fly fishing New Zealand

Five New Fishy Quotes and Sayings

More mind fertiliser from the pens of the true tellers of fishing tales.

“How to become a millionaire by fishing? Start out as a billionaire.” #1336

“Chris Yates is an angling legend who presented A Passion for Angling, which celebrates its 20th anniversary next month. It is still considered the best-ever television programme about fishing. Part of the problem with extreme fishing shows is the nature of modern television, thinks Yates. “They are tearing apart whatever the beauty of the subject is and showing one populist image,” he says. His series took four-and-a-half years to film. “No one in their right mind would make a TV film about fishing. I was insane to agree to do it. Fishing doesnā€™t translate into TV, unless you can somehow convey the sense of tranquility and mystery, as [A Passion for Anglingā€™s filmmaker] Hugh Miles managed to do. Thereā€™s this mystery about why you are doing it and thereā€™s this unknown world happening below the surface of the water, and your line is connecting you to it.” #1337

“There is certainly something in angling that tends to produce a serenity of the mind.” #1338

“Because fly lines are wild snakes that need to be tamed…” #1339

“People get the Politicians and fishing tackle they deserve.” #1340

See all the quotes on fishing here

Posted by Tony Bishop

Five New Fishy Quotes and Sayings

More musings on fishing and fishermen.

ā€œThe first principle in all fishing is simple: never let the fish know heā€™s being fished for.ā€  #1271

ā€œThe whole notion of trout fishing would not be so romantic if the trout did not win, too.ā€  #1272

ā€œIā€™ve never had all the flies I wanted, probably never will, and couldnā€™t carry them all if I did.ā€ #1273

ā€œMost fly patterns should be works in progress.ā€ – Lou Tabory #1274

ā€œConfidence is the best lure in your tackle box.ā€ #1275

ā€“ see all the quotes here

Posted by Tony Bishop in fishing quotes

“Damsels in Distress” on a New Zealand Stream

Absolutely amazing footageā€¦

ā€œ My wife and I were fishing with friend/guide Dean Whaanga in New Zealand when a combination of bad weather and good timing resulted in a fish giving us the experience of a lifetime. I crawled on my stomach with my camera to the waterā€™s edge, hit record, and watched what was one of the coolest moments I have ever witnessed.ā€

It only runs for two and a bit minutes, but my guess is you will repeat view several times. Watch in HD and full screen.

See it here.

Posted by Tony Bishop in Fishing Travel, Fishing Videos, fly fishing, New Zealand Fishing

Catching Big Brown Trout in New Zealand

When does chasing big brown trout become an obsession?

I try to get down to the Taupo region on the central North island of New Zealand in March. As autumn starts to bite, brown trout move into the rivers and streams from Lake Taupo to head upstream to spawn. It is usually a reasonably sedate meander, not like the mad dash of pods of rainbows that tend to move up somewhat later.

Usually rivers and streams in March are low and clear, but this does not seem to deter brown trout. Mostly they move at night, spending the day hugging the bottom of deeper water, or tucked in under overhanging, undercut banks. Some hold deep in the branches of fallen trees – untouchable.

This year things were different. A vicious drought affecting the North Island and beyond turned the land from the famed New Zealand green to a drab lifeless brown. Driving down from Auckland I had never seen the countryside so devoid of grass. The sun literally sucking the life out of the land and waterways.

When I reached the Tauranga-Taupo River (TT), I could see the effect of the drought. The river was now a creek, very low and clear. Despite this Steve Yerex, guide and operator of the Keruru Lodge, where I regularly stay, was reasonably upbeat. Browns were in the river in some numbers he reported over the phone, but he suggested that it might take some high level of skill and more than a big helping of luck to pry one or two out of the TT.

Steve was going to be away for a couple of days raft fishing down the Mohaka River, leaving me on my own at the lodge – I liked that.

Arriving late afternoon, I decided to wander a little way downstream with my Tenkara rod and see if I could annoy a few small rainbows which by now were moving downstream to the lake. Over the next hour and a bit, more than a score of fish around 6 to 10 inches were plucked from the shallow runs. Great fun.

Next morning and now in serious fish-hunting mode I headed slowly upstream, peering intently into every pool and undercut bank. The browns were there. Some brutes among them too. Serious brutes. Brutes that have tempted and tormented me for too many years to recall.

Full Story here

Posted by Tony Bishop in Fresh water how-to, my fishing trips, New Zealand Fishing

Four Day Trip to Taupo NZ Area Produced Great Fishing

Just back from a four day trip to fish the Tauranga-Taupo River near Taupo, Central North Island, New Zealand.

On the face of it the fishing should have been hard, the river was low and very clear, the sun was summer shining, and it was blowing hard, at times very hard.

But the river was stacked with fish. There were good numbers of rainbows making their way up-river to spawn, and bigger numbers of fish making their way back down to the lake. Even managed to bag a nice 5ish pound Brown trout ā€“ nice surprise.

The fish were not big, but big enough, and the fish in the photo was pretty typical.

tt61212

The river may have been stacked with fish, but there were very few anglers about, most of the time I was alone. Bliss!

