It is hard thing to admit as an Aussie but anyone who has travelled across the ditch will understand.
New Zealand really is a place of intense scenic beauty. Almost every conceivable natural attraction is spread from the far north to the deep south.
Every Kiwi who ever fled for opportunity or to travel the world will speak wistfully about the amazing natural beauty of their homeland.
Freshwater riches everywhere
The fishing! Literally a bonus on just travelling around the joint. It’s clean, it’s safe, the food and wine are amazing, the people almost exclusively friendly.
Plus large brown and rainbow trout and sea run salmon infest most of the streams creeks and rivers throughout. A huge variation in size, shape and coloration exists between stocks of fish in the South Island.
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This diversity caused my a mixture of terrain, river flow and of course local food sources. Stocks and populations also adapt to their habitats being landlocked, flowing, impoundments or natural lakes.
The family holiday dilemma
The greatest challenge for die hard fishers is a ‘family holiday’ while passing up fishing spots around every corner.
The saltwater fishing is also exceptional; but for this feature, let’s focus on the endless clear freshwater systems. A 30-minute drive from any location on the island will discover more places to fish, more beats (river runs) to traverse and more trout to entice.
Setting the scene, not the rules
Rather than provide a rundown of the fishing across different regions (best done using local sources of info) this piece is only to set the scene.
First of all we are not talking specifically about fly fishing.
All forms of wetting a line are fair game over in NZ.
However site specific rules and regulations apply across the broad range of fisheries activity.
It is best to do a little research and get your fishing licenses before heading over.
Mountains, glaciers and moving water
Mountainous regions are never too far away in the South Island.
There are always looming, towering peaks somewhere in the distance.
Cruising around this island is perhaps the most pleasurable driving experiences imaginable.
Lord of the Rings just echoes from every mountain range, every majestic lake and fortress looking rock theatre.
Mountain glaciers turn into mountain streams then creeks and finally down into the rivers, lakes and even canals criss-crossing the island.
Road tripping without the monotony
Distances are large, but certainly don’t seem onerous to most of us Aussi’s who are used to the vastness. Unlike the monotony of the Australian outback, you cannot drive 10 kilometres without seeing a picturesque natural landscape.
The sight of green rolling hills with towering peaks in the background, sheep tenderly grazing in the paddock. