With superb water clarity and stunning fish, England’s chalkstreams offer mesmerising fly fishing right through the cooler months. Dom Garnett is your guide to these challenging yet rewarding waters, with tips and some recommended day ticket fisheries that won’t break the bank.
Clear, glassy water and big, wily fish make chalkstreams a fantastic challenge.
When it comes to heart-stopping sight fishing, little beats a session on one of southern England’s famous chalk streams. Indeed, it’s a bit of a shame that we assume waters like the Test, Frome and Itchen are only about game fish and silly prices! Cast your eyes on coarse fish and grayling, and things get really interesting- and often more affordable.
Autumn and winter sport can certainly be cheaper and more accessible than the famous trout fishing. Furthermore, species like chub, pike and grayling are often of an excellent size and condition. And with that famous water clarity, even high water levels don’t necessarily stop the chance of a memorable day out.
Clear water and abundant fly life make for amazing quality fish!
For most of us, admittedly, chalkstreams are something rather special rather than our regular diet. Club and syndicate memberships for the most renowned areas can command four figure sums! But for coarse fish, there is some great value out there; and who wouldn’t be willing to pay £20-£60 for an occasional treat that holds the chance of your fish of a lifetime?
Over the last decade or so, I’ve treated myself to a few sessions most years, especially in the late season. I keep a close eye on Ben Garnett, my older brother, who has become a little bit obsessed with these rivers, especially where grayling are concerned.
In this blog post, I’m going to talk about three key species that are all available and catchable in the cold: pike, chub and grayling. And along with some advice gained through good and tough days alike, I’ll also finish with a brief where to fish guide with some recommended chalkstream fishing available on a day ticket basis.
Chalkstream Grayling
Another fish on a simple, scruffy shrimp pattern, fished 4ft under an indicator. Shrimps are my go to flies- with a dash of colour any time the rivers are high.
With abundant bug life and perfect habitat, chalkstream grayling often grow bigger than their counterparts on regular rivers. And with their season spanning the winter months, they are a godsend to river fishing fans who want to keep casting.
The caveat is that clear water and high angling pressure do not make for easy fly fishing. Quality over quantity is the norm; but on rivers like the Itchen and Frome, grayling of over two pounds are relatively common! The Frome, in particular, is a magical venue with the chance of the fish of a lifetime, but is seldom easy because of its reputation.
My approach is therefore one of selectivity- and my first port of call is so often riverkeeper John Aplin. Nobody knows the Frome better, and he is your man for up to date form and advice, as well as day tickets! (see http://www.chalkstreamflyfishing.co.uk)
Here are my grayling fly fishing tips for the chalkstreams:
· Get used to slower, more thorough sport. Chalkstreams are so different to my home rivers in Devon! The fish are fewer but larger, and much fussier. While you might search dozens of spots for a few minutes each on the Exe or Tamar, chalkstream pools and runs need really thorough exploration. Be sure to slow down and cover likely spots well- this might take a few deep breaths and a mindset change!
While grayling are seldom in very fast, shallow water through the winter, they can handle current- and walking pace with a bit of depth is perfect. Bends, creases and snags are all worth searching, slowly and thoroughly
· Set up strong and choose your weapons wisely. With the chance of the fish of a lifetime, I wouldn’t even think about leaders under 4lbs. Heavy nymphs are the order of the day- and generally a long rod and long leader approach. A 10ft 4wt is my go to.
· Euro nymphing isn’t the only way to fish, let alone the easiest way! I definitely like the modern approach on a high, slightly coloured river. But when levels are lower, I much prefer to use a nymph plus indicator. This could have something to do with my large size and that gin-clear water! But I often feel more confident with a bit more distance between me and the fish. Ben Garnett has never fished Euro style in his life (he likes cane!) and has caught lots of large grayling on simple indicator and bug tactics- more than me, I have to grudgingly admit.
My current favourite choice of indicator is a small, cut down “Doohickey”, which is easy to change depths without damaging your line. Trimming down reduces bulk and makes for easier casting and less disturbance.
· Make the most of every indication! Many sessions will give you only a handful of bites for all your work. When you may only get one chance at a big fish, it’s vital to be tuned in and are ready to strike in an instant! No messing about here: make a clean, decisive strike even if you think it might be a take.
· Fine tune your presentation and get depth control. Presentation and the depth you search can be absolutely key for grayling. Having an adjustable indicator to change depths is handy. Nor is it a crime to have some small split shot, should you feel the need to get your fly down quicker. Be prepared to experiment, too. When it gets really cold, a fly literally tapping the bottom might be needed!
· The best flies for grayling are varied. While my attack on regular rivers is heavy on beaded flies, these can be less effective on pressured fish that have seen it all. Czech nymphs and shrimps are a must, as are a few “point” up, jig style nymphs. My go to pattern is a buggy shrimp type fly in a 12 or 14, sometimes with a hot spot of orange in the middle. Curiously, even fickle grayling sometimes like something bright, and if the water is carrying some extra depth and colour, sometimes a very bright fly is worth a punt.
Pack plenty of buggy Czech Nymphs and jig style flies that will get down. Shrimpy with a hint of bright colour is often a winning formula- and Turrall stock many top barbless grayling flies these days.
Above all, perseverance is the best advice for chalkstream grayling. It only takes one take to turn a tough day into a memorable one, after all- and it could well be a two to three-pounder, or even bigger. The current UK grayling record comes from the Frome, after all
A large grayling, ready for return. If you do want a photo of your fish, remember that these fish are quite fragile- so be quick and keep your catch as wet as possible. If the fish has fought hard, hold gently upright and allow some time for recovery.
