nz fishing - part 2

[Ken Gargett]

The fishing –

Apparently, they have had floods through here as well – tail end of ours. This has changed rivers (I look at photos of the same spot 12 months apart and sometimes they are unrecognisable). Runs have been straightened or finished. There are new ponds, old ones gone. And many fish involuntarily "relocated". Apparently it also kills a great many of them, though the little ones seem to have handled it better, or at least are making hay till the bigger ones move back into their former locations.

Even though I had a top day on the Boyle last time, we had started by missing a 10 lb-er. Back to that pond and Greg spots one about 7 lbs, so we are preparing to have a crack at it when it is shooed out of its pond by one about twice the size. A monster. What a potential way to start! To cast, I have to go around a boulder above the fish, which is not normal, and nudge the fly back about a metre. The swirls will take it around to the fish, hopefully. Just as I do this, the bloody thing grabs something else and then an eddy spins my fly around like a chopper blade and the fish disappears faster than a politician's promise. So, same start as last time. The difference this time is that on the last visit, the next two pools gave up two 9 lb plus trout. This time, they are empty. And the pond with the huge one we could not entice last time? Empty.

This is hard work (the place has gone 'off the Boyle'?). By the end of the day, we have walked, according to the maps, the best part of 30 kms. It was a stinking hot, humid day, and the 30 kms doesn't take into account the endless river crossings, scrambling up and down unstable rocky slopes, slogging through mud – the return is via a forest walk that is endlessly hilly. By the end, I am completely stuffed.

My casting was showing first day wonkiness and three times, I cast to fish with dries but as was looking right into the glare, could see neither fish nor fly nor strike and had to rely on Greg yelling. It is not ideal and we missed the strike every time. Had this been the third or fourth day of the trip, I'm sure I would have done better but in the end, we had two fish either side of 6 pounds and four smaller ones – very rare to see, let alone catch these smaller fish on the Boyle. One of the bastards snatched the fly out of the jaws of a fish pushing eight pounds. Not happy at all. It was relocated by flight, about 30 metres downstream when we got it in.

Dragged ourselves back to the motel, just in time for a few beers and to make a dint in the duty free Zacapa and to watch 'Rambo 7' or how Sly saved Burma or something.

Next day a shocker. Tried the Leaderdale, where Greg had got a heap of fish early season. It was now ankle deep. Made the creek in my backyard look like the Amazon. Did not see a fish – just an eel. Eventually gave up. So then headed across to the Honey Hole (our name for it) in the Wairau, which is where I missed the monsters end of last year. Just one in it this time, about 7 lbs, but not interested. Do get one downstream of about 2 ½ lbs. Needless to day, the camera was not required.

Then Greg gets some insane idea about us walking in to some nearby (by wormhole, it should have been as it was so far) lake. He takes off. To leave the river, it is necessary to go straight up about two thousand foot, over a semi-mountain. Not fun. Then, I'm lost in the plains of NZ. Not happy at all! Long story but eventually find the place after a very long walk. After ten minutes, Greg decides a waste of time and back we trudge. Then try the Honey Hole again as a good fish in there now – about 8-10 lbs. In a little nook off to the side. Greg suggests I cast again and at that very instant, the fish turns to have a go at the fly. Half a second earlier, we'd have had him but now gone.

So we decide to spend the rest of the arvo going up the Wairau (at one stage, from the road about a thousand foot above the river, we can actually see a trout on a gravel bank - a seriously big fish. But, at this summed up the day, another guide arrives about three minutes before us so has priority (the next day, we did the same thing to another guide). So to Greg's credit – most guides by now would have just done some useless stream or headed for the pub – we head off back to the Boyle to that first pond to have another crack at the big 'un. A round trip of about five hours. We watch for ages and it did make one very quick appearance We put a heap of flies through the pond but zip. And now I am really knackered. It has been horrendously hot and humid again. A crap day and not even 'Rambo 8' on the tellie.

Next day, the heat has gone and we have pelting rain and gales. I must really have pissed someone off in my last life. We try the Upper Grey. Have fished there once before with a mate. He lost one small one and I could not hook a thing. So not promising but the river has got some decent fish apparently. Unlike the previous rivers, this is in farm territory We are forced to give up by early arvo – Greg said that these were the absolute worst conditions he'd ever fished in as a guide (he has been doing it for the best part of two decades). We saw four fish. Two showed no interest at all, one glanced at the fly, with utter disdain and the other one actually took the fly. And what a great fish We fought it for over half an hour and it took us a kilometre downstream before we finally netted. it. It took us under logs, around sunken trees, under banks, had us criss-crossing the river. At least six times, we said it was finished and we had it and tried to net it and every time it powered off. Fantastic fun, despite the rain. Could imagine what a non-fishing person might have thought if they had driven by and seen two idiots standing in the middle of a river in pouring rain desperately trying to hold the line off a sunken tree and keep the fish away from it and keep the pressure on. Would not have missed it for anything. The fish went 8 ½ so I was very happy.

