Three stealth tips for River Test brown trout
River Test near Stockbridge: stalking brown trout on gin‑clear runs
River Test water is clear and shallow; trout detect motion long before they see it. Move on gravel with short, deliberate steps. Keep weight low, pause between strides and use tufts of rushes or the river bank as a screen. On bright days a crouched approach or slow shuffle keeps feet from tearing the surface tension that gives away position.
Shadow line and river side tactics
Always approach so the angler’s silhouette stays off the water. Work downstream or use bushes to break the profile. Shadows crossing a run shut down takes; trout bolt at a dark band. If a choice exists, pick the bank that keeps light behind the stalk and the fish’s head facing into current.
Low‑profile presentations beat power casts. Use a 6 ft 2/3 wt outfit for compact, accurate casts in overgrown beats. A bow‑and‑arrow or roll cast produces minimum splash. Place the dry fly about one metre upstream of a sipping fish and let the leader lie soft for a natural drag‑free drift.
Rig a fine, long leader and match the hatch. Scan first, pick the right size, then deliver a whisper of a landing. A dry fly settling like a drifting sedge at dusk is often all it takes for a brown trout held under an overhang to commit.
Recommended: assorted dry fly pack