I have been fortunate enough to have fished some of the most exciting trout locations both in the UK and further afield. The wind swept wilderness of Orkney and the freestone rivers across Oregon and California will linger long in the memory. These are all special and demanding places, but it is trout fishing in New Zealand which still ranks as the most thrilling fishing experience that I have yet to discover. In the first blog, I gave a brief overview of fishing in New Zealand and a sense of the place, in this second article, I wanted to go one step further and to give a fuller sense of what fishing in NZ really entails and how you can get the most out of any possible visit.
New Zealand has rightly got a reputation as one of the leading centres of trout fishing in the world. This is a remote and final wilderness, one of the last lands on earth to be settled by humans and one of the last places on earth where the fish remain largely unchallenged by predators and their environment hasn’t been corroded by the advance of Man.
As a visiting angler, what should you expect and how can you be prepared to really get the most out of fishing in New Zealand? The first thing I would stress is the importance of being physically active and reasonably fit. New Zealand is a huge distance from the UK, and a 24-hour flight time isn’t for the faint hearted so build in a day or two to get acclimatised to the new time zone [13+ hours time difference from the UK]. A degree of physical fitness is required in order to really enjoy the experience. The more remote the access, the better the fishing and crunching along the banks of freestone rivers is a demanding way to travel. Expect to walk about 4 miles a day, and to make a number of river crossings during your fishing day. Be confident about wading, or at least understand the dos and dont’s about wading very fast flowing water strewn with freestone rocks as slippery as polished billiard balls. You should expect to cross high velocity water running at mid thigh height. A wading stick is essential [I use a extendable walking pole similar to a ski pole] and if you are fishing alone be extra careful. I have been swept away by a freezing North Island river and that extra yard just isn’t worth it.
If you are prepared to fly from one side of the world to the other to fish for trout, then you will get so much more out of the experience if you are reasonably confident and happy with your casting. I am not suggesting tournament standard or distance, but the ability to cast a good line, achieve a balanced turnover of your fly, and be able to consistently land a fly within a few inches of the target zone. Ideally this should be second nature. Repeated false casts and inaccurate casting will spook the trout and really frustrate you. I always practice my casting before a big trip as I don’t want to have to think about my casting as there is more than enough other stuff to think about.
This is not going to be easy fishing and in many ways the fishing differs markedly from the majority of river fishing in the UK. New Zealand rivers can be highly complex sheets of water. Turbulent and fast flowing they are best fished with a degree of knowledge and advice. Where to set the drift? Where are the fish holding in the pool? How many separate drifts and sections of water will I be fishing in this one pool alone? I have learnt through bitter experience that the water almost under your feet is as likely to hold fish as the far side of the current. The punching first cast across the river may well be satisfying and catch the fish you were targeting, but can often spook those other fish you have failed to spot. Take your time and plan your approach. Give your self enough time to spot the fish and their behaviour and you will be able to plot a sequence of casts that will maximise the potential of a given stretch of water.
On your first visit, there is no more intimidating environment than crystal clear water and feeding fish. Everything is magnified. The noise and tumult of the water as it powers past you, and then the sight of a fish feeding so nonchalantly at the head of the pool, half it’s back tilted out of the water as it mouths the final fluttering of an emerging mayfly, oblivious to you and so calm in it’s natural environment. You wont be able to believe what you have seen, but one poor cast and the fish will be gone. Take your time and get yourself set and settled. Your first cast is your best chance. Watch the drift and ask yourself how much lead do I need to give? Are there any cross currents between me and the fish? Can I improve the angle of presentation, am I better to get behind the fish or cast across at 45 degrees to the fish? Would a Reach cast work better? How much slack line do I need to use in order to present a drag free drift?
Thats the one…
It is here that a fishing Guide can be really helpful to you. They have a deep and developed understanding of the river, and should give you the confidence that with a good presentation, the fish will move to your fly. But one word of warning guides are not cheap generally, and New Zealand is no exception. The cost of a guide ranges from £380 to £500 a day and in New Zealand the very best guides are in heavy demand, booked months in advance for the peak fishing periods [Jan to March]. Fishing pressure during those times can be pretty intense and if you didn’t want to pay to fish during this peak season then October, November and December fishing can be as spectacular especially as many of the rivers will have been very lightly fished in comparison to the busier months. You needn’t have to go to extreme lengths for remote access as the rivers closer to your base in the North and South Island will have had much less fishing pressure early in the season. This can often be the best value option and will still give you a good chance of great fish.
What else can you expect when you go fishing in New Zealand? No article on fishing in this extraordinary habitat would be complete without letting you into a secret. You may think you are alone on these pristine rivers, but you aren’t. Every river I have fished in NZ has a population of eels that can easily match the prolific trout population. They are constant companions, inquisitive, and very bold. Be warned they are huge, with some measuring up to 2 metres long and easily 12 inches thick. They are astonishing creatures and have on more than one occasion caused me to lunge out of a river driven by some ridiculous anxiety that I might be attacked. They are pretty harmless but their size is dramatic and their presence can be very unnerving. To me, they epitomise the primitive almost prehistoric aura that makes New Zealand such a special place to experience and enjoy.
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