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River Itchen

Iain Tutt

Iain Tutt

Senior Member
Does anyone know where the free stretch of the Itchen near Southampton is. All i know there is a pub and a council carpark very near to it.
 
I might be wrong Iain, but I had thought it was immediately below/before the entrance to the Lower Itchen day ticket fishery.
 
On another site say it's near woodside walk pitch and put by The Swan pub Eastleigh. So that gives me a clue for a reccy. Howard, you are apparently correct about the location too. Chears. It's taken me all night to sus out where it was. Lots of talk about it but no mention of where it exactly was.
 
I spent my formative years fishing this stretch (no barbel then, I can assure you - it was in the late 1960s!) The stretch starts at Woodmill, where there is a large council car park, and extends up to Gaters Mill. The lower section is a public park with a pitch & putt course that runs up as far as Mansbridge, where the A27 crosses the river. There are a lot a dog walkers etc on this part so fishing is not all that easy. The top section runs from the bridge up to Gaters Mill, where it runs beside the main road, again making fishing tricky. Howev the part from the Bridge up to just past the White Swan pub is beside the old road and is much easier to fish (and, consequently, more popular). This is where the barbel come from, although I have not fished there for many years. Also used to be some cracking roach in that neck of the woods too.

Local tackle shop is Home Stores in Swaythling High Street, around a mile away. They should be able to give you all the latest info.


Dave
 
David/Gary,
Any Grayling to be had in that stretch please?
Regards
BillW
 
Bill,

Haven't fished the stretch for a long time now. There ought to be some grayling, given that the Lower Itchen fishery is the next stretch upstream and that has a big head of them, but I cannot confirm that. Perhaps someone who has fished there more recently can shed some light on it.

Must also correct a mistake in my previous post, Home Stores is in Swaythling High Road, not Street


Dave
 
This might be helpful. Local club controls the opposite bank on part of the top section. Interestingly, no mention of barbel, although we know they are there; the flounders come up from the estuary - the section is tidal influenced although the bottom part is more like a tidal river with a significant rise and fall.

http://tvacspsangling.co.uk/river-itchen-mansbridge/


Dave:eek:
 
Many thanks Graham/David although I'm now a bit confused (not difficult!). The thread started taking about it being free fishing but your attachment for Test Valley talks about membership David. I don't have a problem with paying for my fishing though....I've been down that way for work this week and would have done a reckie...will be back down soon so will make sure I've got appropriate footwear in motor.......and perhaps a rod :)
 
Bill.
Ive fished lower Itchen about a dozen times.
Full of grayling and trout. Roach are hard to come by mainly on flake. Had a few but best 1.14.

Barbel generally at the bottom end that runs into the free section.

There are good chub but need to be fairly light to fool them.

The free bit that I know of is behind the pub. But most fish over the railings there.

Its good active sport.
 
Thanks for all the comments and info. Going to have a reccy in the week with the dog.

Joe, i live overlooking the sea at Selsey and my 3 local angling shops are mostly sea fishing, not course fish. That's why i have to as on this forum for details. Also, the area am asking about is around 35 miles away so i didnt want to waste my time and diesel. Not having ago but course anglers living by the coast in my area are a bit closed mouthed about where the waters are. I belong to 3 fishing clubs in Hamp/Sussex and apart from the well known waters. After these am lost
 
Bill,

Just to clarify, the free fishing is from the road bank (where the White Swan pub is); the club stretch is on the other bank. Parking either in the pub car park or on what's left of the old road either side of the pub. As Graham said, it's generally fishing over the railings, as not many places with any bank to fish from because of the proximity of the road.


Dave
 
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/Images/Riverside Park map_tcm63-366731.pdf
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/people-places/parks-open-spaces/parks/riverside.aspx

Above is a link to Riverside park, and the map. It is free fishing throughout the park and above/ upstream of the A27 past the Swan pub and up to Gators mill, the Lower Itchen fishery.
The Woodmill center is roughly in the center of the park. Downstream of woodmill is tidal, the sea side, upstream is not. On high spring tides there is some tidal influence on the river but it's negligible.
Around Woodmill it's possible to catch Bass and Mullet one side of the road and coarse fish the other. Quite good Bass fishing on the sea side but not easy, waders and good local knowledge required. Don't forget there are four tides a day there. There are a few pier type structures.
The coarse fishing in the park and around the pub is excellent. LOTS of dog walkers, cyclists, joggers and others in the park. At the bottom end, by Woodmill there's a big car park and there's a lot of duck feeding goes on near there, needless to say bread is a brilliant bait in that area and the Roach seem to stay around for the daily feed, and the Pike.
There's mention in the park blurb about the Itchen walk or similar, this extends over 10 miles + of the river and is all free fishing as far as I know. Mostly it's on the navigation, I had a look at a stretch at Shawford recently, supposedly good for Grayling and if we get a bit of rain and some really cold weather soon I'll be giving it a go. Thigh waders at least needed, was there on a Saturday morning, no anglers! There's also a few free bits around Bishopstoke, Winchester and Twyford.
There's a good chance you might hook into a sea Trout or even a Salmon this time of year, so be prepared.
One of my favourite stretches of water, notwithstanding the crowds, some great viewing spots around the pub, you can see the massive Roach (I've seen 3lbers) feeding on the free offerings and avoiding the hookbait. The top swim, just below Gators mill is good but again, waders required, it's a lot deeper than it looks!!
Enjoy.
 
Thank you all for some great info and my apologies Iain for ambushing your thread :D
 
Not good enough Bill. I want all the fame for starting this thread. It's all about me, me, me :)
 
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