CHAPTER VI 



THE HAMPSHIRE STREAMS 



The term " Hampshire trout streams " is taken 

 as a rule to mean Test, Anton, and Itchen, a 

 splendid trio of waters. There are, however, some 

 other little-known but excellent trout streams, 

 which well deserve mention, running for the most 

 part through a country of chalk. These are the 

 Loddon, with its tributary the little Lyde, and the 

 Whitewater — a tributary of the Loddon's tributary 

 Blackwater — in the north-east corner of the 

 county ; and the Hamble and Arle, or Meon, in 

 the south, swelling Southampton Water. The 

 several head waters of the Wey have been de- 

 scribed among the Surrey Streams, and the Avon 

 will be dealt with in the chapter on the Wiltshire 

 streams. There are a few streams in the New 

 Forest, such as the Boldre and the Lymington 

 river, but they contain for the most part only 

 coarse fish ; whilst the Beaulieu holds but a few 

 trout, and those of a small size. The Isle of Wight 

 streams are not of importance to the fly fisherman 

 though the Brading and one or two other smaller 

 waters contain a few trout. 



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