Pike fly fishing on the chalkstreams
With more enlightened attitudes to predators, pike are now seeing a revival on many famous game fishing rivers. Gone are the days when they would be needlessly destroyed- and even where some controls are in place, the sensible trend is to keep the big ones present, as this is the most reliable way to keep the “jacks” at bay!
My best chalkstream pike at 24lbs. This one was caught on a lure, I hasten to add!
Get access to little fished water, and there are perhaps no better venues in England to catch big pike. To offer some perspective, it took me ten years to catch a 20lb pike on my local canal- on the River Test it took me two attempts! That’s not to say the fishing is always simple, however, and pressure is increasing as the species becomes more popular.
A fantastically conditioned fish on a big, flashy fly.
Here are some useful pike fly fishing tips for the chalk…
· 
Tackle up sensibly and strongly. Chalkstream pike are often in stunning condition, in fitness as well as looks! They are not line shy and I see zero point in fishing light and would go absolutely nothing under a 9# rod, along with minimum 30lb fluorocarbon trace and a tough wire leader. Also pack an XL landing net!
· Play hide and seek! The more you search, the more you’ll find with pike. Slacks, bends, cover and any obvious ambush points are prime. However, they can be unpredictable- for example, tolerating surprisingly shallow water, especially where there are dumb, stocked trout! In this aspect, the game is almost the opposite to grayling- be impatient and cover as much as possible. And never neglect really close in, right amongst marginal cover. Most anglers lift their flies out far too quickly at the end of each cast.
Search everything- the fish can be very close in, and a catapult cast (above) is worth a try in tight spots.
· Pick big, provocative flies. In recent seasons, my pike flies have tended to get smaller and subtler- in part due to the big pressure on so many waters. With chalkstreams you can sometimes go the other way- especially if you are lucky enough to find pike that see little bother. Equally, my instinct is that these clear river pike have less time to make their mind up, typically, and are used to hitting large prey such as chub and trout. Turrall’s Pike Sparkler is a favourite- it gets down well even in currents and has a big presence. Zero subtlety but deadly!
The Turrall Pike Flasher: one ugly mother, but very effective on rivers
· Be prepared to improvise and get beyond the obvious- So often, as with all fishing, the best spots are not the easiest to get at. Take ten anglers, and eight will only fish the open, easy bits. Even if you can only make a catapult cast, it’s worth a try- and I’ve caught many pike on swollen rivers by casting right under the bank. If a spot is awkward to get to, it’s likely to be underfished.
Chalkstream chub on the fly
Pretty much all the chalkstreams have excellent chub, with fish of 3-4lbs quite common! Better still, few people are fly fishing for them. I’ve had a disproportionate number of my better chub on rivers like the Stour, Itchen and Test, in spite of spending infinitely longer on bread and butter local rivers.
Chub stalking on the Stour: a river to break your PB!
Confession time here: I’m still haunted by a Stour fish of well over 6lbs that had taken my dry fly and managed to shed the hook. It would comfortably have been a new PB, had it not managed to weed me up!
The average size of chub on chalkstreams is phenomenal!
Admittedly, chalkstream chubbing is more of a summer than a winter pursuit. However, I have had some excellent fish by both accident and design through the colder months. Even if you are going for another species, I would always have some chub flies and tackle in the car, because you never know when you might spot an epic chub on the chalkstreams! Here are some tips for catching chub on the fly:
· Fly choice is by season, very definitely for chub. I absolutely love going for them in shallow water from mid June to August, using BIG, bushy dries. Weirdly, a wasp pattern, the “Jasper”, is my most successful fly- even on very well fished chalkstream beats.
Beaded Silver Partridge- a good design for chub
For autumn and winter fishing, you could try similar tactics to grayling, with an indicator or Euronymph setuop, or even streamers where permitted (chalkstream rules can be strict, however!). My favourite wet flies are generally beaded and well hackled patterns like spiders- and chub definitely like a decent mouthful with bling and movement.
· Wade and get stuck in for the best fishing. Of all the coarse species, chub are perhaps the one that most loves awkward spots. Don’t expect them to come to you! For this reason, waders and a long rod tend to be a must. Waders will also get you into narrower and overgrown bits of river where day ticket coarse anglers fear to tread.
· Make a cautious approach. In any discussion of chub it’s also worth mentioning just how critical it is to take your time, tread lightly and not send the fish packing. They are way less tolerant than grayling or roach when it comes to human presence.
· Tackle up sensibly and beware dirty tricks! Many a chub has been lost from an underhand lunge into streamer weed or an undercut bank. A classic trick is for these fish come in with little bother, and then suddenly shoot under the bank or go nuts on seeing the landing net. For this reason, be on your guard, have a long handled net and don’t drop below 4-5lb leaders and tippets!
Chalkstream day ticket beats
Throop, Dorset Stour
A great option for most coarse species with several miles of water, this famous day ticket beat is popular, but offers plenty of space. Great for pike in the winter, or chub in the summer. Day tickets available locally – and it’s always worth stopping at Christchurch Angling Centre, which is right by the Stour.
https://www.ringwoodfishing.co.uk/day-tickets.html
Dairy House and nearby waters, River Frome
If you want to track down the grayling of a lifetime, but don’t wish to join an expensive club, John Aplin at the Diary House is your man! Challenging but magical fishing- with the home beat providing the chance of huge grayling for under £50 a day, and other options are also available.
Timsbury, River Test
A popular beat with some excellent winter grayling and large pike, as well as other coarse once the trout season is done and dusted. https://timsburyfishery.net
Lower Itchen Fishery (http://itchen-fishing.co.uk/CoarseFishing.asp)
Day tickets are available every winter, with some excellent, grayling, chub and other species reaching specimen size.
The Royalty, Hampshire Avon:
While most anglers bait fish this iconic water, there is also good potential for fly caught chub and pike. https://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/royalty-fishery
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