A FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY
Released exclusively on Fishing TV on 18th October 2019
Award-winning director, Gerry Pomeroy, and his dedicated crew of filmmakers tell the amazing history of one of the oldest and most famous stillwater trout fisheries in the United Kingdom. The legendary lakes of Avington in Hampshire.
Avington: A Troutfisher’s Paradise, shows how a former NASA scientist, Sam Holland, created a three-lake, gin-clear-water fishery, out of a smelly muddy swamp in the 1970s, and produced very large rainbow and brown trout, which proved to be revolutionary.
“I think he saw an opportunity for creating fish of a size unusual to this country, in a relatively wild environment in beautiful water where British anglers could come and enjoy the sport at a level they could elsewhere in the world.”
Bob West, Avington Trout Fishery owner
Over the years, Avington has rarely been out of the Angling press’s fishing reports, which highlighted the big fish captured there by such respected anglers as Frank Sawyer, Dick Walker, Alan Pearson and Peter Stone.
“You only need to mention Avington to any fly fisherman and they say, “Oh yeah, that’s the place with the big fish. It’s produced many British records of its day and made the careers if you like of a lot of famous flyfishermen.”
Peter Cockwill, celebrated author, angler and international guide
Today, Avington attracts top anglers from all over the globe and has broken nearly every major trout record in Stillwater Fish and Fisheries in the UK.
“Avington has one huge advantage over most fisheries up and down Britain. It is right on the edge of the river Itchen, one of the premier chalkstreams, one of the best fishing spots in Britain, which provides it with the most incredibly gin clear water, which is perfect for sight fishing.”
Simon Cooper, Fishing Breaks MD, and writer
“People come from all over the world to fish here, because of the clarity of the water. The lakes here are crystal clear, we have the right type of water, the right type of weed, the right type of insect, and the trout are very happy, and they get large and fat on it.”
Gilly Bate, Angling Instructor & Agent
Interweaved with this unique and fascinating history, the film also captures anglers fishing the lakes today, beautiful underwater shots of the trout they are pursuing, and the staff who are determined to keep this fishery as one of the very best in the country.
We also asked Peter Cockwill, who has been fishing at Avington for over forty years, and knows the water intimately, to reveal some of the three lakes secrets and how best to fish them.
“I think any fishery you need to learn it, and Avington, it’s got so many secret little hidey-holes, you really need to spend time if you want to be consistently successful.”
Peter Cockwill, celebrated author, angler and international guide
Making this film has been a real labour of love, and although it’s taken over four years to shoot, (we’ve all been busy on other projects too) I think it’s worked in our favour, as we were able to catch the changing seasons and some major transformations that have taken place at Avington during this period.
I hope your enjoy watching our film as much as we’ve enjoyed making it, and I hope it inspires you all to fish these wonderful lakes…
Tight lines!
“An awful lot of people have said to me, I’ve waited all my life to come to Avington, I’ve always wanted to come here, and now I’ve come here, and often when they’ve left they’ve said it was even better than I expected.
There is that wonder of Avington, which it’s difficult to explain until you’ve tried it.”
Bob West, Avington Trout Fishery owner
