In my questionnaire I send to clients prior to their fishing trip with me I ask “Would you like to fish river, lake or whatever’s best on the day?”. Most say river full stop. Others say “river preferably but a lake if its going to be amazing” I can never guarantee “amazing” so river it is!!. Some say “whatever’s best on the day” but nobody says “lake please!” It’s pretty clear that the average clients understanding of lake fishing is does not really apply to NZ. I think they believe it to be standing in one spot and blind fishing all day. They could not be more wrong! One could fish that way but they wouldn’t do very well generally speaking.
For me, it’s usually sight fishing. Often along a lake edge which we walk and stalk. When an opportunity presents the angler must quickly and accurately intercept the fish with his or her fly. It’s different to a river because we rarely find fish on station waiting for food. Therefor every opportunity is time critical. We must follow the fish or back off if he’s coming towards us, sometimes diving for cover so he doesn’t see us. We don’t want to follow for too long because he may well turn to the deep or cross paths with another fish, another opportunity. Certain lakes offer lots of different shoreline types adding to the appeal.
Sometimes we find fish working a beat. This gives us a chance to plan our attack! Trout will often cruise a set route over and over again. If we see a trout on a flat we may be able to view the whole beat. A good approach then is to cast to the near side of the beat when the trout is at the far side, then wait for the fish to come back and cruise to where our presentation is waiting. Usually a nymph suspended under a dry at cruising depth. The trap is set! This is very exciting and extremely productive and I love it! Interestingly, my clients and I regularly stumble upon this type of fishing in backwaters on many rivers. Not a single client didn’t enjoy it, and certainly nobody asked to be taken back the main river immediately (so you see, you do like lakes!! You just don’t know it yet!!)! Another good thing about the lakes is that they stay pretty cool in hot summers like this one. I have had a number of days recently when trout get a lot quieter in the afternoon as the water heats up on small to medium sized rivers.
Another form of lake fishing is the cream of it. Trout flats. These are wide expanses of ankle to waist deep water of pretty uniform bottom where trout cruise. The approach is walk and and watch! I like to get out to knee deep water where I can slowly walk along stalking pretty much the 360 degrees around me. Sometimes there are lots of trout on the flats, other times few but the quality of the fishing when it’s on must rival bone fishing (I’m guessing, I’ve never done it!). I recently had a 2 hour spell with a client on a trout flat where we had multiple shots coming at us at any one time. It was feckin bananas. The whole day was good but that spell was as good as it gets! Reel screaming, knuckle busting runs from big healthy brown trout. Trout flats are not always easy wading with soft sand and silt often making up the bottom. However, some are firm and easy to wade.
Blind fishing is not to be sniffed at either, though I do understand why this is not top of the list. Being brought up on Irish Loughs, blind fishing was the way to catch fish so I’m very at home doing it here. It’s great from a drifting boat but also great from the bank. On days where you have no sun to sight fish a flat, blind fishing a couple of light PT nymphs can be excellent. Deeper weeded flats are often best blind fished regardless of conditions. The takes are electrifying! Blind fishing requires endurance casting. To be good at at you need to be able to cast repetitively for 8 hours straight. Thats how we role in Ireland anyway!
Tight Lines everyone!
Ronan..
Anyone planning a trip to NZ, I still have some spaces in February, March and April – May too! ronan@sexyloops.comĀ or see my websiteĀ http://www.ronansflyfishingmissions.com
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Tim and Emma..
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One and only day to fish NZ!
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Casting lesson for a group of 5 between Trevor and I.
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I took 3 and Trevor took 2 for the afternoon to try to catch a trout! Success!!
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Lessons for Katie and Peter.
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Peter nailed the cast and got the result!!!
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Another blue sky day!
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Thundery skies..
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Plenty fish about!
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One of 2 for Brad..
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And then he did it again.. Success in NZ requires consistent accurate, neat casting. 2 trout on his first day behind a fly rod is an amazing result!
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Day 1 of 3 with Sarah!
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After some freek floods put us on the back foot we eventually found clear water… and fish!
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The first of the trip..
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Mushroom!! Magical!
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..and the second..
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Back he goes! A super Mataura brown.
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A backwater to finish off the day..
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Into a solid brown..
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Almost there..
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All hard fighting rainbows..
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Great fun for about 2 hours!
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After a very slow start the big river switched on and produced the goods!..
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Farther south for day 2!
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Time to call it a great day!
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Every fish required us to follow then downstream a long way..
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We got most to the net..
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Day 3. A blue sky and sight fishing for a large trout was the agenda.
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Into one from a shallow riffle..
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A good run from the first fish..
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Back he goes..
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Sarah did really well! She landed plenty trout over her 3 days on 3 very different rivers! None of which were part of my original plan but when conditions change, we have to change too!!
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Another quick snap before letting him go..
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Big fish on the board!
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Turned out to be almost 6lbs..
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Philip and I fish a day each summer.
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A big, backcountry brown was the objective today..
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Which he got! A spectacular fish in the prime of his life!
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Teaching 3 beginners today!
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They all hooked a few fish with 2 to the net!
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Chandler, Wes and Michael before the walk back!
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Hank into the first fish of his 2 days.. this one got away!
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A stunning day once again! I’ve never experienced a summer like this one.
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Lovely!
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In again..
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Riffles and drop-offs fished well..
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After a tough day 1, day 2 was lots of fun. Hank adapted well to NZ.
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Day 2. One from a riffle!
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Hank checking out a side braid..
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Hank went off fishing solo after this trip. He’s been doing well using the techniques he learned with me. I love to hear that!!
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A Clutha backwater with Wes. 7 eats and only one hooked fish which got away. What the feck!?
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The Clutha..
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Lake day with Matt..
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3 lost fish, about 5 more eats. You’ll have days like that!
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A lake day for Pat where perfect conditions made all the difference!
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Super quality!
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Trout flats!
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In again..
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Nothing here surprisingly..
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Magnificent lake flats fishing!
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They were in here.. and we got one!
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Stunning!
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Almost 5lbs.
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Almost 5lbs aswell.
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This made number 10! A red letter day for Pat who’s only been fly fishing for 2 years.
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Releasing number 10. Very happy angler and guide!!!
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Some solo exploring but no trout here!!
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Where trout are not amazes me as much as where they are! Exploring only to find no fish is disappointing but it’s important info for guiding.
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Small trout and very few in this backcountry tarn.
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Only landed 1.
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Some super still water fishing..
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Number 2! 6lbs ish.
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I had a very enjoyable day with this fella!
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Forrest was used to smaller trout in Australian streams. The biggest challenge was adjusting the fight to suit their NZ brethren.
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On the board at half time.
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Back he goes!
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A smidgeon of luck and we’d have landed 2 more good fish! One break on a freshly tied leader – I think the sharp grass nicked it! Another break because Forrest applied the brake!! a few more eats too..
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A stunning view to walk back with..
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