Fly fishing New Zealand?

[roger wiegand]

Any of you ever gone fly fishing in New Zealand? We're planning a month long trip next winter (summer there) and am trying to figure out how to get to great fishing without the expense of a "luxury lodge". I can probably spend only a couple days fishing (the rest of the party has no interest) so am willing to splurge. I'm interested in fishing rivers and streams, not still water, going someplace beautiful is more important to me than catching a lot of fish.

Is there a guide or outfitter you'd recommend? How important is being able to helicopter to the "best" stream on any given day? Any place that was particularly stunning? Timing-- we probably can't leave before Christmas, so will be there mid-summer. Any advantage to going in March instead?

Cheers,
Roger

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Roger,

I fly fished one afternoon with a guide on several small lakes near Christchurch on Christmas Eve of 2008. My wife and I were in NZ for 10 days on a 40th anniversary trip given us by our youngest son and his wife. The guided fishing was an anniversary gift from my wife. Long story shortened, it was terribly windy that day. I hooked 2 and couldn't land them. The guide hooked 2 and couldn't land them. The guide came in off Christmas "Holiday" with his family to accommodate me. Because we didn't catch any fish, he refused to charge me his fees or for a license. I finally INSISTED he take a generous tip for his endeavors. They don't believe in tipping in NZ.

I am afraid I don't have any recommendations other than enjoy your trip and the extremely friendly Kiwis!

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

check Reddit flyfishing forum - few people there from NZ.
Enjoy your trip.

Ed.

[Bill Neely]

Roger,

I fly fished one afternoon with a guide on several small lakes near Christchurch on Christmas Eve of 2008. My wife and I were in NZ for 10 days on a 40th anniversary trip given us by our youngest son and his wife. The guided fishing was an anniversary gift from my wife. Long story shortened, it was terribly windy that day. I hooked 2 and couldn't land them. The guide hooked 2 and couldn't land them. The guide came in off Christmas "Holiday" with his family to accommodate me. Because we didn't catch any fish, he refused to charge me his fees or for a license. I finally INSISTED he take a generous tip for his endeavors. They don't believe in tipping in NZ.

I am afraid I don't have any recommendations other than enjoy your trip and the extremely friendly Kiwis!

Something similar happened to me. Some people volunteered to take a shipmate and I fly fishing near Christchurch and we got blown out, couldn't even make a decent cast. Had to go back into town and console ourselves with Lion Brown. New Zealand is right at the top of places I'd love to return to.

[roger wiegand]

Fishing for stripers in New England you get used to casting into a 30 mile an hour headwind. Wonder how trout would respond to a heavy sinking line with a big Clouser tied on? (I've got many added lumps on the back of the head from where I've hit myself!)

Can't do much about the weather. I'm really excited about making this trip.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Roger,

We returned to NZ in 2014. The friendliness of the Kiwis is not overstated. During our 2nd trip we traveled strictly by regularly scheduled buses, train and a ferry between the two islands. 3 American couples including us arrived late one evening by bus into Paihia as a hurricane came ashore. When a local café owner was asked how we could contact a taxi as we all needed to go to different hotels, he ran around back and came around in what looked like a shrunken PT Cruiser. It was his 2-seater pizza delivery van. A husband in back on his hands and knees along with the baggage, the wife riding shotgun, the owner drove us one couple at a time to our respective hotels. He refused any form of compensation. The tours were canceled the next day due the wind and rain. My wife and I bundled in our Gore-Tex mountain parka style light weight jackets walked to his establishment to eat 3 meals over the next 2 days.

On our previous trip, the hotel where we were staying in Christchurch had been told by a DIL that Christmas Eve was our 40th anniversary. The hotel restaurant provided our anniversary dinner that evening FREE.....over $80/person, no cost.

It's a lovey country and friendly people!

We are planning a 3rd trip to New Zealand.