Chalkstream Fly Fishing in Wiltshire

Fishing Breaks offer the widest selection of the very best chalk stream brown trout dry fly and nymph fishing in the county of Wiltshire.

Our rivers | Your guide | Places to stay | Fishing advice and flies | Maps

Wiltshire has an amazing chalkstream heritage. It was the home of Frank Sawyer, inventor of the Pheasant Tail Nymph and has the most extraordinary variety of streams – the Nadder and Wylye are the best-kept secrets in dry fly circles.

These two rivers, plus the River Avon, offer a range of choice at great value for anyone who likes to fish alone or with a few friends. The season opens on all the rivers in mid April with the mayfly hatch starting in mid-to-late May, with these remarkable insects sporadically appearing all summer long.

This is a county that welcomes visitors with its world famous landmarks: Salisbury Cathedral on the water meadows of the River Avon and Stonehenge.

Our rivers

		River Avon Avon Springs Great value and a warm welcome
		River Avon Coombe Mill & Kingfisher Lodge In the footsteps of Frank Sawyer
		River Avon Upavon Farm All wild fish and wading beat
		River Nadder Compton Chamberlayne The quiet of Wiltshire's sheep-grazed valleys
		River Wylye Fisherton de la Mere On sabbatical for 2024
		River Wylye Hill Deverill A perfect headwater with exceptional clarity

Your fishing guide - Mark Bedford-Russell

Mark spent his working life in the Lloyds insurance market before making a career changing decision to move to a tiny village at the vertex of the Hampshire/Dorset/Wiltshire borders where he divides his time between guiding, loading in the shooting season and helping out on the river.

Born in Germany, Mark learnt his fishing with his father on the River Itchen, so working with Fishing Breaks is the perfect excuse to return to many of his old haunts where you will find he is a dab hand with both dry fly and nymph. As a father Mark particularly enjoys the teaching days at Nether Wallop Mill.

You may read more about Mark Bedford-Russell on the Fishing Guides page. If you wish to pick Mark’s brain, email him direct at mark@fishingbreaks.co.uk All diary and booking enquiries should be made direct to Fishing Breaks. 

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Places of interest

View the full Fishing Breaks accommodation guide

Fishing advice and flies

The Wiltshire trout season runs from April to October, with grayling all winter on the Avon. The hawthorn hatch happens around the end of April, with the mayfly running from mid-May into June and then sporadically right through July, which is unique to the Avon. For more fishing advice and to buy flies click here.

Top Wiltshire Flies:

Recommended outfit: 7.5-8.5ft rod, with 3-5wt floating line. Tippet to 2lb/6x.

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Maps

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