I have to say, I’m enjoying this season. I should be fretting over a lack of business but I’m not. I’m getting an occasional guide day and my wife Iza is working full time. We’re doing okay. We’re lucky, and I’m thankful for that. I’m looking after the kids most days but also managing to get out fishing regularly – especially now that Iza’s recent study has ended, a bit more time for me to fish. It’s a juggling act between kids, Iza’s work and free time, working on the house, family time, friends, guiding and fishing. The balance is good. I’m making the most of this season without tourists. It’s made me rethink what’s important. So much so that I might just reduce my guide days to make more time for family in the future. My goal in life is not to be financially rich – it’s to be rich with the important stuff.
This season has been really great. I have explored some new water and while I want to do more exploring, I realised something. I love going back to the water I know. I need to see the water I know at least once or twice a season. I don’t mind if I don’t catch a fish, I just need to see the water – it’s like catching up with an old friend. I like to see if the river has changed, are the fish in the usual spots, what more can I learn about it. Now that I’ve realised this I’m okay with it. Some days I felt a bit guilty for not exploring when I could have been. Exploring new water is certainly exciting. And while I have made peace with going back to fish familiar water I will always have the drive to find new water. Like life in general, its about balance.
The season to date has had a number of highlights. I’ll let the images tell the story about most of these but I will mention one. A day that I was guiding a half day, I went fishing myself for the second half. I hooked an 8lb trout for my client in the morning. He was about 12. He played it well and we got it into the net. In the afternoon I ventured off myself. I saw only one trout in 4kms which I didn’t get. Then I saw 2 in a pool. I was rigged up with one of my guide rods – a 5wt Airflo Blade with a Lamson Liquid reel. I hooked the first one quickly and landed it downstream. I knew it was big. I was thrilled to see it hit the magical 10lb increment on my weigh net. I went back up to the pool again and the other fish was still there, still active. There was a brutal crosswind and I had to cast way left of the target to compensate for the wind. It took a few attempts which luckily didn’t spook the fish. He sitting quite deep. Finally the dry went down and I lifted into serious weight. I landed this one in the same spot as the first. He hit the scales at 12lbs. This is equal to my biggest trout to date. 3 browns for 30lbs. I’ve never done that before. 2 doubles, thats also a first. First time I’ve witnessed it since my good friend Kristian Bang Foss landed a 10.25 and a 10.75 (and a 9) back in 2013. I’m happy if I can land one over 10 for a season so this day was certainly one of those never to be forgotton. Needless to say I was delighted. Also happy to get a great shot with the 10 second timer – my size 12 Brown Nymph from Fulling Mill visible in his mouth.
If anybody is reading this from within NZ and would like to experience some guided fly fishing, feel free to drop me a line.. ronan@sexyloops.com or visit my website.
Tight lines! Ronan..
Sometimes we have to swim after a fish! It was worth it.
Ready for the walk to the river. Adaline love the HT4!!
Bob into one. A great half day.
One myself in the second half of the day.
Day 2 – Another half day. An 8lber for this young fella!
Second half I went for a fish myself. Landed this 10lber..
..and this 12lber.
Great day with Bob!
Nice trout..
And into another.
Stillwater trout can be stunning..
Same fish..
Great markings..
Carole, Adaline, Lochlan and Bob..
A deadly combo from Fulling Mill. My claret nymph and an indicator klink.
What a day!
The fishing was off the charts. Just brilliant.
Love that Harfin reel. Thanks to my friend Matt Henger for this gift a few years ago. Claret again..
7lbs.
They all wanted to eat my claret nymph.
Well stocked..
A small fish for Bill but it saved us from a blank!
In the bag..
Fulling Mill Stealth box, ready to rock.
My nymphs from Fulling Mill.
Unweighted 16 up to heavy 10s.
Adaline helps me set up the shot.
She gets it!
Great day out with Filipe. 5 to the net.
Super condition..
The best from a 4 hour session.
Old river keeping.. That effort has paid off a few times.
With my truck in the garage I have the corolla!
On the way to explore some new water..
Didn’t see any but prospecting with a streamer paid off with this fish just under 7lbs.
The remains of a bygone era. The lake rarely freezes now.
Good value.
Good action with small trout around the edges.
New water too..
Great day with Jeremy, Bruce and Hamish.
They all got a trout after a 1.5hr casting lesson.
Me with Jeremy’s fish of the day.
Good day with Dan! Very unlucky in that we hooked 5 and lost them all!
October has been a difficult enough month! Mainly due to lots of rain and snow-melt keeping many Otago and surrounding rivers high and difficult to fish. I saw this as an opportunity to go well away from home and try to lock in and learn some new water. I had a hunch about an area to try and what I found blew me away. On my first visit to the powerful beast that is mystery river X, I found quite a few really big rainbows.. huge actually. I landed one of 14lbs and lost 7 more (shit happens!). I took my good friend and big fish specialist, Robbie Mcphee for a look recently. He managed an 11lber, a 7lber and a 4. I landed an 11lb salmon, totally unexpected and immensely powerful. I passed the pocket water where he was hanging out having not seen a sign of life. Then something splashed behind me. I thought it was Robbie stumbling on the slippery rocks but when I turned around I saw the remains of a splash on the surface (not Robbie falling in, but a fish!). I went back, changed my fly to Stu’s Sonic Minnow and made a cast.. First cast I had a follow from a big grey ghost. I kept working the water.. 10 casts later I was connected to the biggest New Zealand salmon I’ve hooked. After a great battle Robbie put him in the net. I also had a few normal sized trout. This piece of water is still good but I expect these big fish will get off the shallows and back into the deep, heavy water before too long..
