F L Y
F I S H I N G
W O R L D W I D E
Ten & Two IN THIS ISSUE : NEW ZEALAND
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FLYING TO FISH
CASTING CALL ..............................
EXPLORING THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD
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YOUR GUIDE TO LODGING, GEAR, TRAVELING, AND
MORE!
CONTENTS The ultimate fishing guide to New Zealand
ARTICLES
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4 LODGING
New Zealand offers a wide variety of premier fishing camps all throughout the island.
8 GEAR Showcasing
top notch flies and gear, so you can fish like a pro.
10 EXPLORING
DOWN-UNDER
New Zealand is a vast place, and there are tons of ways to explore the entire island.
14 A MESSAGE
FROM THE PROS Knowledge of whats biting and where to go, strait from the guides.
17 GUIDES Getting a guide is a great option, especially for a day trip.
22 LAKES, NOT
RIVERS There are thousands of rivers throughout New Zealand, but lakes shouldn’t be forgotten either. 2
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December 2013
Volume 1
Editor’s Note By Matthew Quann
Proud to introduce ten & two After months of traveling to remote locations, asking the questions no one asked, and fishing (of course) I am pleased to announce the first issue of Ten and Two. This month we are featuring New Zealand, an untouched market for fly fishing enthusiasts. In our travels we met guides, found lodging and fishing spots worth purchasing a plane ticket for. Though it may be on the other side of the world, we hope with this issue you realize this trip is well worth the full day of traveling. With huge fish caught by myself and my entire team, this place is an anglers dream and it is why we feature it in our debut article. In months to come we hope to encounter, see places, and throw the fly in waters that offer fish worth traveling for. We encourage our readers to submit letters and emails of remote places that offer something not just for the fisherman but for the thrill seeker and sightseer as well. Fly fishing is not just about the catch but about the experience and we hope that with our guidance all of our readers will continue to keep their lines tight.
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Lodging in gods country.
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Lodging
N EW Z EA L A ND offers premier fishing lodges all around the country.
Wildwood Lodge
Tongarriro Lodge The Tongariro River and Lake Taupo were first made famous in the 1920s by Zane Gray, the world renowned American author and angler. The Queen Mother, Presidents and many famous people have since cast a line in this fabled river. Tongariro Lodge was established in 1982 by legendary angler and guide Tony Hayes and has enjoyed considerable fame and success as a trout fishing lodge ever since. Set on 22 acres on the banks of New Zealand’s most famous fly fishing river, this handsome fishing lodge offers old fashioned comfort and style with friendly,
personal service. Tongariro Lodge has an excellent international reputation and has featured in major fishing and travel publications in the USA, Australia and Europe. Along with exposure on international prime time television. The who’s who of world fly fishing have all stayed at the Lodge along with many famous celebrities such as ex US President, Jimmy Carter. Experience the very best guided trout fishing, luxury lodge accommodation and gourmet dining in a unique fishing lodge atmosphere.
Wildwood is set on the shores of Lake Rotoehu, one of Rotorua’s prettiest and most sheltered lakes. It is one of the largest privately owned lake edge properties in the North Island, enjoying over five acres of landscaped grounds and 200 meters of private lake frontage. It is set in the midst a cluster of lakes, all of which offer exceptional fishing, and within comfortable driving distance of over thirty rivers and streams. It is conveniently located, being only 15 minutes from Rotorua airport, 20 minutes from Rotorua city, and 45 minutes from
the beautiful East Coast beaches. Wildwood-4.jpg: Rotorua is renowned for it’s geothermal activity and is the gateway to New Zealand’s only continually active volcano, White Island. It is also the home of Maori culture, has wonderful bush walks and forest cycling tracks, white water rafting and a host of other activities for those who prefer not to fish. The area is steeped in Maori history and the legendary route of Hongi Hika, an early Maori warrior, is a delightful walk only minutes from the Lodge. A golf course and thermal pools are also only 2 minutes away.
