The Itchen river Hampshire

The Itchen is a river in Hampshire which flows from mid-Hampshire to join Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in Southampton. The river is 28 miles long and is noted as one of the world's best chalk streams for fly fishing especially using dry flies or nymphing.

Chalk streams make excellent trout rivers although some have been spoiled by modern agricultural methods in the quest for cheap food. The Itchen is one of the best which has not been damaged. It still displays the best qualities of a good chalk river: clear water, big fly hatches, and lots of greedy fish.

The area on the river between Worthys and Alresford is regarded as a perfect stretch of chalk valley which fishes well all season and trout rise on the river all the time. It is not an easy river to get to fish but there are days available on the Wild Trout Auction site.