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Hanford

Hanford is a cracking, rural stretch of the Dorset Stour at Upper Stourpaine, with around 1¼ miles of deep, heavily wooded water. It’s run by Ringwood & District Anglers Association, and guest tickets are available for eligible venues through RDAA members.

Run by Ringwood & District Anglers Association · checked 12 Oct 2026

River level

Measured — Environment Agency

Hammoon gauge

Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.

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We don't publish an "ideal level" — nobody can promise one. Flood water is dangerous: if it's up and coloured, stay well back from the edge. Open River Ready

The lowdown

  • You get roughly 1¼ miles to explore, with the downstream end joining the Havelins fishery. Plenty of water to go at, then.
  • The Stour here is mainly 8–10 feet deep, so it’s proper substantial coarse-fishing water rather than a little splashy stream.
  • It’s heavily wooded, which gives the stretch a sheltered feel and useful protection from northerly, southerly and easterly winds.
  • Expect a rural, tucked-away setting around Hanford Farm. Lovely backdrop, but take care around the trees and keep your approach tidy.
  • The depth suits a good mix of float and feeder work. Look for steadier glides, the crease and any features where the flow changes.
  • Roach, chub, bream, perch, pike, eels and carp are named for the fishery. A proper mixed bag of Dorset Stour species, then.
  • The coarse season runs from 16 June to 14 March. That gives you the usual summer, autumn and winter windows, with the river changing character through the year.
  • Fishing is from sunrise until two hours after sunset. There’s no listed night-fishing permission, so don’t plan on staying beyond the published hours.
  • Overhead powerlines cross or sit near the fishery. RDAA says to fish no closer than 20 metres from the cables — worth clocking before setting up.
  • Access is via Hanford Farm and its farm track. Use only the designated access and parking areas shown by RDAA; no cheeky roadside faff.

Methods: Trotting and feeder fishing both look bob on for this deep Stour water, with the flow, depth and wooded cover giving you plenty to work with. Keep the tackle sensible around the trees and fish the crease, steadier glides and any obvious depth changes.

Access & tickets

RDAA adult membership 2026/27

Annual membership. New adult membership also has a one-off joining fee.

£200 per year; £30 joining fee for a new adult membership (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

RDAA disabled/senior membership 2026/27

Annual membership.

£145 per year (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

RDAA junior and under-12 membership 2026/27

Junior membership is for ages 12–17. New junior membership has a one-off joining fee. Under-12 membership is also available.

£75 per year for ages 12–17; £10 joining fee for a new junior membership; £30 per year for under-12s (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Arrange membership or ask about guest tickets through Ringwood & District Anglers Association, and make sure you have the required club key. Public day tickets aren’t advertised here; the club’s ordinary day-ticket offering is restricted to Throop and Lower Stour.

Fish the club names

roach, chub, bream, perch, pike, eel, carp

Key rules

  • Coarse fishing season is 16 June to 14 March.
  • Fishing is permitted from sunrise to two hours after sunset.
  • Keep no closer than 20 metres from overhead powerlines.
  • Use the designated access and parking areas shown by RDAA.
  • RDAA venues operate under strict catch-and-release rules.

Coarse fishing on English rivers is closed from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. That's the law for coarse fish on rivers — it's not a club rule, and game-fishing seasons work differently.

GOV.UK — Freshwater rod fishing rules: when and where you can fish

Where it is

Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.

Community reported

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