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Lodging
Owen River Lodge Owen River Lodge opened in November of 2003, and quickly developed a reputation as one of New Zealand’s finest specialist fly fishing lodges. It offers stylish, understated accommodation located right on the banks of the Owen River in the Murchison / Nelson Lakes region of the South Island. The lodge location provides our guests with panoramic views which are simply breath-taking, encompassing the Owen River, the beauty of Kahurangi national park and the majesty of Mount Owen. Owen River Lodge is 5 star rated and we strive to offer our guests the very best in service, accommodation, cuisine, outdoor adventure and, of course
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fly fishing ! To ensure your absolute privacy, guests are accommodated in one of six purpose built guest cottage suites which are located in the gardens, a short stroll from the main lodge. Each guest cottage suite is luxuriously appointed with reverse cycle air-conditioning, king sized beds, original fine art works and feature 100 year old recycled oregon beams and woodwork. Each guest cottage suite has its own veranda, allowing guests to sit outside and take in the stunning scenery, whilst listening to the sound of the river below.
Stonefly Lodge Centrally located between three of New Zealand’s major National Parks, (Abel Tasman, Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi National Park) the Lodge offers access to world class brown trout rivers, spectacular New Zealand scenery and wilderness activities, all within an hours drive from the Lodge. Stonefly Fishing Lodge offers the complete package for any fly fishing enthusiast, providing expert guiding and instruction for the novice or experienced fly fisherman. For the non fishing person the region offers a wide variety of spectacular tours from hiking, wine tasting,
kayaking, and exploring one of New Zealand’s recognized boutique arts and craft regions. Your hosts, John and Kate Kerr have had over 50 years combined tourism and hospitality experience and enjoy sharing their dream with visitors wanting professional personalized service and the ability to explore and experience a very special part of New Zealand. The wide choice of rivers available from Stonefly Fishing Lodge enables guests to experience relatively gentle flowing easy access rivers to more adventurous back country streams requiring more accurate casting and a suitable level of fitness.
Lodging
Cedar Lodge
Murphy’s Lodge Murphy’s Lodge is uniquely situated by one if not the best dry fly rivers for sighted brown trout in New Zealand. Within a short driving distance there are five other rainbow and brown trout rivers. Tony Murphy is the Head Guide and his knowledge and expertise on the Eastland waterways is unequaled. Tony also specializes in remote trophy headwater guiding, a true ‘wilderness experience and personally plans and guides all helicopter excursions The Ruakituri River, which holds the largest river resident rainbow trout in New Zealand,
can be can be fished while staying in the lodge’s self contained cabin on the banks of the river. Your hosts Frank and Pamela Murphy provide accommodation on Share Twin charged on a dinner /bed /breakfast and lunch basis. Single room occupancy is also available. The three guest rooms all have private facilities available. The three guest rooms all have private facilities.
Cedar Lodge lies on the banks of the Makarora River in the heart of the Southern Alps, bordering the magnificent Mt. Aspiring National Park. Cedar Lodge, which is the only lodge in New Zealand to own its own helicopters, accommodates eight anglers in four attractively appointed, twin or king size bedrooms with private bath, hair dryer, and coffee maker. The lodge is also known for its special stream-side lunches to pamper you in the wilderness. Cedar Lodge offers some of the best dry fly
fishing in New Zealand. Each day you will fly out by helicopter to one of the countless stretches of remote streams that hold trophy brown and rainbow trout. Cedar Lodge holds a number of exclusive permits to land in secluded parks where you will find crystal clear streams - many of which meander through wide, level valleys which make for easier walking. Cedar Lodge, MakaroraCedar Lodge, Makarora Cedar Lodge is only open for a limited time each season and space becomes very difficult to obtain. Don’t delay --call or email to book!
