Monthly Highlights
Below are photos and a story from the recent month's guided fly fishing trips in New Zealand's Central South Island.
November 2018
Didier and Alan fishing.Rain, rain and even more rain has been the theme for November. I see official records for Twizel put the month's rainfall at close to 200mm or roughly a third of the annual total! Currently nearly every single river and many of the large lakes are discoloured or way up on their normal levels or flows. The last time I saw rain like this was in 1995 .....
Obviously these are not ideal conditions for stalking trout but when you have to go you have to go!
Just prior to this rain event I had the pleasure of guiding Keith, a canal monster specialist. Our day together was completely different to his usual style of fishing and working on educated trout albeit on a smaller scale to his usual quarry was very different. Using dries and emergers instead of banging away with weighted nymphs was refreshing because, let's face it, the chances of rising a canal lunker to a dry fly is pretty remote!
Didier and David returned after a year's absence to commence their 3 week southern trout fishing tour.
The rain started on the evening of their arrival and pretty much stayed for the 4 days we fished together although fortunately wasn't continuous.
The first morning was very wet so we had our home-made packed lunch back home in the dry and warm! David decided to stay back in the cottage to work off his jet lag while Didier and I went back to "work".
Fortunately, although cold, the remaining days were mainly dry and at times even sunny allowing some welcome sighted trout fishing - the ultimate goal!"
David hooks a beauty.
Another fine Benmore brownie. | Didier with a lovely Benmore brown trout. |