July Chalk‑stream Dawn Windows
River Test below Stockbridge: early caddis and PMD are rising
River Test below Stockbridge shows the classic July pattern: brown trout taking dries in low light. Caddis (sedge) and PMD are the feature hatches at first light. Golden stonefly and Yellow Sally lurk on upper beats, and Green Drake pushes later into the morning on calmer stretches.
Water temperature sits in the mid 60s°F; 54°F is the known trigger for caddis but July chalkstreams usually run warmer. Visibility is clear to three feet plus. Fish are working in 1–3 ft along tails and riffles; nymphs live 2–4 ft under an indicator.
What is biting and how
Dry patterns: Elk Hair Caddis (size 14) and Caperer imitations (12–14) score in the dawn window. PMD flies in size 16–18 hold up through the late morning pulse. Golden stone patterns in sizes 8–10 take bigger browns on upstream beats.
Tactics are straightforward. Dry‑Dropper set‑ups and a Nymph under indicator rig work best. Carry 5 lb tippet for windy bank fishing and bulky dries. Timing: dawn windows, then a main hatch 10 AM–4 PM and an evening rise from 8 PM to dark. Similar July sedge and caddis action holds on the Itchen and Avon, but the Test below Stockbridge remains the prime morning briefing.
A brown trout breaks the glassy surface beneath a willow, takes a cream PMD and disappears into the current — the exact moment to be on the water.