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The Choice of Fly
Tony Orman
E
very New Zealand fishing guide will have a few favorite patterns and you can bet your last dollar they will differ between guides. Basically the choice through the spring-summer-autumn period is dictated by weather and subsequent water conditions, plus entomology as to insect activity in the individual months. Bigger patterns in spring, falling in size to low water in February. Bigger patterns in fast water, small patterns on still waters. Following is my month by month list of suggested fly patterns. The patterns are
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my choice. Each guide will of course modify the list to suit their preferences and favorite flies. October Nymphs: Green stonefly size 8; hare and copper size 8, 10; gold ribbed hares ear size 10, 12 and zug bug size 10, 12. In lakes use a small hamills killer lure size 8 as a dragonfly nymph imitation. Dry Flies: Royal wulff size 10, 12; humpy size 10, 12, sedge (elk caddis or turkey sedge) size 12 for fishing at dusk. Streamers: Grey ghost size 8 for searun browns near estuaries; red shadow size 6 at dusk or after dark.
Nymphs: Green stonefly size 8; hare and copper size 8, 10; gold ribbed hares ear size 10, 12 and zug bug size 10, 12. In lakes use a small hamills killer lure size 8 as a dragonfly nymph imitation. Dry Flies: Royal wulff size 10, 12; humpy size 10, 12, sedge (elk caddis or turkey sedge) size 12 for fishing at dusk. Streamers: Grey ghost size 8 for searun browns near estuaries; red shadow size 6 at dusk or after dark. November-December To October’s selection add: Nymphs: Pheasant tail size 10, 12, 14
January - April Sedge Fly
Willow Grub
Pheasant Tail
Muddler Minnow
May - October Green Stonefly
Gold Ribbed Hares Ear
Dry Flies: Humpy (green to imitate the green beetle, brown to imitate the brown beetle size 12, 14; Coch-y-bondu size 12 is also a handy beetle imitation. The adams, quill gordon and a New Zealand pattern, twilight beauty, are good mayfly imitations preferably in size 12, 14, 16. January-February-March Retain the selection but scale
Zug Bug
down by adding: Nymphs: Hare and copper size 12, 14; gold ribbed hares ear size 14; pheasant tail size 16; and a New Zealand pattern called the willow grub size 14, 16 to imitate the grub falling off willow trees. Dry Flies: Hopper imitations to imitate cicadas; sedge pattern size 14. A muddler minnow size 8 can be used as a dry fly
Royal Wulff
cicada imitation. April It is cooling down bringing a crispness to early mornings and evenings. Scale up in size slightly to perhaps 12 in hares ear and pheasant tail nymphs. Dry flies in sizes 10 & 12 with a touch of “attractor� color such as a red bodied humpy is a worthwhile consideration for this month.
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10
Exploring
Down-Under Your guide to getting around the magnificent country side. 11
Exploring
Down-Under
Hitchhiking Hitching around New Zealand in fairly easy, most of us kiwis are very friendly and will go out of our way to help a traveler out. We do have our fair share of nutters though, so like hitching anywhere in the world you should always be weary. Some places seem to be harder to hitch than others, just out of Blenheim at the top of the South Island is one such spot, the sign post just out of town has/had graffiti reading “been waiting for 5 hours now”, “$#%$ someone pick me up” .... I can’t quite remember the reason why, something about a hitchhiker stabbing and robbing the person who picked him up :( Easy Hitcher - Find or offer a lift. Driving This is the best way to see New Zealand, many of our more scenic areas are off the main highways. If you are traveling during our summer months you could save money on accommodation as there are loads of excellent camping spots throughout the county. We drive on the left hand site of the road and the speed limit is 100km/ hour on the open road and 50km/hour in urban areas, although you wouldn’t think so as we have plenty of cowboys on the road. Petrol varies from area to area and like all other countries varies from week to week, currently here in Christchurch it is $1.20 a liter. Most valid international driving permits allow you to drive in New Zealand. Overseas licenses accepted in New Zealand include Australian, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States. If you plan to stay long term and wish to get a New Zealand license you may like to contact the Automobile Association. The minimum age for getting a car license in New Zealand is 15. Rental Cars The minimum age for renting a car in is 21. Some companies require you to have either a current New Zealand or international license while others will allow you to use your countries license if accepted in New Zealand. You also need a credit card for security. Rental Car Companies Every now and then rental car companies need a car relocated, keep a eye out on hostel message boards. You usually only have a few days to get the car from a - b and just have to pay for gas. There were
