Fishing the Kawarau with Santillan!
There’s a great crew of Anglers in these parts. I joined the Wakatipu Anglers Club many years ago and through it I met many great people who I’m still friends with now. As the years go on Members come and go, so it continues to be a great place to meet fellow anglers. We regularly try to meet up for a day out but with everyones busy lives it’s hard for 2 fellas to juggle their responsibilities to come up with the same day off to fish. I try to make the effort to get out with my friends as much as I can; its important to me. On this day, Santillan and myself made it happen. We were hoping to encounter one of the monsters that turn up in the Kawarau every winter. No one is entirely sure where they come from. Some say they’re from the wharf in Queenstown where wild fish are artificially fed to monster sizes. Others say they can’t be these fish because trout don’t migrate downstream to spawn. Maybe they’re just huge fish from further down river or from Lake Dunstan? Who knows! It would be pretty easy to tag a few of the wharf fish to find out, but as yet this hasn’t happened for one reason or another. I’m sure it will at some stage because it would be great to know. The monster fish I’m talking about range from 9 to 20lbs. Interestingly, at least in my experience, fish between 3 and 9 are rarely caught. Please correct me if I’m wrong, somebody! Fish from 1 to 3 are in good supply but are still hit and miss, but often when you find one, you’ll find lots!
Santillan and myself set off in the morning very early but a few things conspired to delay our drift commencement. With fish being pretty quiet for most of the early part of the day, our late start worked to our advantage because we didn’t have many fish to slow our downstream progress! We landed 6 of our 8 fish in the last 2 hours and ended up back at the truck earlier than usual! I haven’t known Santillan for very long so a float trip was a great way to have the craic for the day. He’s a sound man (as we say in Ireland) and a feckin good angler!
Tight Lines, Ronan..
For guiding bookings and information see my website http://www.ronansflyfishingmissions.com or email me ronan@sexyloops.com
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- Everyone out enjoying the river.
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- Drifting down the Kawarau.. Spot the sheep!
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- Santillan!
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- Great view. I left Santillan upstream 200m while I jumped out below him.
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- These sink well and produce the goods..
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- The first two thirds of the day was very slow but we found fish in the end! This is a good Kawarau rainbow at over 3lbs.
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- One for Santillan..
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- The average on the Kawarau is small but there is a chance of a monster!
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- Back he goes..
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- Working the edge..
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- In again..
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- ..just as the “Thunder Jet” roars passed.
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- The rough bits are enjoyable!
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- Almost at the end of the Drift. Great day! 4 each.
