley Hall Farm is a cracking Dorset Stour stretch run by Wimborne and District Angling Club. It runs from downstream of Julian’s Bridge on the right-hand bank to the last field at Merley Ways, with swims for both pleasure and specimen anglers.

Run by Wimborne and District Angling Club · checked 12 Oct 2026 · boundaries only partly described by the club

River level

Measured — Environment Agency

Wimborne gauge

Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.

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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

The lowdown

  • There’s a good choice of swims here, so it’s not just a one-peg wonder. The club says it suits both pleasure anglers and those after something a bit more serious.
  • The stretch starts downstream from Julian’s Bridge and follows the right-hand bank down to the last field at Merley Ways.
  • No exact length or peg count is given, so have a proper look around rather than charging straight into the first swim you see.
  • The club recommends walking the stretch first to locate shoals. Bob on advice, especially when the river is showing a bit of colour or the fish have shifted.
  • Travelling light is the name of the game. Keep the faff down and make it easier to move between swims if the first spot isn’t on the munch.
  • Winter anglers should keep an eye on river levels. Conditions can change quickly, and the club specifically advises checking levels through the colder months.
  • Named fish include chub, perch, pike, roach and brown trout, with the club also mentioning grayling, dace, bleak, gudgeon and sea trout when in season.
  • The indicative specimen sizes are proper tempting: chub over 6 lb, perch over 2 lb, grayling over 2 lb and pike over 15 lb.
  • Access is via Oakley Lane. From downstream, walk down a drive and along a gravel track, with the fishery entrance through a gate by the track.
  • There’s no designated parking, no toilets and no disabled access. Watch out for livestock in the fields, and report any cormorant sightings to the club.

Methods: A flexible, mobile approach makes sense here: walk the stretch first, travel light and keep checking the river levels in winter. The range of pleasure and specimen swims gives you room to adapt your approach on the day.

Access & tickets

Guest ticket

Available for Merley Hall Farm. No club key is needed.

Adult WDAC membership

12 months across WDAC waters.

£135 (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

OAP/disabled or junior WDAC membership

OAP/disabled membership is for 12 months; junior membership covers ages 16–17.

£110 / £35 (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Access is available through WDAC membership, or with a club guest ticket. The official pages do not publish a separate Becketts day-ticket price; check the club’s current ticket arrangements before heading over.

Fish the club names

chub, perch, pike, roach, trout

Key rules

  • Coarse-fish closed season is 14 March to 16 June.
  • The club’s general closed-season rules are enforced.
  • Night fishing is not allowed.
  • Anglers must be aware of livestock in the fields.
  • Report cormorant sightings to the club.

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 fish

Where it is

Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.

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