If you’d like to get in touch about guided fly-fishing in the lower South Island then drop me an emailĀ ronan@sexyloops.comĀ or check out my website,Ā http://www.ronansflyfishingmissions.com
Some exploration has led me to some water where monster rainbows live! This psychotic looking brute hit the scales at 14lbs..
Like a morey eel!
Back he goes..
Huge rivers can produce huge rainbows! A 7lber for Robbie.. maybe not huge, but just wait!!
And this for me! What an animal.. A total surprise to meet a salmon so early in the season. 11lbs.
A stunning fish..
Back he goes into his bouldery pool..
Really striking black spots.. This made my day!
The salmon couldn’t resist this big eyed streamer from Stu’s Superior Flies..
Robbie into a huge rainbow..
11lbs
A box of high viz dries from Stu’s Superior flies. I dont use strike indicators, I use a dry instead. These are perfect!
Some of Stu’s streamers. Kahawai won’t have a chance against these!!
Some disappointing exploration on a high country stream which I haden’t fished for years..
GUIDING HIGHLIGHTS
If not for local anglers and regular clients, Bryan Wrighton and Tim Proctor, October would have been a lean month! We recently had a 2 day mission on two very different rivers down south. With a narrow weather window between one front and another, I made the call to take it on. Thankfully it worked! Day one had us fishing on a river which was high and a little coloured. I chose this river for day one because these conditions suit it, it would also give day two’s river a chance to settle and clear a bit. The common denominator over the 2 days was high, slightly coloured water. Perfect for streamer fishing.. well, usually. The streamer barely got a chase over the 2 days. I don’t think I’ve ever seen these conditions not suit the streamer down to the ground! Fishing is always able to throw you a curve ball! Thankfully there were good numbers of fish out feeding and reasonably easy to spot. They were not easy to catch however, (they rarely are!) but Bryan and Tim did well to land 9 quality trout over two days all between 3.5 and 5lbs. Most fish were beautifully marked, in great condition and very strong. We’re out again soon so hopefully we’ll produce the goods again..
Tight Lines all!
Ronan..
Ps. Dont forget to check out Sky TV this October 31st. Jeff Forsee and myself will be doing what we do best on episode 6 of “Pure Fly New Zealand”…
Walking down to fish back..
Dont look a gift horse in the mouth! We spotted a group of trout feeding during the walk down, we put on a 16 nymph under a dry and Bryan landed this on his 3rd cast of the day!
Great conditions..
Tim with his first of the day.. A magnificent specimen!
Blind fishing a likely drop-off..
I spotted this fish but then lost sight of it.. I was hesitant to look again in case I’d spook it. Bryan fished to where I’d seen the fish and after a while the dry went down!
A great moment! A very difficult fish to catch..
A big brown lives here.. we didn’t get him today..
Bryan and cows. Day 2.
Tim with first blood. This was the only fish on the streamer over 2 days. A great moment to see him nail the fly from a swirling eye. No place for a nymph as a drag-free drift was impossible.
Bryan into one.. all powerful trout!
I’m trying to scare the fish back up river away from snags!
Landed! Tim’s turn again..
I took my netting opportunity when I got it, dipping the net deep!
A beautifully marked fish for Tim!
Ready with the net once again!
That great moment for both the guide and the angler when the fish is safely in the net!
Everyone’s happy!
A birthday beer for Robbie (and me) he just turned 43.
A pine tree with its flowers..
Some exploration has led me to some water where monster rainbows live! This psychotic looking brute hit the scales at 14lbs..
Like a morey eel!
Back he goes..
Huge rivers can produce huge rainbows! A 7lber for Robbie.. maybe not huge, but just wait!!
And this for me! What an animal.. A total surprise to meet salmon so early in the season. 11lbs.
A stunning fish..
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Back he goes into his bouldery pool..
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Really striking black spots.. This made my day!
The salmon couldn't resist this big eyed streamer from Stu's Superior Flies..
Robbie into a huge rainbow..
11lbs
A box of high viz dries from Stu's Superior flies. I dont use strike indicators, I use a dry instead. These are perfect!
Some of Stu's streamers. Kahawai won't have a chance against these!!
Some disappointing exploration on a high country stream which I haven't fished for years..
Walking down to fish back..
Great conditions..
Tim with his first of the day.. A magnificent specimen!
Blind fishing a likely drop-off..
I spotted this fish but then lost sight of it.. I was hesitant to look again in case I'd spook it. Bryan fished to where I'd seen the fish and after a while the dry went down!
A great moment! A very difficult fish to catch..
A big brown lives here.. we didn't get him today..
Bryan and cows. Day 2.
Tim with first blood. This was the only fish on the streamer over 2 days. A great moment to see him nail the fly from a swirling eye. No place for a nymph as a drag-free drift was impossible.
Bryan into one.. all powerful trout!
I'm trying to scare the fish back up river away from snags!
Landed! Tim's turn again..
I took my netting opportunity when I got it, dipping the net deep!
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A beautifully marked fish for Tim!
That great moment for both the guide and the angler when the fish is safely in the net!