Summer fly fishing on the chalkstreams brings new challenges, hatches and ultimately some great fishing too. The fly life changes to reflect the changing weather and we as anglers have to change our approach somewhat.
Through the summer months the peak dry fly fishing activity is generally in the mid-mornings and late-afternoon/evenings when the sun is lower and the air temperatures are not soaring. The mornings are reserved for small upwing insects, these hatch in an array of sizes and colours but typically they are olive and roughly size 16 to 18. Despite being small they can interest even the largest trout to take a look at the surface.
Whilst the middle of the day can be hot, this favours terrestrial insects. Daddy long legs, grasshoppers, ants, aphids and beetles all thrive in the summer, and on a day of bright sun and a little bit of wind you often find these insects being blown towards the water. You will generally see fish tucked in near the banks just sipping in these offerings as they trundle down. The fish may be right under the bank you are stood on, so tread carefully.
View Alex’s summer chalkstream outlook and tips below:
It is possible to secure your preferred summer dates whether a single angler or group now. So do not hesitate to contact us for details on availability.
Summer Chalkstream Fly Fishing Availability 2023:
Week: 12th to 18th June 2023
Monday 12th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 to 4 rods
Tuesday 13th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 rods
Wednesday 14th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 rods
Thursday 15th June:
Friday 16th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 to 4 rods
Saturday 17th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 rods
Sunday 18th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 to 10 rods
Week: 19th to 25th June 2023
Monday 19th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 to 12 rods
Tuesday 20th June:
Wednesday 21st June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 rods
Thursday 22nd June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 rods
Friday 23rd June:
Saturday 24th June:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Sunday 25th June:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 2 to 6 rods
Week: 26th June to 2nd July 2023
Monday 26th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 2 rods
Tuesday 27th June:
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 28th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 29th June:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 4 rods
Friday 30th June:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 4 rods
Saturday 1st July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 2nd July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Week: 3rd to 9th July 2023
Monday 3rd July:
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 4th July:
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 5th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 6th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Friday 7th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Saturday 8th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 9th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 3 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Week: 10th to 16th July 2023
Monday 10th July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 11th July:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 12th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 12 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 13th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – Exclusive use up to 20 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Friday 14th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 2 rods
Saturday 15th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 16th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Week: 17th to 23rd July 2023
Monday 17th July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 18th July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 19th July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 20th July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Friday 21st July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 4 rods
Saturday 22nd July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 2 rods
Sunday 23rd July:
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Week: 24th to 30th July 2023
Monday 24th July:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 25th July:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 12 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 26th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 27th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – Exclusive use up to 20 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Friday 28th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Saturday 29th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 30th July:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Week: 31st July to 6th August 2023
Monday 31st July:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 1st August:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 2nd August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 3rd August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 8 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Friday 4th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Broadlands Estate, River Test – Exclusive use up to 12 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Saturday 5th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 6th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 3 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Week: 7th to 13th August 2023
Monday 7th August:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 8th August:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 9th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 12 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 10th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 6 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Broadlands Estate, River Test – Exclusive use up to 12 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Friday 11th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Saturday 12th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 13th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Week: 14th to 20th August 2023
Monday 14th August:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 15th August:
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 16th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 17th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Polhampton, River Test – 1 to 2 rods
Private Estate, Middle River Test – 1 to 2 rods with guide
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 6 rods
Friday 18th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Wherwell Estate, River Test – 1 to 4 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Saturday 19th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 20th August:
Testcombe, River Test – 2 to 6 rods
Broadlands Estate, River Test – 1 to 3 rods
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Week: 21st to 27th August 2023
Monday 21st August:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Tuesday 22nd August:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Wednesday 23rd August:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Thursday 24th August:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Friday 25th August:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Saturday 26th August:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
Sunday 27th August:
Compton Chamberlayne, River Nadder – 1 to 6 rods
The weed cutting dates have been finalised for the 2023 season, view the River Test dates HERE and the River Itchen dates HERE.
For more information, further chalkstream fly fishing availability or to book one of these days please do not hesitate to contact us by EMAIL or call our office on +44(0)1980 847389.