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some backpackers I meet a few years ago who got a luxury camper-van, free petrol, free ferry crossing and 7 days to get the camper-van from Christchurch to Auckland. It all depends on how desperate the company is to get it to the depot. Buying A Car Cars in New Zealand are reasonably cheap, NZ$1500 will buy you a reasonable car if you shop around, (Got my 1986 Honda Accord for $1500). The best places to buy a car is either through a classified paper like the buy, sell and exchange which comes out weekly in the major cities, through notice boards at backpacker
hostels or car auctions (Turners car auction). Things your car is required to have by law - a current warrant of fitness (WOF) last for 6 months and a registration which comes in the either 3, 6 or 12 months. Insurance although not required is recommended, at least 3rd party. Autoselladsnz, Autonet and Trademe are all websites to check out. Buses and Shuttles The major bus companies in New Zealand are Intercity and
Newmans, both these companies go to all the major destinations although Newmans is somewhat limited in the south island. Another option is using shuttles instead and there are plenty of independent shuttle companies throughout New Zealand. They are smaller, sometimes cheaper and the drivers seem to be more friendly and helpful. The only negative point about using shuttles is that they often run a less frequent schedule compared to the larger bus companies. I have a few companies listed in the directory on this site. Trains The New Zealand train system is run by Tranzrail and just covers a few routes, The Northerner from Auckland to Wellington, the Southerner from Picton to Invercargill and the scenic Tranzalpine that goes from Christchurch to Greymouth. Bike Never done it myself, but the people I have meet that have all rave about it from a scenic point of view. Some of our roads are quite narrow and this combined with the large amount of clowns we have on our roads can make biking quite hairy in places.Review of “Lonely Planet Cycling New Zealand” from Amazon’s website. “New Zealand is a wonder to cycle through, like Yosmite Valley on a nation scale. But be fore warned! Amazingly, the New Zealand roads are anti-cycle,and you put yourself there at your own risk. 99% of the roads are single lane on each side, they are very skinny lanes. Designed for small cars. Full sized transport semis use these roads with a clearance of inches on each side of their lane. .The
roads twist and wind like mountain roads do. There are very few straight stretches of road as you may see in the US. There are no bike lanes,few passing lanes, and no emergency lanes,you are in the path with traffic. Kiwis know their roads and consistently drive fast, 100-120kmph. The problem you are going to have over and over is cycling through all this beauty in the same lane as cars and trucks...they barrel around a blind curve at 65mph only to find you in front of their windshield going 15mph and no safety margin for anyone. On my recent trip there, I can’t tell you how many times I saw this scenario played out and how many near misses I witnessed. Local drivers, particularly commercial drivers have
real contempt for cyclists. Get the book and dream, but I think I’d look into renting a convertible and live to cycle another day.” Backpacker Network Buses Perhaps the most popular way for backpackers to travel New Zealand is the network buses i.e Kiwi Experience and Magic bus being the major two. This mode of transport has the advantage of offering more freedom than conventional buses as you get on and off when you please. They are also more social. I often get asked which is the best, I usually just say that Kiwi Experience is like a large pub crawl for 18 - 22 year olds where as Magic has a wider age group.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE
PROS Dave Whitlock
E
very other year Em and I host a group of couples to that fly-fishing paradise, New Zealand, and we’ve just returned from our sixth visit. Each time we go I’m always so impressed by how much this unique trout fishery keeps teaching us about how to be better fly-fishers. New Zealand’s trout are large, mature, self-sustaining wild fish. They are extremely wary in their pristine, clear, stream environment. It’s hard to believe, but in some areas the trout see only
one or two anglers a week or month. They are often spooky to the point that when they do see a fisherman they either quit feeding or leave the area. Then it could be a day to several days before they return to that spot to feed. So you don’t want to inadvertently scare them before you get a chance to cast to them. To be consistently successful catching these big beauties, you must first locate the fish, and then cast to it with utmost stealth from a downstream position. You
usually have one to three presentation chances before the fish disappears. This sight-fishing scenario always teaches me very promptly what I’m doing right or wrong. I’m convinced that these lessons apply to not only New Zealand trout, but also to most trout that we fly-fish for, in any state, province, or country. Even where trout are not visible to the fly-fisher, I’m sure these stealthing techniques will catch more fish. Let’s discuss what I learned or re-learned
A MESSAGE FROM THE
PROS from my latest New Zealand classroom experience. Lesson #1: Noise Reduction: Part One Sound travels fast under water. Any unnatural noise will distract or scare a trout farther away than will the sight of you. Make your approach slowly, and with the least amount of footfall or wading-wake noise that you can. Felt soles are quietest; metal-stud soles are the worst noisemakers. Also, you’ll want to cover the metal tip of your wading staff with rubber, if you can. If you know you made some noise on your approach, wait at least five minutes (longer is better) before you begin casting. Most trout in North America will calm down by then. Lesson #2: Sight Reduction: Part One You can get closer to trout if you approach them from a low, downstream angle, putting you behind them, ideally at a
distance of about 30 to 40 feet. What you wear, and how bright the daylight happens to be, are also factors in whether fish see you. Wear muted, natural-colored, low-contrast hats and clothes, and expect better fishing on cloudy days, or early and late each day, during low-light periods. Never approach clear water that you intend to fish from the side, at a high-bank angle. That scares all fish! If you are passing by other fly-fishers, or are looking for fish
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A MESSAGE FROM THE
PROS in that area of the stream, be sure to stand or walk well back from the high shoreline. Lesson #3: Noise Reduction: Part Two Sudden, unnatural noises on the water’s surface near a feeding wild trout will cause it to stop and go on guard. These abrupt sounds can be caused by three tackle components: your fly line, your leader, and items attached to your leader. Most of us can hear the noises we make while wading, but those tackle noises, 30 to 40 feet away, seem very slight to us. However, they can really startle a spooky fish! The more I fish and observe trout reactions, the more I’m
convinced that it’s this type of sound that puts feeding trout down the most. To help prevent this, change the angle of your cast a little so that you are not bringing your rod tip down so far on your forward cast that it drives the body of the line down hard on the water before the line tip lands. Practice until you consistently can land the fly-line tip, leader and fly softly on the water. Next, have the smallest line-leader connection possible. For stealth fishing you’ll want to forget about the loop-to-loop, line-to-leader connections because they make a definite splash on the water. I suggest the knot-less connection or at least a small knot. Use as long a leader as you can handle to distance your fly from the line’s impact noise. Nine feet is okay, twelve feet better, sixteen feet great! In New Zealand, 12-footers are mandatory, with 16 to 20 feet often being required to cast up and over a big trout holding in a shallowwater feeding lie. The splash-down from big indicators, heavy-split shot, and large or weighted flies are noise generators, too. I try to keep my indicators as light as
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A MESSAGE FROM THE
PROS possible and I feel that small yarn or dry-fly indicators are the quietest. Keep split shot small or use two or three small shot spread out, rather than one big guy. If my fly is heavy, or if I’m rigged with an indicator, shot, and nymph combo, rather than use an overhand cast, I use a full sidearm or underhand cast to present the rig so that it lands quietly on the surface. Some fly noise can be good. It’s often an important trigger to catch the trout’s attention, especially when fishing terrestrials or streamers. But patterns for mayfly duns, spinners, and oviposting caddis adults, etc. should all be presented as silently as possible. To help prevent alarming other nearby trout when casting to large trout in calm-surfaced, clear water, use a low-contrast colored fly line, such as olive, a small line-to-leader connection and at least a 12-foot leader. It’s also better if you can stay downstream and near the stream’s shoreline.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE
PROS
