Location

Cutt Mill at Hinton St Mary is the most upstream section of the Stour which is managed by SHAA – GR 50.94863037467495, -2.317381987837864

NOTE that the Hinton Estate has installed a locked chain to control access to the car parking area.  The code for the padlock is available in the Members’ Section of this website under “Access Codes”.

Description

1. The Cutt Mill pool is a beautiful and peaceful place to fish. The mill pool contains roach, dace, perch, pike, eels and the occasional chub. Access to swims on the pool is quite limited. Currently the side of the derelict mill house and weir area is out of bounds due to recent anti-social behaviour by swimmers.

The footpath past the downstream edge of the pool is favoured by pike and perch fishermen using dead baits, spinning and drop-shot methods. The bank opposite the mill house has one swim which can be accessed from the field to the right of the gate. The nettles can be very dense there in summer. The pool is deepest at the upstream end in front of the mill house and the bottom is quite snaggy requiring  heavier tackle if ledgering.

2. Upstream of the mill pool the river can be fished on both banks. The LH bank is accessed through the gate immediately behind the car parking area.  Fishing is only available as far as the end of the first field. This is less-fished as access to the river side can be difficult in the summer months due to the dense bankside vegetation. With the onset of winter the water can be accessed more easily and there are several good swims at the far end of the field where pole fishing is possible into deeper water. Roach and perch are the main species.

The upstream RH bank is accessed by following the path across the bridge at the outfall of the pool and through the gate into the field. Follow the field edge round behind the trees and you will come to the bank with good access to the waters edge. This section is around 10 feet deep and shallows up towards the weir. Water lilies are abundant here in the summer months and it is a good spot for drop shotting for perch. Further upstream where the water becomes deeper and wider and the swims have less weed growth in them.

At the end of the first field, you can access the final upstream section of the Stour which is managed by SHAA. Go over the stile and across a short foot bridge. Maize is usually grown in the field ahead of you which makes access to the river very difficult until it’s harvested in late October. Beyond the maize is a field of pasture giving easier access to the river. Roach and dace are found all along this section with chub in some swims under the trees on the far bank. It is rare to find other anglers along this section.

3. The short section of the  Downstream RH bank at Cutt Mill is again accessed via the gate at the end of the pool and you will see a stile over the fence giving access to the field next to the river. Fishing is Not permitted in front of the cottage and gardens on this section. This is quite a varied stretch as the river flows along the edge of the copse. It is very weedy until the first autumn floods clear the swims. Perch and smaller pike are the main species here. At the very end of this section, beyond the copse the river changes in nature and bream will occasionally turn up here in the right conditions.

Maps

Parking & Access

Cutt Mill is located just north of the village of Hinton St Mary on the B3092. If travelling from Sturminster Newton take the B3092 at the traffic lights on the outskirts of the town. Proceed along the road for about 1.5 miles passing through the village of Hinton St Mary.  Passing Turks Garage on your left,  continue to the edge of the village and you will see Margaret Lane on your left. It is marked as a No Through Road. Drive carefully along the lane for about 1/3 of a mile and you will find Cutt Mill at the bottom of the steep hill.

SAT NAV Postcode : DT10 1NG

Access to the parking area is now GATED and you will require an ACCESS CODE which is available from the members area of Clubmate, (click the On Demand button). The parking is very limited and informal and can be extremely wet and muddy during the winter months.

Always park with consideration of others.

Do Not leave any valuables/fishing tackle on display in your parked car.

Species

• Bream
• Chub
• Dace
• Eel
• Perch
• Pike
• Roach

Gallery