The Golden Fly of the Itchen
The Golden Fly of the Itchen — Alresford millpool, 4 lb, first cast
Legend and place
Alresford millpool carries the best of the story: a 4‑pound brown trout taken blind on a golden pattern at first light. Winchester anglers tell it between pints at Hocketts in Ovington and the Bell at Timsbury. The River Itchen runs clear from St. Cross through Cheriton and Timsbury beats to Southampton Water. Chalk‑stream trout — Salmo trutta, the local "brownies" — feed tight to reed fringes in late May to July. The whisper is always the same: a golden dun imitation at dawn brings takes from 2–4 lb fish holding in 2–3 ft glides.
Tying lore
Tied rod‑to‑rod since Victorian ghillies, the pattern is simple and stubborn. Use a size 14–16 Partridge dry‑fly barbless hook. Body of Pearsall's gossamer silk yellow floss, ribbed with fine gold wire (0.1mm). Tail of three barred badger hairs. Golden olive cock hackle, 14–16 tight turns, stiff fibres for an Itchen skim. Small hare's ear dubbing for a segmented thorax. Upright starling slip wing, gold‑tipped. Finished length about 3/4 inch. Fish it on a 9 ft #4 silk line, 7 ft tapered leader down to 6X, 6X tippet, dead‑drifted over Hockley tail at first light.
Beats and ritual
Cheriton and Timsbury hold the peggies — prime lies where trout sit in shallow seams at 18–20°C water. Anglers set up quietly, chest waders pressed, casts short, mends minimal. The fly must ride high. The legend insists on an upstream quartering cast, no splash, a one‑inch skate across the film. Tales claim a 2½ lb cock trout will mop up the golden shimmer within seconds of sun hitting the meadow.
Kitchen
When a brownie comes to hand it deserves a plain finish: fillets pan‑fried in butter, a handful of watercress from St. Cross shallows folded in at the end, wild garlic mash from Cheriton banks and a jug of Hampshire farm cider on the side.
Recommended: fine gold tying wire