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.
I can’t believe almost a month has passed since my last blog! Time is flying by. It’s been a great month! June is a good time for me to take on some woodworking projects. I started one last June and finished it this June. A writing desk for Iza, but it just might become a fly tying bench for me!! The boat has also taken some of my time but I have not made as much progress as expected. It’s ready for fibreglassing now. Lots of painting preparation has been done and some timber work since my last blog. The engine arrived. It has certainly had a previous life or two in salt water but hopefully she’ll fair us well. There’s lots still to do, but once the fibreglass work is done progress will begin again in earnest.
Yesterday Brayden and myself hit the water for a float. I have done very little fishing in the last month, only 3 or 4 pretty poor days, so it was really great to get out for a solid mission. The day started with a 6.5lber and the action continued all day. Blind and sight fishing accounted for fish with streamers, eggs and nymphs. To my delight, about half of the 14 fish we landed were silver fresh run fish.
Early in the day while afloat we heard a rumble. Like thunder but not quite. By the time my brain figured out “earthquake” we could feel the pulses coming through the water and the boat. We wondered how this might affect the fishing. It didn’t.. They continued to confidently eat our flies. We did find one fish flopping around on the bank. He had tried to navigate up the skinniest piece of water imaginable and beached himself, maybe due to the earthquake. He was going nowhere! It was his lucky day. I picked him up off the didymo (which cushioned him as he flopped around) and brought him to the main river. He took off, relieved no doubt! We noticed some sign of gravel and mud broken away from the banks as we drifted down river. We also witnessed some mini avalanches. An interesting dynamic to add to a days fishing!
I’m off out now to practice my shots for snakehead! I’ll be in Malaysia with Paul in less than 2 weeks. Can’t feckin wait!
Tight Lines..
Ronan.
If you’d like to book me as your fly fishing guide in NZ next season, check out my website http://www.ronansflyfishingmissions.com or email me ronan@sexyloops.com
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I decided to take out the seats to give the ply a proper chance to dry.
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Seats out. Next is to remove all the fibreglass and clean up the steel. (It’s done!)
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Builders fill is very strong a durable; great for blending the old with the new!
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This router cutter to match existing rounded features in the boat.
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this is the profile before sanding.
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Plenty days out in the sun to dry it out well before fibreglassing.
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Filling holes and imperfections; painting preparation!
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A recent trip to Benmore with Paul Macandrew, Trevor Bourne, Dave and Santillan.
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A freezing cold day! The fishing was terrible! 5 anglers – 0 fish.
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Paul Macandrew, a top local guide and bloody good bloke!
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Time to pick up the lads..
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..and go to the pub!
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Off to the canals with Guy!
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Stunning evening..
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..we fished well into darkness. I had one take and this was it. A 12lb salmon (photo does it no justice!)
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Early morning..
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Guy beside his camper. We only managed the one fish for our 1.5 days.
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Some thoughtful vandalism!
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A recent float with Brayden from H&F Cromwell..
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First fish of the day on a sculpin head streamer fished deep in a backwater. Great moment!
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Brayden into one not long after..
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Almost there..
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Nice brown..
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A braid to check out..
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Heavy rain and a 4.4 earthquake but the fish kept taking! Plenty fresh fish moving up still..
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After a long fruitless walk up a side braid, Brayden overheated!
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We landed a few here..
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Almost ashore..
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A healthy rainbow as Brayden cools down!
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About to get back on the boat when we spotted a migrating fish.. A quick intercepting cast got the desired result!
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A fresh, energetic bar of silver!
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A likely spot..
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Wide water!
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Failing light when we hit a hotspot! Brayden lost a cracker here.. around the 7lb mark..
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Finally I got my SLHT fixed, it’s been out of action for a while. Here Brayden is giving it a work out..
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Hot Torpedo with a Harfin reel.. a perfect combination.
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Small but healthy..
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Plenty snow on the mountains.
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June is a time for me to indulge in another practice of mine. I made this writing desk for Iza out of recycled timber, mostly pallets and an old fence. I think it might become my fly tying bench!
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Categories: Expedition Tags: Benmore, boat restoration, Brayden Hill, Canal Salmon, Daltona, daltona restoration project, Earthquake, Fly-tying desk, Guy Hague, Incept Marine, Kevin Alexander, Malaysia flyfishing, Mt Cook, Night fly fishing, Otago Fly Fishing Guide, Paul Arden, Paul Macandrew, Ronan Creane, Santillan, Scadden boats, Sexyloops Hot Torpedo, shotgun-Kevin, snakehead, Trevor Bourne, winter flyfishing nz