Lesson #4: Sight Reduction: Part Two A trout will often be frightened by the sight of a fly line flashing back and forth several times in the sunlight. You can do a couple of things to eliminate this bad visual for the fish. First, use a fly line that reflects the least amount of light. Line colors of dark gray, willow green and brown are ideal. Next, eliminate or reduce your false casting over the fish and use side-arm casts when possible, rather then overhead, because it’s not as visible to the trout. Lesson #5: Nymphing Nymphing for trout with indicators is the most popular method today. But indicators can distract a trout’s eye from
your nymph, so use one that’s as small as possible. Pick colors that are similar to the natural objects that might be floating on the surface. White yarn indicators work very well. New Zealand guides mostly prefer a natural, offwhite tuft of sheep wool, and they can often collect it right off the barbed-wire fences. What fly-fisher doesn’t want to catch more and larger trout like this NZ beauty. If you’ll apply these lessons I’ve learned to your own fishing, you should have more success with larger trout in ANY stream. Lesson #6: Hook Setting When dry-fly or nymph fishing, it seems to be almost human nature to do a couple of things that make us miss hooking our fish. So often we strike too soon with a dry fly
and too late with a nymph and indicator. Just the opposite is best. It’s natural to get more excited when we see a trout rise to a dry; it’s such a rush that we tend to overreact. It’s also natural to see an indicator twitch and question momentarily if that really was a fish, or just the bottom, and therefore under-react. With a dry fly, it’s usually best to wait a full second or two after you see the fish rise before you lift on a surface take, to insure that the fish has time to inhale the
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A MESSAGE FROM THE
PROS fly. Our New Zealand guides advise us to say, “God Save the Queen,” and then set the hook. It works great! The problem of reacting too slowly to an indicator movement is that in most cases the unseen trout has inhaled the nymph a second or so before the indicator reacts to the take. The fish is already trying to get rid of the fly by the time we know it’s even taken it. So, immediately strike when you see the indicator make any unnatural move! Occasionally, while you are drifting a dry or a nymph-indicator combo, do a practice strike just before you pick up for the next cast. This will tune your strike response and timing for the next real thing. On this last trip, I had a remarkable experience on hook-set timing. Em and I were fishing an awesomely lovely New Zealand river with Tim at Tongariro Lodge. He spotted a real shadow-hefty brown tucked next to a shady ledge just below
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an overhanging beech tree limb. I made an elegant presentation of his cicada tie directly to the browns tail, easy to do under the pressure of the circumstances. The brown luckily didn’t move at least not until the cicada had floated three or four feet downstream and I was in the motion of lifting for the next, hopefully better presentation to the eating end of the trout. It spun around, dashed downstream, rose with snout and shoulders out of the water, and came down on my fly. I struck out of adrenaline reflex, not technique, but I got lucky and hooked the big guy. About fifteen minutes later, after a long downstream run over a whitewater rapid, the hook just came out. I turned to Tim for sympathy, and asked him, “What could I have done better?” I expected him to say, “Nothing, Dave,” or, “You might have used more pressure fighting the fish.” Instead he totally surprised me with a suggestion that I might have struck the fish about one second later. He was right, of course, because that way, the fly would have embedded
deeper into the trout’s massive mouth cavity. What amazed me was that he’d remembered how I’d reacted, and it had registered even after the long, knockdown, drag-out battle that the magnificent fish had dished out on me. Guides work very hard to put us on big fish, and especially New Zealand guides. They know more than most how important every detail of an episode can be when stalking these big trout. These details can make you and me better fly-fishers if we pay attention to them. You’ll have the best chance of netting a big trout if you stay in deeper water and keep low as you lead it to the net. Lesson #7: Cast Above the Fish That story also sets the reason for the next lesson. When casting to a sighted rising fish, or to a prime holding spot, look and focus not at that spot, but at the area your fly must land in order to float for a distance or sink down before
A MESSAGE FROM THE
