White Horse Fishery
MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO PARK in front of “The Goat” pub in Downton.
This fishery extends along the true right-hand (western) bank from the humpbacked, white-painted Iron Bridge, where Downton High Street crosses the Avon, downstream for approximately one mile. The lower boundary is the point where the Salisbury to Wimborne railway once crossed the river, the site of a catastrophic train crash, on 3rd June, 1884. Our fishery includes the “Bull Water”, managed by Captain L.A. Parker, fishing guide and landlord of the Bull in Downton (once a noted Avon fishing inn) for eighteen years, in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Captain Parker wrote of this fishery in his much admired 1948 book “This Fishing”.
The fishery can be accessed either from the upstream end, or in the middle (“the copse”) and offers a wide variety of characterful swims; some in woodland, others in reedbeds and yet more from high, grassy banks. Whereas roach were once the prime quarry, chub are now the dominant species and run to specimen size throughout the fishery. There are good bream swims and trotting for dace on the gravel shallows can provide excellent sport. Exceptional perch specimens frequent the fishery but are somewhat nomadic and can appear anywhere. In high winter flows, once the weed has died back, the fishery offers fantastic piking opportunities.
Often overlooked is the potential for wild brown trout – some remarkable specimens have been landed since the club has had the fishery. Pursuit of these fish is helped by the fact that some stretches can be waded in the margins under reasonably low water conditons.
Day Tickets for this fishery. HERE