As the river moves into the chalk beds near
Burcombe it starts to pick up more alkaline water
from a number of springs and begins to look more
like a classic chalk stream. The Nadder will still
colour very quickly after rain and will remain
coloured for days after a heavy downpour. In my
experience however fish will come back onto the
feed more quickly here than on other local rivers
(perhaps they are more used to the coloured water?)
Having passed Wilton, particularly once the Wylye has joined the Nadder it becomes very wide for a chalk stream and as it flows behind the industrial units of Churchfields in Salisbury it feels like a very different river to fish than the small stream encountered upstream of Tisbury. The Nadder officially ends where it joins the river Avon in Salisbury and our water then rushes off through the justifiably famous coarse fishing stretches around Fordingbridge and Ringwood before emptying into the English Channel at Christchurch.
The river to my mind has the widest range of environments out of all the local rivers; from ranunculus heavy wide gravel bedded stretches open to the sun right through to dark, tree covered deep (and I mean really deep) pools.
Having passed Wilton, particularly once the Wylye has joined the Nadder it becomes very wide for a chalk stream and as it flows behind the industrial units of Churchfields in Salisbury it feels like a very different river to fish than the small stream encountered upstream of Tisbury. The Nadder officially ends where it joins the river Avon in Salisbury and our water then rushes off through the justifiably famous coarse fishing stretches around Fordingbridge and Ringwood before emptying into the English Channel at Christchurch.
The river to my mind has the widest range of environments out of all the local rivers; from ranunculus heavy wide gravel bedded stretches open to the sun right through to dark, tree covered deep (and I mean really deep) pools.
Anecdotal evidence suggests good Salmon and Sea
Trout runs up the Nadder to spawn and salmon are
often returned by anglers plugging for Pike on the
coarse fishing stretches of the river near
Salisbury.
If I’m asked about why the Nadder captures my attention I wonder to myself, is it because its different to other local rivers? Is it because of its enormously varied fishing? Is it because it isn’t as famous and thus overfished as some of its more well known neighbors? Perhaps its all of these things? To be honest its all of these things and none of these things, its something I can’t quite put my finger on.
Fish it for a while yourself and you’ll know...
If I’m asked about why the Nadder captures my attention I wonder to myself, is it because its different to other local rivers? Is it because of its enormously varied fishing? Is it because it isn’t as famous and thus overfished as some of its more well known neighbors? Perhaps its all of these things? To be honest its all of these things and none of these things, its something I can’t quite put my finger on.
Fish it for a while yourself and you’ll know...