Final day, we caught the river taxi across to the Travers – a few years ago, Greg and I fished the lower part and had a fantastic day. At the same time, a mate fished the upper part but not so successfully. The upper part usually the best as fished less and supposedly bigger fish. So we walked up to the upper part – knackered before a line went in. the floods had decimated the numbers. And those we saw largely not in the least interested. Oddly, those few we found that were interested, absolutely nailed the fly (using dries most of the time, though the goodie from yesterday was on a san juan worm). Would launch themselves at the fly. Not always helpful. We got a couple – 5 and 5 ½ – which were in smashing condition (almost every fish we caught was in superb condition – not always the case here). But we walked and walked. Knee was going and back stuffed and back and forth across streams and up hills and scrambling over crap. But this is perhaps the most scenic of all the rivers around here with the exception of the Rough. Just beautiful

Eventually, we headed back but when we got to the lower section, did another hour or two back up *(which of course, we then had to walk back from). Was worth it as got a terrific fish – 7 ½. Great way to finish the trip, even if I was beyond stuffed again Seriously, if I want to do this crap I'll join army boot camp. Another 30 kilometre day.

But the fish make it worth it, even if it was a tough trip in every way. Can't wait to get back (thought I might be able to get back for a few days early March but it looks like Greg booked as Batman and the Golden Bear are possibly out for a few days).

first two, one of the 6 lbers, the next two the 7 1/2 and the last two, the 8 1/2.

[CanuckSARTech]

Nice story and pics, Ken. About time you finally caught something bigger than a minnow!

[kcheek]

Sounds like a lot of fun Ken, thanks for the pics! As soon as things thaw out here, I'll be ready get a line in the water!

[FlyFishingDude]

I always love your reports on the kiwi fishing adventures. Is there a day 3?

[Ken Gargett]

I always love your reports on the kiwi fishing adventures. Is there a day 3?

the 'fishing' was condensed from over four days, but that is the end of the report.

[frenchkiwi]

nice one. never been in that neck of the woods. have some friends further north in St Arnaud who are fishing and hunting guides. now you will be able to tell i'm Not a fly fisherman (but a trout eater) by the following question: did you cook these, how, and were they any good?

we can't buy trout here unlike in UK but i love the stuff.

[Ken Gargett]

nice one. never been in that neck of the woods. have some friends further north in St Arnaud who are fishing and hunting guides. now you will be able to tell i'm Not a fly fisherman (but a trout eater) by the following question: did you cook these, how, and were they any good?

we can't buy trout here unlike in UK but i love the stuff.

have stayed in st arnaud. the servo has the best pies in nz and the alpine motel a good place. who are your friends - they may have guided me?

you actually head across the lake to the travers from st arnaud.

all trout here are catch and release. it sounds poncy but the ones we catch round here are probably too big to be good eating. you want the ones that are about a pound. asked one of my guides if he ever kept any. he was scathing. why keep that crap whent here are so many better fish, or at least that is the printable version. the small ones usually pretty good but not sure i'm keen to eat them in and following a mouse year.

[CanuckSARTech]

"...following a mouse year."

What's that mean? Sorry.

[Ken Gargett]

"...following a mouse year."

What's that mean? Sorry.

it is discussed elsewhere but basically every 6 to 8 years, the beech trees in the forests have an explosion of seeds etc. in turn, the mice population goes nuts with so much extra food. many of these end up in rivers, accidentlyu or trying to cross, and whacko, we have fat happy trout (they don't have those huge mouths to take tiny nymphs only). 2000/2001 were famous years and last year was another, not quite so extreme.

you can tell when the big trout have been eating mice. they have red arses. i have no idea why or how.

[Habanos2000]

you can tell when the big trout have been eating mice. they have red arses. i have no idea why or how.

try passing a mouse, your "arse" will be red too.

[CanuckSARTech]

it is discussed elsewhere but basically every 6 to 8 years, the beech trees in the forests have an explosion of seeds etc. in turn, the mice population goes nuts with so much extra food. many of these end up in rivers, accidentlyu or trying to cross, and whacko, we have fat happy trout (they don't have those huge mouths to take tiny nymphs only). 2000/2001 were famous years and last year was another, not quite so extreme.

you can tell when the big trout have been eating mice. they have red arses. i have no idea why or how.

LOL. Interesting - didn't realize any of that. Learn something new every day....

try passing a mouse, your "arse" will be red too.

Ewwwww.

But, come to think of it, then wouldn't......no, better shut up. I don't need another post deleted this month.

[Ken Gargett]

try passing a mouse, your "arse" will be red too.

close, i reckon. my theory is passing bones.

[frenchkiwi]

randomly resuscitating ken's discussion as i was down in queenstown and went out spinning (sorry purists) one evening. magic evening, got a fire going on edge of small lake, just after the sun disappeared (10.30pm great twilight) and i lighted up a PSD4 we landed three brown trout in quick succession. and cooked and ate them then and there. the smallest trout (ca.1kg) was indeed the tastiest, the biggest (ca. 2kg) wasn't too bad either, we let the other one go. so there you are, anecdotal evidence suggests that the fish in otago at this time of year will go for PSD4. they shunned my earlier Lusitania which was a total dog rocket, so they do have taste.