Ronan's Report

So much time has elapsed since my last blog that I don’t know where to start! I’ve had 8 days on the water since writing and I don’t have the energy to write about it all. There were a number of highlights; some big fish, some stunning fish, fishing with Robie, fishing with Iza..

The best bit was coaching Iza on to her first fish on fly. We fished together on the secret dam on a Saturday with very mixed weather. mostly rainy and cold! She hooked a fish or 2 but didn’t land any. She did hook and land a fish but I made the cast. valuable fish playing practice none the less..

On Sunday we fished a local tributary of the Clutha. We fished from the confluence up. Not too far up I spotted a trout happily feeding in the eye of a pool. The water was swirling around so a drag free drift was difficult to achieve. Iza could see the fish from time to time so she knew where her fly needed to land to drift into the trouts lair. All the hours spent practising on lawn and water kicked in and she was sending in consistently decent shots. Eventually he ate. I saw the dry above the nymph check but I wasn’t sure if it was an eat, Iza noticed the dry stop too but struck without hesitation and hooked the fish. She played it well and when I fumbled with the net she dragged it up onto the bank. So I had dam all part to play in her first fish! She did it all from strike to land.. I put the fish in the net while I got my camera out to record this special moment. I left the net down and stepped away then turned around to take the photo. As I did I saw the trout zoom out of the net towards freedom! It was disappointing not to get a photo but it was great fishing event!!

Robbie Mcphee and myself fished together for a few great days last weekend. Iza joined us on the last one and she got a lovely 4lber in the first pool. This time the photo was a success! Cheers Robbie! She also hooked and lost one of about 6lbs so its all starting to happen for her…

I remember my first fish, I’ve guided many onto their first fish on fly.. Some close friends, Nigel, Tom, Fuzz, Jamie, Nico, Irene, Adam, spring to mind.. Justin, Eamonn, Kevin.. Have another go!! Its a special moment.. It was for me anyway!

The stories from the the other missions will have to be told in photos!

Ronan..

PS. Submissions to stop the “round the mountain cycle trail” ruining the upper Oreti valley must be in by the 3rd. All info here.. https://www.sexyloops.com/blog/2014/10/18/the-oreti-needs-your-help/

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Much of the following is from an email from Chris Dore..

As part of the “Round The Mountain Cycle trail” the developers wish to push up to 60,000 cyclists per year through the Oreti Valley in Southland, New Zealand. This is also one of New Zealand’s (and the worlds) top trophy trout producing rivers. Aside from angling, visitors rate highly the wild, natural and scenic environment of the upper valley through the ‘walk only zone’, the location of the proposed cycle track.

Whether you have visited this area in the passed or whether it is on your wish list, please write a submission mentioning how you feel about sending in bulldozers and extracting gravel from quarries to be excavated in this valley, and the resulting cycle trail and proposed bridge across this most remote and untouched area, also how the construction, maintenance and daily cycling tours through the valley may affect your desire to visit this stunning location.

There is a perfectly viable, more cost efficient and lesser environmentally damaging route available down through the Mararoa river valley which simply makes more sense. The Oreti is one of the best trophy trout waters on earth and should not be jeopardized. It’s that simple.

Submissions close Nov 3rd and can be emailed to emailsdc@southlanddc.govt.nz in a word document following the general format of the prescribed RMA submission form ( form 13) located in the link below. Even a couple of sentences will make a difference.

Anyone can submit on this, including international interests and it’s important we do so.

Mention you are supportive of the cycle trail with the exception of the proposed route from the Mt Nicolas road bridge, down through the Oreti valley including the proposed bridge spanning the river and associated structures. There is a viable and less disruptive route available down the Mararoa with the safety of a nearby road should cyclists get into trouble.

The natural landscape of the upper Oreti valley is highly important to the amenity value of the Oreti, and aside from the world class trophy brown trout fishery, draws hikers, hunters, bird watchers and mountain bikers who appreciate the remoteness of this location, the wild and natural landscape with relative ease of access.

Submission forms can be downloaded here… http://southlanddc.govt.nz/my-southland/around-the-mountains-cycle-trail/stage-two/

Here is a template..

Submission on Application Publicly Notified
(Form 13 under Resource Management (Forms, Fees and Procedures) Amendment Regulations
2006)
Sections 96, 97 and 127(3), Resource Management Act 1991

To: Southland District Council
Name of Submitter: JOE BLOGGS
This is a submission on an application from Southland District Council for a resource consent (or for a change or cancellation of a condition of a resource consent) to: Construct and operate the Around the Mountain Cycle Trail.
The specific parts of the application that my submission relates to are: The Construction and operation of a cycle trail from the Mt Nicolas Road bridge, down through the upper Oreti Valley to centre hill, the proposed bridge across the Oreti river, and buildings throughout the trail in this area.

My Submission is:
I have no problem with the cycle trail as a whole. It’s just the proposed section from Mt Nicholas bridge to Center Hill that should not be allowed. This IS one of the BEST trophy trout waters in the world and should not be jeopardized. The construction, maintenance and use of the area as a cycle trail would only detract from and possibly ruin this amazing fishery. I ask that the Mararoa valley be used instead. I can’t stress enough the importance of this section of the Oreti as an accessible trophy trout water for visitors and locals alike.

I seek the following decision from the consent authority: That the application is not approved while containing the section of cycle trail running from the Mt Nicolas road bridge, down through the upper Oreti Valley downstream to and including the proposed bridge across the Oreti river Iinking to the track along centre hill road.

I do not wish to be heard in support of my submission. (Or I do)

Signature of submitter:
Date:
Contact person:
Address for service of submitter:
Telephone: Fax / email:

Thanks all…

Ronan..

Another season is well under way. For opening weekend I decided to try some newish water. I had fished it once before about 11 or 12 years ago but only a pool or two and my approach was not great. My memories were of a stream being so willow lined that casting was impossible but thankfully it wasn’t all that bad. It was tough, but far from impossible. I put in a couple of very big days on it to kick off the river season. I covered about 40kms on foot over the 2 days. By the time I got to the truck at the end of day 2 my legs had nearly ceased up. They were burning. I don’t believe they’ve ever burned that much. Over the winter months on the lakes, my legs didn’t get the training the rivers give them and I felt it. It was well and truly worth the pain and effort though; I had some great, challenging fishing and some magnificent fish. That’s why I’m here.

Ronan…

At lunch time on day 1, I thought of Oliver Kite and his “generous libation” as I opened my beer. I gave a libation too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptV1OORfvlI

Another season has landed so I better buy my licence. The fishing has been so good on the lakes for the last while that part of me doesn’t want to leave them! I will though, I have 5 options in my head for tomorrow and the next day. Two small creeks, two medium rivers and one in between. I’ll make the call in the morning. The forecast is not great so some willow lined water to cut out glare might be the go. I know just the place…

The last 2 weekends were simply fantastic. I had one in Omarama and stayed at the magical Buscot Station Backpackers and the other right here in Cromwell. Mostly sight fishing to cruising browns over sand and silt flats. I also had decent action along willow lined edges, swampy creek mouths, steep tussock banks, weed beds and even a treated effluent outfall! (surprisingly good fishing at the latter!).

There were plenty of great moments. I want to talk about them all but I have flies to tie for tomorrow. I’ll mention one .. I spotted a good fish cruising tight to the shore along a cut bank over sand. I got into position as the fish swam into a notch in the bank. This allowed me to get close and not be seen. The notch was approximately a meter by half a meter and about half a meter deep. I leaned over until I could see the tip of his tail, careful not to make eye contact and spook him. No need to cast, I unhitched the weighted nymph and put it where it needed to be. A little jiggle and the trout’s tail gave a quick kick propelling him towards my fly and out of my sight. I struck a moment later based only on when I thought he should have eaten the fly if he did at all… though I knew he would. A great moment when I lifted into a solid 4lber. My fly was wrong, at least, not my first choice but I was all out of spiders. The fly worked because I put it where it needed to be and moved it a bit to give an otherwise very dead fly some life. It wasn’t the fly that caught the fish, more where it was and what it did that did.

Trout are known for being wily, elusive, and spooky. They are, but not all the time. I spotted a cruiser on Dunstan last weekend and made a cast to him. I let the fly sink and started to strip it away slowly. I lightly hooked his flank near the tail. The fish was briefly but solidly pulled sideways through the water. When the hook came out the fish seemed happy again and I continued to fish for him. Sometimes he looked interested so I kept fishing until he ate. I got him. After unhooking and releasing him I noticed the fly had one of his own scales on it from the brief foul hooking incident!

Check out the rainbow in the bottom row of photos. My best fish from Dunstan for ages.. She is a magnificent creature..

Ok, That’s all for now.. I must tie some flies and buy a licence!

Tight lines all and Happy Season!

Ronan..

Some flies I tied for the trip..

they dont get much sparser than this! It worked very well, most took it static.

On the second day, when the going got a little tough, I used one of Fred Stevenson's flies. I only have 3 of his spiders and he's passed away now so I use them only when he tells me to!

Amazing sight fishing to quality cruisers... Again, spiders did the business!

For the Omarama weekend, the weather was great! Some cloud in the afternoon on day 2.

1st cast about 20m from the truck!

Thanks Fred!!

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I had some excellent close range fishing in here..

I kept one for Gravad Lax..

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One advantage of weighing 68kgs is that I can wade the Dunstan silt flats. Too sinky for most...

Amazing fish! I had another just like it about 20m farther down the bank..

The weekend just passed was another local one. Dunstan was excellent!!!

I saw a fish, made a cast and briefly foul hooked him! He ended up eating a fly with his own scale on it..

I had this brute of a rainbow figure of eighting a single buzzer blind.

Back she goes! "Shoulders"

Superb condition.. My best Dunstan fish for ages.

Away he goes..