Limestone Fly Fishing in Gloucestershire

Fishing Breaks offers the very best limestone fishing for brown trout and grayling, on dry or nymph, in the county of Gloucestershire.

Fishing advice and flies | Places to stay | Map

Our rivers

RIVER COLN

The River Coln rises at Brockhampton to the east of Cheltenham and flows in a south/south-easterly direction through the Cotswold Hills via Andoversford, Withington, Fossbridge, Bibury, Coln St Aldwyns and Fairford. It joins the River Thames to the southwest of Lechlade, where it shares a confluence with the Thames and Severn Canal, by the Round House footbridge.

The Coln takes its water from the limestone uplands of the Cotswolds and you will soon see how accurately the original derivation of the name for this, one of the most beautiful parts of the English countryside, which when translated from the Saxon, describes an area of gentle hills grazed by sheep.

Limestone streams, though similar to chalkstreams in depth and flow, do tend towards a slight cloudiness at certain times of the year but make up for that with abundant fly life, including a spectacular mayfly hatch in the early weeks of the season and damselflies later in the summer.

Coln St Aldwyns is just 15 miles from either the M4 or M5.

COLN ST ALDWYN

The River Coln is a true limestone stream and without a doubt the best trout river in the Cotswolds, with Coln St Aldwyns the picture postcard essence of Gloucestershire. The Estate has opened up, for the first time ever and exclusively for Fishing Breaks clients, the opportunity to fish the syndicate water. With two and a quarter miles over which to range there is a huge variety of fishing amidst the most beautiful, tranquil setting. The limestone habitat is ideal for a diversity of fly hatches including a spectacular mayfly that runs from the last week in May through the first weeks of June. The beat has a good head of wild trout supplemented by regular stocking of brown trout with, of course, grayling.

Sadly, our river keeper of the past four decades, John Reeves has hung up his scythe for a well deserved retirement but we are delighted that Wayne Smith (pictured), who lives on the Estate and had been helping John out, has taken his place with many plans and much enthusiasm.

The beat is within five minutes walk of Coln St Aldwyn the perfect Cotswolds village with The New Inn a welcoming spot ideal for a pint, lunch and as somewhere to stay.

		No. RODS 1-3+ plus Season Rods		COMPARE
No Dogs		17m	0.5m	0.5m
“Slow start but had a lovely evening rise.”   “Nice small stream in lovely surroundings.”    “Pretty stretch of river.”

+ Larger groups may be available on request.

For further details, please complete our enquiry form or e-mail info@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Fishing advice and flies

These limestone streams fish nearly year-round with trout from April to September and grayling October to March. Like the chalkstreams the hatches are hawthorn in April, mayfly in May/June with a mix of sedges, olives and terrestrials in the summer; damsel patterns are especially deadly. For more fishing advice and to buy flies click here.

Top Gloucestershire Flies:

The Pheasant Tail Nymphs and Damsel Mayfly Nymph in a variety of sizes are the best sub-surface patterns.

Recommended outfit: 8ft rod, with 3-5wt floating line. Tippet to 2lb/6x

Places to stay

View the full Fishing Breaks accommodation guide

Maps

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

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