PROS it reaches the trout’s position. I made the mistake on that big brown of looking at him, so my cicada dressing landed on his tail. You’ll be amazed how well this rule works, especially if you only have one or two tries to make the right presentation before the fish spooks. Too many of us make our first presentation short. Realize that you need to focus ahead of the fish to get the fly upstream from its position. If you cast short or wide, don’t jerk the fly off the water in haste, because that will make quite a commotion on the water and is a kiss of death reaction! If you make a bad cast just let it float through, and then quietly pick it up and try again. Besides, eating a bad cast can sometimes have a positive result like that tail- spinning, late take of my cicada-eating brown. New Zealand’s trout have taught me the importance of a low-contrast fly-line color, like this Scientific Anglers dark willow floating line. Lesson #8: Fighting a Big Trout When I first hook a big trout, I initially let it be the boss to prevent premature break off. I let it have its head while I compose my slack line and reposition myself to the shallow- water side of the bank, so that I can move quickly and safely to keep to the side or below the fish. If you just stand in your original position, sooner or later the fish will swim below you, giving it 90 percent of the advantage. You’ll be fighting it, plus the current, and both are always pulling at the hook, working it out of the front of the trout’s mouth, a sure formula for loss, or an overfatigued fish. I was again reminded of a useful technique that I’ve used in the past to save not only big trout, but also steel-head and sea-run trout. When a big fish tries to leave a pool and go over the rapids below, you can often prevent a break-off
by just slacking off on the rod pressure and giving it five yards of slack line. It sounds nuts, but it works! When you give the fish slack, it first feels free and slows or stops; then, as the line moves downstream below it, the fish feels that tug and darts back upstream toward you, moving away from the pull of the line. It’s hard to make yourself do, but it can have amazing results.. Reason to celebrate ... a successful climax to the right approach and good fighting techniques. Lesson # 9: Landing a Big Trout A trout is ready to be captured when it begins to surface regularly and starts to turn on its side. When this happens, don’t drag it into shallow water, because that can cause it to panic and dash away. Move into midthigh deep water and coax it slowly to your calmly waiting net or hand, without forcing its head out of the water in the process. I’ve noticed that most New Zealand guides keep their profiles really low and their nets deep as they prepare to capture my fish. This makes good sense, because these big trout spend their lives avoiding the likes of us, and if they see us looming over them they’ll panic and rush away. Lots of big fish are lost at this final episode of the encounter. New Zealand, I’m convinced, has the most unique trophy-trout stream fishing in the world. The lessons we can learn by watching and catching these big fish can make us much more successful fly-fishers in any waters. I know New Zealand is a long way to travel (a 12-hour flight) to go to trout school, but if you can get there, it’s worth it. I only wish I’d started going sooner, and so will you, I’ll bet.
“New Zealand, I’m convinced, has the most unique trophytrout stream fishing in the world.”
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NEW ZEALAND
Lakes, Not
RIVERS New Zealand has a substantial amount of rivers, but lakes around the country have many hidden gems to offer.
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H
UNKERING down beside A towering cluster of flax-palms, my felt-sole shoes dig into the sandy shore of New Zealand’s Lake Rotoroa. Beside me hunkers David Pike, my young Kiwi guide, who watches as two German brown trout - both in the fourpound range - forage in the shallows. At my feet lies enough fly line for a cast; the small of my back tightens in anticipation. The warm sun and the whooshing of a nearby river are hypnotic, and my mind wanders across the snow-capped peaks of the Travers Mountain Range stretched out in front of us. “Put a cast three feet in front of them!” directs Pike, snapping me out of
James O. Fraioli
my trance. I had been reading up on and practicing my casts back home but am now faced with the ultimate test. Pike, a native of New Zealand who has fished these waters since childhood, tracks the trout through his polarized sunglasses. The trout continue to swim in lazy circles, zeroing in on anything that wrinkles the surface. I raise my right arm slowly, gently cradling the fly line in my left. Struggling for balance, I begin false-casting, hoping I don’t spook the fish in the process. “Okay, drop it,” Pike whispers. “Now wait... wait...” One of the browns spots my sinking nymph and races in. “Watch your indicator.” Pike’s voice is tense. A little piece of white fuzz tied to my line bobs motionless - then twitches. “Hit it!” When I respond, my reel sings as the big trout peels off line. The weight at the other end of my rod causes me to laugh out loud. My first New Zealand brown! New Zealand is one of the world’s great angling destinations. And Lake Rotoroa, nestled at the northern tip of New Zealand’s spectacular Southern Alps, is considered to be the crown jewel in South Island’s Nelson Lakes National Park. Far from the madding crowd, the glacial water of this isolated and unspoiled lake feeds the area’s many rivers and creeks, which support a thriving and sustainable brown trout fishery. At 12 miles long, a mile and a half wide, and 460 feet at its deepest, Lake Rotoroa is the largest lake in the park. It’s surrounded by a mixed beechpodocarp forest that offers fishermen complete tranquility and privacy important elements that bring guests
