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The Royalty

Stephen Scaysbrook

Stephen Scaysbrook

Senior Member
Can any one give me directions or a post code for the Royalty fishery please. I'm not interested in fishing there (well I am but more like cant.) I'm coming down to the area to visit my Daughter who lives in a small village called Southwick near Fareham.
I have one day which I've not a lot to do so thought I might just come and have a walk along the Royalty banks.
Thanks
Stephen
 
alrite mate..im affraid your not allowed to walk the banks at the royalty without a permit..you can walk along one section on a public pathway but thats it..;)
 
Hi Steven.
Head to
Davis Fishing Tackle
Post code is BH23 1QE for the sat nav.
Its up the side road right by the shop.

Hope this will help

Neil
 
They dont like anglers walking round with out a ticket.
But when i was down that way i ask and they said it would be ok this once.:)
So it worth a trip.

Neil
 
Why dont you go for a walk down the stour instead by meadowbanks caravan park u can walk from there to the town past the golf course which is a lovely walk, probably see some barbel there too!
 
Neil Rogers said:
They dont like anglers walking round with out a ticket.
But when i was down that way i ask and they said it would be ok this once.:)
So it worth a trip.

Neil
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You would think to let anglers walk the stretch would be encouraging potential customers. With such a scenic river a first hand view of such a famous fishery would probably sell more tickets than any number of photographs. Seem's a bit of a short sighted attitude.
 
BH23 2PQ theres a field to the left of the main entrance to the caravan park just walk across it 150 yards and the river is at the end of the field, its a fast flowing and rocky section. There is normally a big heron or similar bird hopping about on the rocks there.

Follow the river down to the left towards the golf course and it widens a bit and has more gravel beds and streamer weeds. Its a lovely walk, i'd love to live down that way!
 
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Alex Gowney said:
You would think to let anglers walk the stretch would be encouraging potential customers. With such a scenic river a first hand view of such a famous fishery would probably sell more tickets than any number of photographs. Seem's a bit of a short sighted attitude.
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You wouldn't think that way if you had just been skylined for the 30th time that morning by people 'just having a look'. ;)
 
Southwick to the Royalty or any stretch of the Stour is still some considerable distance! I would suggest it would take you an hour of travelling in each direction.
 
Nigel Gray said:
You wouldn't think that way if you had just been skylined for the 30th time that morning by people 'just having a look'. ;)
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Maybe not Nigel, couldn't care less myself but if I was selling day tickets for a fishery I would expect some people to be inspired to part with their cash after having a look. But I get your point.
 
You can see enough of the river from the public foot path to get an idea of what it's like. If people were allowed to walk around the whole stretch it would be no different to a carp commercial but on running water..
 
While in southampton for my brothers wedding earlier this year i thought i'd take a cheeky look at the royalty. Drove the family the short distance to christchurch but instead of finding the avon had to spend the rest of the day on the beach with the kids buying endless ice creams. Still, atleast they enjoyed themselves.

Richie
 
The royalty doesent need advertising or allow non-permit anglers to walk the banks to get more fishing there...its usually packed everyday..:)
 
Mark de Lancey said:
You can see enough of the river from the public foot path to get an idea of what it's like. If people were allowed to walk around the whole stretch it would be no different to a carp commercial but on running water..
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The point is that the Royalty 'is' a commercial fishery that sells day tickets and not just for RDAA members.
Bona fidi ticket holders also walk the banks skylining the swims and is no different.
In my opinion, skylining doesn't make a lot of difference here as it is a commercial fishery where the fish see anglers on the bank every day of the week and have done so for ever. In my experience, the wearing of brilliant white or highly coloured clothing does not make any difference to catches or even spook fish on this fishery! The fish are aware that anglers are on the bank and they always have done and are well accustomed to it. They may be cautious at times but not always as you can see from the consistant catches and re-captures that take place throughout the season. In fact, in my 'past' experience, skylining actually can encourage fish into a swim where the fish then expect bait to be put in when they show themselves to be present!
I think Nigel's point is more relevent to Health and Safety and Insurance implications for non ticket holders on private property, which I think makes more sense. There is also the problem of ticket holders not wishing to be disturbed when staking fish or relaxing, by other ticket/non ticket holders walking the banks wishing to talk and gain information.
Basically, it is a commercial fishery so you would expect this.
 
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An angler paying £60 a day for the top wier would be sick as a parrot if they were bothered about being skylined...the public footpath runs right across the top :D

To be fair, it is partly shielded, but skylining still happens. As Ray said, it doesn't seem to make any odds.

Cheers, Dave.
 
I know of a good few anglers that have complained about the spoiling and disruption to their fishing over the past couple of years including in the Parlour Pool.
These have not all been due to non-ticket holders just walking the banks.
When you consider that one bank of the fishery backs on to an Industrial Estate, has a busy Railway Line crossing the Railway Bridge, mechanical machine mowing of the Royalty lawns, mechanical weedcutting and general maintenance by boat and scythe when anglers are fishing, bankside vegetation removal etc etc, the fish still get caught virtually every day during these practices and disturbances. Of course, anglers are not very happy but the fish have learned to grin and bear it.
If you want peace and quite with virtually no disturbance then you should venture upstream on other parts of the Hampshire Avon where it is rare to see a soul angler or walkers and it is truly back to fishing in virtually natural surroundings and river habitat.
You may not catch fish instantly or as easy as on the Royalty, but the river is untapped and unpressured in these upstream areas. Yes, there are some other upstream fisheries where their is a good head of barbel and other species in known swims but most anglers fish near the car parks and generally don't venture much further into the unknown.
Boy have I missed out on a lot by sticking to one place for a very long time.
 
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