Simon Gawesworth (above fishing the River Test) says the chalkstreams of Hampshire are "a legend, part of the cult of fishing."

The chalkstreams of Hampshire in southern England hold a dear place in the world's collective fly fishing soul. From the time of Izaak Walton and Piscator, it was known for its "swift, shallow, clear, pleasant brooks, and store of Trouts." These nutrient rich waters (chalk streams are so named because their waters bubble up through chalk formations, neutralizing acidity and adding mineral content) have historically fostered vast legions of insect life, including many mayflies. It was amidst these carefully manicured river banks and idyllic meadows that many of the precepts of modern trout fishing were tested, and to a great degree, perfected. Through the center of it all flows the Test.

The Test bubbles up north Hampshire in the town of Ashe. As it travels to the southwest, it is joined by the Bourne, then the Dever and the Anton. At 39 miles, it is the longest of the Hampshire Chalkstreams. Through much of its path, the Test is not one river, but a collection of tributaries, feeder creeks, mill channels and carriers (man-made sloughs created initially for irrigation). The Upper Test is small, shallow water, with a good concentration of wild brown trout. The Middle Test is similar in character to the Upper, though on a larger scale, with longer, deeper pools that hold larger trout. Here, planted rainbows and browns supplement the native brown stock. In the last four miles below the town of Romsey, the river is reduced to one channel. There are fewer resident trout in this stretch, though the lower Test is visited by sea trout and the occasional salmon.

While the Test was recognized as a trout-rich river in the 1500s, it did not become an angling destination until the Industrial Revolution spawned a leisure class in the 1800s. Londonites snapped up country estates in Hampshire, and cultivated the rivers for their amusement. Riverkeepers were employed to maintain a proper garden-like setting; an earlier generation of riverkeepers were employed to clear the river of weeds to maintain water flows for the mills of a distant agricultural era. It was in the 1880s that Frederic Halford, along with George Selwyn Marryat and William Lunn, conducted pioneering entomological studies on the Middle Test at Stockbridge. Halford's musings, captured in Floating Flies and How To Dress Them (1886) Dry Fly Fishing in Theory and Practice (1889), became the bedrock of modern dry fly fishing.

Simon Gawesworth first fished the Test in 1980, and the river made a deep impression. "In my opinion, the Test lives up to its great reputation. It's still one of the most beautiful rivers I've ever fished. I think it's wise not to build the fishing itself up too much, as many of the fish are stocked. One visits for the Englishness of it all. It's a legend, part of the cult of fishing." Like other chalkstreams and spring creeks, the great clarity and slow tempo of the Test make it ideal for fishing dry flies. On many beats, fishing anything but dry flies is verboten. Other rules apply: one may only cast to feeding fish that have been sighted; one must cast upstream, and the fly cannot be fished below the angler; only one fly can be fished; and, on many beats, one may not wade into the river, so as not to stir up silt and weeds for anglers downstream. Some beats include small platforms over the river to facilitate casting. And, needless to say, one must reserve a rod for the privilege of fishing the Test.

The best time to be on the Test is the 2 to 3 week period in late May/early June when the river's greatest mayfly hatches occur. This period has been dubbed the "Duffer's Holiday", presumably because even the most casual angler can find success at this time because of reckless trout behavior brought on by the profusion of insects. Green Drakes are the great focus at this time. The river also sees hatches of March Browns, Pale Morning Duns and Blue-Winged Olives. Mayfly hatches have suffered in recent years, causing some alarm among local anglers. It's uncertain whether insects are suffering due to contaminants in the water or a decrease in weed habitat due to swans.

The carriers of the Test hold great appeal for Simon, because of the intimacy they afford. "I especially like the beats around Whitchurch, on the upper river. There are lots of little carriers in that stretch. There was one in particular that I don't believe had ever been fished. It was higgledy-piggledy-completely overgrown with thistles and the like. I managed to find a sluicy little pool where I could cast a fly. It was only five feet wide. There was a big trout lying in the neck of the pool. It took me five casts to get a fly in there, but when I did, the fish took. It was a fine wild brown of 2.5 pounds."

One piece of River Test angling lore that you are very unlikely to experience is the Houghton Club, the most selective fly-fishing club in the world. The club was founded in 1822 with 13 members. Current membership has ballooned to 25. Houghtonites control fishing rights on a good part of the middle river around Stockbridge. Little is known about the goings-on at the club, except that there is a changing area reserved for Prince Charles, should he decide to try his luck. The Houghton Club environs are off-limits for commoners, but you can seek solace at the bar of the Grosvenor Hotel, where club proceedings are conducted. Or, at the pub at the MayFly Inn, where feeding trout can be viewed from the beer garden.

Simon Gawesworth is an international fly casting champion. He has worked around the fly fishing industry all his adult life, as an instructor and consultant. He is a three-time winner of the South West Federation River Championships, and has been a member of the English International team in the European and World Fly Fishing Championships; he recently served as Captain and Team Manager. He is currently Vice President of Public Relations and Educational Services for Rio Products.

If You Go
Prime Time: Duffer's Fortnight - the two to three weeks of the Mayfly hatch in late May/early June - is considered the premium time on the river.

Getting There: The chalkstream region of Hampshire is just 75 miles south west of London, and less than an hour from Heathrow and Gatwick. There is train service to Winchester, which is a short cab ride to Stockbridge.

Accommodations: There are several nice inns in Stockbridge including the White Hart Inn (44(0)1264 810663) and the Grosvenor Hotel (44 (0) 1264 810606), home to the Houghton Club. Be sure to grab a pint at the MayFly Inn(44 (0) 1264860283)! A "Heritage Fly Fishing Tour" focusing on the history of angling in Hampshire while providing opportunities to fish some of the chalkstreams, is available from Fishing Breaks of London (44 (0) 20 7359 8818; www.fishingbreaks.co.uk). Four day tours (with three days of fishing and accommodations) begin at £1865.

Equipment: An 8' or 9', 4- or 5-weight rod with floating line in weight forward or double taper will suffice for the Test. For terminal tackle, bring 9' leaders tapered to 3x-6x, and tippet in 4X, 5X and 6X. Many mayfly patterns from home (Pale Morning Duns, Blue-Winged Olives, Adams) will work; the Orvis shop at Stockbridge (01264810017) can help you select the appropriate flies for the day. Orvis (www.orvis.co.uk) also lets the famous Kimbridge (aka 'Ginger Beer') beat, as well as Timsbury 5 and Timsbury 6. Prices for shared beats are around £150; for more information, contact Judith Thornton at 01264 349519; thorntonj@orvis.co.uk.