I used to be a big fan of this place and it was always a good place to take a novice as it is very small and well stocked with small feisty rainbows that could be relatively easy to catch. Not a 'serious' fishery but plenty of fun.
However a recent visit showed that the place has gone very downhill.
Banks not cut, very low stock of fish and the quality of the fish themselves is quite shocking. There is a very high proportion of deformed and out of condition fish, presumably the ones that they would not be able to sell in their main business as a trout farm.
Add to this rude staff and a price tag of £14 for 3 fish/£21 for 5 fish (most fish are stocked at a 1lb or under) and you don't really have a great fishery.

Andy

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GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

Hiya everyone,
I'm new to fly fishing so i am aware that i have very little knowledge to rate or judge fisheries against eachother, However i went to Donnington at the beginning of this month (march 2011) and i have been back about 5 times since! This fishery as it stands doesnt sound like the description in Andy's post although i am aware that they were'nt great a few years ago.
But anyways, now its great! Yes its small, but it offers alot of good challenges with casting from certain spots that i find spices things up a bit.

The assistant manager called Luke is a very keen angler who dominated the junior competition scene and since has been very succesfull recently. He basically runs the place and keeps it in check since he started working there 9months ago after working in several different highly regarded trout farms and fisheries. He is a great guy and does a great job, stocking good fish that taste better than any trout i have ever tasted.
The smallest fish ive had there is around the 12" and they fight nicely.
Yes there are some fish with one pectoral fin but on the whole they are very pretty fish.
Nice selection of tackle for use and flies for sale too.

But finally, and most importantly to some, its great value.
It offers a great day out in the stunning cotswolds at £15 for 3 fish or £24 for 5 fish...Also there should be an evening ticket soon, now that the clocks have corrected but call up the shop and ask about it.
Luke will also professionally gutt the fish for free, ready for cooking.
They are closed on sundays and modays.

Donnington Trout Farm
01451 830873

If you fancy it, have a go at this place.

Cheers, Mike.

Hello maybe you can say where this fishery is located in the cotswolds. thankyou

Wondered the same G, 01451 is Cheltenam, Bourton on the water way I think.

Sean

I live 15 mins from Donnington fishery and will be taking a novice 2nd week in April. It is what it is. Great place to catch your first rainbow. Hope it's not as grim as Andy says in his post.

Directions...not easy, best way is pass Tesco on your left in Stow on the Wold. Next lights turn right, then immediately left. Follow that road for about 3-4 miles and look for a big green sign on your left which says Donnington Trout Farm. Turn left and follow your nose, bear left at the fork. Look on left and the puddle is the second one you will see on your left.

Chris.

Hi Guys, Yes its near Stow-On-The-Wold and just north of the village Upper Swell. The beautiful old Donnington Brewery is right next to the trout farm, which is still producing fine ales, They atually have a large lake themselves also fed by the river Dickler which is full of pet trout, but no one can fish this i'm told...lucky trout.
Anyways for some reason on google the trout fishery is labelled as the brewery...so type GL54 1EP into google, then click "maps".

or use this link...

GL54 1EP - Google Maps

Hope you can take a trip up there and help get them on the map a bit more.
Cheers, Mike

Mrs. Grey an self fished here a few weeks ago for the first time since my rather (and deservedly) damming post. It's fair to say that this place is back to how it use to be, the change in staff referred to in previous posts seems to have put it back on track.
Fish are still far from A1 quality but are a bit bigger than before. As has been said before, a good place to go to as a beginner due to it's far from daunting size and relative ease of catching.
The place flooded quite badly a few years ago and lost a lot of it's brood stock (those BIG fish in the stock ponds near the fishery) into the river and lakes below. These are some of my clubs waters and hold a good head of small wild fish. A few weeks interesting fishing followed when you'd hook a fish from a pool that would prove to be virtually unstoppable on a 2wt...

Andy

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GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

hello hope you ok, i did try phone yesterday let you know i got the permit.