back to the lake time and again. Famous for its clean, green environment, Lake Rotoroa and its neighboring rivers are a trout fisherman’s paradise, offering some of the most pristine and productive locations imaginable. Travelers have always been captivated by New Zealand’s remote beauty; after all, with just four million people in the country, there’s a lot of room for scenery. And with one-third of its land protected by national park status, the wilderness is always close - and plenty of wilderness means plenty of fishing opportunities. One measure of any trout experience is how often one can find and catch fish. At Lake Rotoroa, and on its 40 nearby rivers, that happens a lot. The region is one of the best fly-fishing areas in New Zealand and, with the introduction of the German brown trout in the latter part of the 19th century, an international reputation has developed. Last March, I spent four days at renowned Lake Rotoroa Lodge, sampling this great brown trout fishery. During my visit, I was invited to try both lake and river fishing - and caught plenty of respectable fish in both locales. Often using the sun and cloudless sky to our advantage, my veteran guide Pike and I would walk miles of shore to sight, stalk, and cast to magnificent trout in crystal-clear waters. Sight-fishing, as it’s called, is extremely popular creeping up on a trophy brown trout really gets your adrenalin flowing. For hours, we would scan for brownishgray shadows, strategically position ourselves as close to the water as we 23
NEW ZEALAND
could, make a full cast directly at the fish, and land dozens of hefty browns after wellfought battles. The trout ranged from four to six pounds, although fish over 10 pounds are reported every season. With so many impressive fish in the lake and rivers, it’s easy to get spoiled, and, at times, I would find myself annoyed when landing a two-pounder - a memorable catch in most parts of the U.S. On a couple of occasions, dark storm clouds would drift overhead and we had to rely on “blind” fishing - casting into a pocket of
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water that may not be holding any fish. This is when keen eyesight, polarized lenses, and quick reflexes are the difference between landing and missing a strike. Alternate guide Richard Booth would tie a piece of white lamb’s wool - the strike indicator above my nymph. After the cast, he instructed me to focus on the indicator, especially in fast-moving water. As soon as the indicator hesitated or stopped, I would need to set the hook. If the indicator completely disappeared, that would often mean I was too late and the trout had already inspected, tasted, and spit out my bait. At Rotoroa, nymph-fishing is the preferred method, unless Trout are on the rise, when switching to a local dry fly or standard attractor pattern (like a Royal Coachman) promises a strike. The most important tip to ensure a successful fishing trip in a foreign country like New Zealand is to listen to and trust your guide. A guide is not merely a
Lakes, not Rivers. convenience or luxury but an essential. These experts have most likely studied the local waters since they were kids running home from school to go fishing. They know every hole, are able to spot a lurking shadow long before you can, and, more often than not, can guarantee plenty of action if you follow their advice. “The trout fishing in New Zealand is different” says Carmen Garcia, a chiropractor and avid fly-fishing enthusiast from Delaware. “So I always fish with a guide. There are holes that might look great but aren’t holding any fish. Conversely, many of the really big trout are lying in spots where normally, back home, I wouldn’t fish.” After four remarkable days, I found myself exhausted, having landed dozens of prized brown trout, all of which we released unharmed. “Comfort and satisfaction is our only concern” say lodge managers Brent and Sharleen Hyde. “During your stay, you will be looked after by a friendly and dedicated team who always ensure your individual needs are known and met.” I found Lake Rotoroa to be the ideal place to get away from it all, while being surrounded by some of the finest brown trout fishing on earth. I can’t wait to go back!
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You’ve gone fishing and left your supplies! Take the pathway back to find them.