Fly Fishing in New Zealand

Fly fishing in New Zealand is an amazing experience. It's not easy and as Karen and I have learned, it takes teamwork. We have spent the last three days with Serge. He took us to some neat places to fly fish. Karen and I appreciated his efforts. He was professional, positive and willing to go the extra mile. We have sampled fishing in the middle reaches of one drainage system called the Grey River, hit an alpine river, the Upper Wairau River and fished the Boyle river right beside a major road. We have had excellent weather over the last few days although cloudy days makes it difficult to spot fish. Bright sun is what you want to sight the fish. Yesterday we had just that but the wind can make the water quite turbulant on top and then it's tough to sight fish. The wind can make precision casting next to impossible.

Yesterday was 25C up in the alpine areas. Today the wind is blowing and it's overcast. Karen and I are having a "down day." Our clothes need to hit the laundry.



Karen and Serge waiting for a feeding brown to come back to the top of an eddy. Patience is a key ingredient when trying to catch a New Zealand trophy.


"The lodge" was our accommodation for one night. It is very close to a trophy river system. It's rustic accommodation but we loved the experience.

Bob's first New Zealand brown trout. It was taken on a dry fly.


Serge and Karen working the top of a run.

Sight fishing can be very challenging. You are hunting one fish at a time. Your casting has to be accurate and if you "line" the fish, it's gone in a flash. Longer leaders and a slow deliberate approach are very important.

Serge changing up a fly. It certainly pays to be persistant when stalking New Zealand brown trout. They are very wary fish.

I hooked a biggie. The brown decided to make Serge and I sweat. He tore upstream on a very rocky run. We ran after him and then the brown ripped downstream. The brown went behind bolders over a small ledge and dove under rocks. Amazingly we still had him on after all that. I got him to about 2 meters of the net and the brown started another run and out popped the hook. I could have screamed. Luckily Serge was quick to get me refocused and back to looking for another trout.

The alpine rivers (high county) are absolutely beautiful. The brown was feeding in front of a rock. He took a red copper john. Many of them are strewn with boulders and fast water which makes landing one of these energetic browns a real challenge.

Karen and Serge looking for a trophy.

This brown was a taken right against a bank. A typical brown trout feeding spot close to a bank with fast water nearby to make a quick escape. Again team work is essential. The guide tells you how to adjust the drift of the fly so the fish will take. In some cases you cannot even see the take and Serge shouts "up". That means set the hook.

Karen got a take on this brown trout but not a solid hook up.

One of Serge's Jack Russell dogs. Mr. Bean was looking for rabbits.