West Amesbury Fishery

The lowdown

• A cracking stretch of Avon water at West Amesbury, around seven miles north of Salisbury and roughly two miles from Stonehenge.
• The fishery runs for approximately two miles, with a mix of double-bank and single-bank sections. Handy, varied water rather than one long uniform glide.
• Expect classic chalk-stream habitat, with deep pools, fast riffles and plenty of changing bank character through open meadowland and wooded sections.
• The aquatic fly life is a big part of the appeal. Mayfly hatches are described as spectacular, so that period can be proper exciting when everything kicks off.
• Summer evenings can produce rising fish during Blue Wing Olive spinner activity. Keep an eye on the surface and be ready for a cheeky dry-fly opportunity.
• The named water includes West Amesbury above and below Ham Hatches. The club also lists the associated Queensbury and Abbey waters as River Avon fisheries at Amesbury.
• A 500-metre section below Queensberry Bridge was restored with help from the Wild Trout Trust, Environment Agency and Game Conservancy. Further work was carried out below South Mill and from below Ham Hatches to Allenby Bridge.
• Habitat work has included gravel, flow and bank restoration. That should make for a nicely varied swim, with different depths and pace to pick apart.
• This is trout and grayling water, with the club allowing dry fly and upstream nymph. It’s technical chalk-stream fishing, so reading the crease and covering likely lies matters.
• Check the club’s traffic-light status page before travelling. Opening and closure information can change, and guest access has some fairly specific date restrictions.

Methods: The permitted methods are dry fly and upstream nymph. Fish the glides and pool edges carefully, then switch attention to the faster riffles when the hatch or flow says so.

Access & tickets

Day tickets are available online from The Salisbury District Angling Club. The coarse day ticket price is £15.

Fish the club names

trout

Key rules

• Fishing is for trout and grayling.
• Permitted methods are dry fly and upstream nymph.
• Guest day tickets are available only through club members.
• Guests must be accompanied by the member who purchased the ticket.
• Trout guest fishing is available on weekdays during the trout season.
• Trout guest fishing excludes the mayfly period from 12 May to 29 June.
• Grayling guest fishing is available on any day from 16 October to 31 December.
• Check the club traffic-light status page for current opening and closure information.

River level

Where it is