News

NEW for 2011

We are delighted to announce that Sportfish will be running 5 courses at Lower Itchen Fishery in 2011.

The day includes:

• Tea and Coffee on arrival in the main fishing lodge.

• Full access to designated beats on the Lower Itchen fishery.

• Guiding services of a Sportfish Instructor which will include casting techniques, insect identification and pattern selection (as required).

• 3 fish limit with catch and release thereafter.

• Lunch (any dietary requirements to be made known at time of booking).

• One Hours Salmon fishing with a Lower Itchen Gillie on the Salmon beats of the fishery.

For dates and full details see sportfish.co.uk

CAUGHT ON CAMERA - TWICE IN ONE YEAR !

In September 2010 Sky Sports spent a day at Lower Itchen Fishery to try their hand at catching a salmon on film.

They succeeded, and the programme was aired on Sky Sports 3 on the programme Tight Lines on 17th September.

A few weeks later and a different crew from Sky TV was down filming the celebrity chef Valentine Warner catching a trout and then cooking up a fish pie which we all got to taste - delicious. This programme "Coast to Coast" will be on TV sometime next year.

2010 - A RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR THE FISHERY

2010 saw all our previous records for salmon smashed.  We ended the season with a catch of 267 salmon, the best year since the fishery and records began in 1954.

See our Salmon page for full details.

The Trout and Salmon Magazine reported in October 2010: Just when you thought it couldn't get any better than six salmon in a day. More...

GIFT VOUCHERS

We offer Gift Vouchers for a days/season's fishing. An ideal present.

Trout & Salmon Magazine article:

See November 2007 issue of Trout & Salmon magazine for a feature article on our Grayling Fishing.

The 2008 Salmon Season our best catch since 1989 with 173 fish.

Some interesting facts about the 2008 season:

• First fish caught on the last day of April, although fish were hooked and lost earlier.

• Largest salmon - 16lbs 8oz.  Largest sea trout - 13lbs 4oz.

• Most fish caught on one day : 12

• Most fish caught on one day by one angler : 7

• 25% of fish caught on a nymph.

The COMBO Rod introduced in 2008 proves popular:

A combination of Trout and Salmon fishing on a fortnightly basis on a named day of the week.

The Combo Rod gives a total of: 6 days trout fishing - with 2 guest tickets and 6 days salmon fishing - with 6 guest tickets.

Starting in April you alternate between a days Salmon fishing for 2 people on a salmon beat with your next visit being a days Trout fishing on the trout water.

Refurbishment of old Mill Building:

2008 saw the start of the long needed refurbishment of the last mill building at Gaters Mill.  The building was derelict and at the point of collapsing in on itself with rotten floors and supporting beams, a failing roof structure and crumbling brickwork.

The mill building forms part of the entrance to the fishery and its refurbishment will greatly enhance the mill complex.

The project is to completely restore the building, which is believed to be the oldest of all the mill buildings on the site, to provide top quality office accommodation on three floors and giving just over 2,300 sq ft of usable space.  Great care has been taken to retain as many of the original features as possible with exposed brick walls and timber beams.  The repair of the structure of the building has now been completed with a new roof, new floors, new windows and repaired brickwork.

The office space will be available to lease and anyone interested should, in the first instance, contact Lyndsey Farmiloe on 07885 175540.