Sopley Main River, Hampshire Avon
Sopley Main River gives Christchurch Angling Club anglers approximately 2 km of left-bank Hampshire Avon fishing, with deep glides, gravel bars and plenty of cover. Large chub dominate here, with barbel and pike among the other fish in the mix.
Run by Christchurch Angling Club · checked 6 Oct 2026
River Avon (Hampshire)
Sopley Main River, Hampshire Avon
The lowdown
- First up, make sure you’ve got the right Sopley water. This is the Main River stretch, listed separately from Sopley Mill Stream Fishery — an important distinction when sorting your day on the bank.
- There’s approximately 2 km of left-bank fishing. It starts where the mill stream diverges and finishes at the Mill Stream Fishery boundary above the confluence, so keep those limits in mind.
- Deep glides and gravel bars give this stretch its character. Those are the main river features to think about when choosing a swim and deciding where to put your float or feeder.
- Overhanging trees and ranunculus provide cover, adding another bit of interest to the glides and gravel. The stretch sits within an SSSI too, so this is a bank to treat with care.
- Large chub are the headline fish and dominate the stretch. Barbel, dace, roach and pike also occur, giving you a fair bit to think about before packing the tackle bag.
- Carp and bream visit as well, while eels, grayling and perch are also listed. That’s a varied line-up, but visiting fish aren’t the same thing as a guaranteed target every trip.
- The lower access can be a proper muddy faff, with boggy ground and small carriers to cross. Waders or wellingtons are usually needed year-round, not just when winter rolls round.
- Plan around the actual fishing window: coarse fishing runs from 16 June to 31 January, with access from 7am until two hours after sunset. There’s no night fishing, and no toilets either.
Methods: Use the deep glides, gravel bars and cover to guide your swim choice and float or feeder approach. For coarse or pike lure fishing, leave spinners, spoons and Devon minnows out of the plan — they’re prohibited.
Access & tickets
Full annual membership
Valid for 365 days from joining. New members also pay the joining fee.
£182 plus £20 new-member joining fee (as listed 6 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
Fourteen-day holiday membership
Starts on the day of purchase.
£120 (as listed 6 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
Seven-day holiday membership
Starts on the day of purchase. The description lists £70, but the fee table lists £90 — confirm with the club before purchasing.
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.
Fish the club names
chub, barbel, roach, pike, carp, bream, eel, perch
Key rules
- Coarse fishing permitted from 16 June to 31 January.
- Access is from 7am until two hours after sunset; night fishing is prohibited.
- No fishing directly opposite the mill — observe the signs.
- Spinners, spoons and Devon minnows are prohibited for coarse/pike lure fishing.
- Maximum two rods; braided mainline is allowed.
- Up to two guests are permitted.
- Dogs are prohibited.
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.
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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
Where it is
Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.
Community reported
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