Monthly Highlights
Below are photos and a story from the recent month's guided fly fishing trips in New Zealand's Central South Island.
December 2015
The influence of the El Nino weather pattern continued on into December although fortunately for the holiday makers a balmy Christmas/New Year period saw very warm calm suuny days - perfect for sight fishing!
Istvan poses with his catch for the obligatory photo.
Istvan was my guest recently on a day when traditional methods (indicator/dry + nymph) were not working on these educated brown trout. A switch to a longer finer leader and tiny fly was the key to success.
Subsequent visits to the river with Taylor then Justin resulted in a good number of hook ups with the vital element to success on each occasion being the ability to spot fish.
Istvan, my first ever Hungarian client, although a fisherman, had never tried fly fishing. His introduction could not be described as easy! Accurate casting with a long fine leader is not something I would expect a learner to be able to do. His patience and persistence finally paid off with a couple of nice brownies to show for his efforts.
One of these trout took off straight down a rapid and around a log jam which would normally have spelt disaster on this light tackle but Istvan masterfully followed the fish around the obstacles into a calmer pool where the brownie was eventually netted, all this on a #18 fly and 6X tippet - bravo!
Due to the lack of rain many of the streams around Twizel presently have very low flows.
Low flow = less current = warmer water temperature plus less cover = tougher fish to catch!
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| Quickly back into the water. | Holding the fish gently into the current | |
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| The trout is ready to go home! | It's a great feeling releasing your prey! | |
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| Mark with a beaut Lake Benmore brown trout | Michael with his first NZ brown trout |
