Winkton Fishery

Day Ticket coarse fishing on a famous private stretch of the Hampshire Avon

This fishery is situated roughly a mile above the top boundry of the famous Royalty but is not so well known. The fishery extends from Sopley Mark to Winkton Lower Weir and includes the productive Sidestream. Day tickets have been available for many years but its popularity has never been as high as its downstream cousin, but a lot of very large specimens of most of the species present in the Avon have been captured down the years. Like much of the lower Avon there has recently been a resurgence in both the quality and quantity of the fish inhabiting this stretch. In particular large numbers of small barbel can regularly be seen above the weir during the Summer along with an excellent head of roach to over 2lbs.

For an angler who wants a days fishing on the Avon, but prefers a quieter day than that sometimes experienced on the Royalty, then this is a place to consider. The fishery is home to some large roach, chub, barbel and pike as well as holding some carp of very acceptable proportions. Big dace and some grayling are also present.

This season so far barbel to 11lbs, several chub in excess of 6lbs and carp up to 18lbs have been taken. For those who enjoy a day with the float, several good bags of silver fish with chub and roach mixed in have been taken. Rumour has it that some good bream have also been caught but no further details are available at present. A few grayling have been reported but these have been few and far between. The fishery holds some excellent pike to well over 20lbs which respond well to both live and deadbaiting techniques. Please note that spinning is not permitted, nor may any coarse fish be brought onto the fishery.

This fishery undoubtedly has massive potential but it needs to be fished on a regular basis to get the fish used to anglers bait. Winkton now has a new river keeper, the first since 1991, and the fishery is now carefully being brought back to its original condition. This will obviously take time and in the meanwhile some of the swims need a bit of pioneering spirit but they are producing for those anglers who put in the time and effort.

 

Davis Tackle issue day tickets for coarse fishing on this famous stretch of the Hampshire Avon on behalf of Major J. M. Mills. Tickets for the 2006/2007 season cost £7 per day. Fishing is from 7a.m. untl two hours after sunset offering an earlier start and a later finish than any other day ticket fishery on the Hampshire Avon.

 

Winkton fishery is located on the B3347 Stony Lane which runs South from Ringwood to Christchurch. Parking is in two lay-by's on the main road. Tickets, which can be obtained in advance, are only available from Davis Tackle.

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