Mostly used a ā€˜hopper-dropperā€™ setup; the dropper being one of Chris Doreā€™s Glister nymphs. I had these in a range of sizes and weights (including un-weighted). The ā€˜Hopperā€™ was a  butt-ugly foam fly of my own twisted imagination which despite appearances was monstered by more than a few fish.

I donā€™t think I casted ā€˜blindā€™ over the whole 4 days ā€“ just cast to sighted fish.

Just a quick note, my trip was timed on the basis of a very successful trip same time last year, and year before. I am not a regular diary keeper, but do keep notes on successful trips.

Posted by Tony Bishop in Fishing Travel, my fishing trips, New Zealand Fishing

New Fly-Fishing Book: ‘What Trout Want –The Educated Trout and Other Myths’

Quite simply this is the best book I have read on fly-fishing, and I have well over 100 books on fly-fishing in my bookcases. This simplified approach to catching trout, without the baggage of myth, pseudo-science, and self-serving BS is something I have tried to preach in my own books and articles ā€“ just wish I could write it half as well.

I donā€™t care where in the world you fly-fish for trout, read it and become a better fly-fisher.

whattroutwant

ā€œIn What Trout Want, Bob Wyatt busts one of fly-fishingā€™s biggest myths -selectivity- and teaches readers how to:

  • Simplify fly pattern design
  • Reduce the number of patterns needed
  • Improve presentation and stealth
  • Catch pressured trout

Catching trout simplified 

  • A brilliantly written and well-crafted exposĆ© fly fishingā€™s greatest myths-selectivity, matching the hatch, pressured fish, fish feeling pain, precise imitations, drag-free drifts
  • Recipes for the authorā€™s tried-and-true patterns
  • Practical, down-to-earth suggestions for catching fishā€
Posted by Tony Bishop in fly fishing, fly fishing how-to, trout information

Terrific Fishing Despite Heavens Opening

oct7tt

Arrived down at the Tauranga-Taupo river, just south of Taupo, central North Island, NZ, just after 1pm, last Sunday. Thirty minutes later was on the river, which was clear and as I found, full of fish. Brilliant fishing for round, fat and fit rainbows in the 3 to 4 lb. range. Better still I had the river to myself.

Tucked myself into bed that night, happiness filled and expecting more of the same next day.

Well it was more of the same that Monday morning, but by afternoon the rain Gods decided to exert their superiority over the river. Very heavy rain persisted down all afternoon, all night, and Tuesday morning revealed a  river risen to flood, and I contemplated an early drive home.

I decided to stick it out, and see if the river dropped on Wednesday ā€“ it did and became fishable if not still high and slightly milky coloured.  Not only did it remain fishable by it seemed that several big pods of fish decide to use the increased water  levels to make their  way up the river from the lake.

But the drop in the water level was accompanied by a mini invasion of anglers. Locals know that extra water means extra fish in the system. But by walking further up the river I was able to find un-populated water ā€“ and heaps of fish.

So despite the weather interruption had an excellent 3 days fishing.

Posted by Tony Bishop in fly fishing, my fishing trips, New Zealand Fishing

Get Down and Get Ugly: Chris Dore’s Creeper Fly

dorecreeper

 

Chris Dore is one of New Zealandā€™s top guides; specialising in the south of the South Island of New Zealand. He has a a very refreshing attitude to fishing and fly tying ā€“ and ā€˜keep it simpleā€™ seems to be his watch-word. But making things simple requires a lot of knowledge and experience – Chris has a heap of both.

Chris ties these ugly brutes for early season headwaters on size 6 to 10 long shank hooks ( I think I will use Tiemco 200R to give a slight bend). The rest you can pretty much work out for yourself.

Wrap some lead (or substitute) around the hook, tie in a bunch of black hair or fur for a tail, tie in copper (or gold?) wire, and some black flexi-body or any stretchy sheet, dub up to 2/3 with hares ear, then some black dubbing, for thorax and head. Pull the back over the fly and tie down at the head. (Quick tip: before you cut off the back, pull the excess back towards the tail and throw in a few ā€˜locking turnsā€™ to really secure the back). Follow with the wire to form segments, and tie off at the head, whip finish and give it a dab or two of head cement. Simple. Quick. Done.

I suggested adding some wriggly rubber legs ā€“ Chris said he used to, but now does not bother because the fly is just as effective naked. Simplicity again.

Chris describes the fly as his ā€˜get noticed flyā€™, to fish in edge waters and boulder runs. Go easy on the lead, you want the fly to move through where heavier flies would snag.

That is about. I will be tying up a bunch of Creepers and Glister Nymphs for a trip to the central North island in early October, as Spring gets into full swing here.

Posted by Tony Bishop in fly fishing, fly tying, Fresh water how-to, New Zealand Fishing

Think New Zealand is Just About South Island Browns?

Fly fishing with Russell Anderson Fly Fishing in New Zealand, spotting and stalking the ultimate challenge, sight fishing in New Zealandā€™s backcountry with gin clear water.

But in the North Island, and for big Rainbows. Beaut eh!

Posted by Tony Bishop in Fishing Travel, Fishing Videos, fly fishing, New Zealand Fishing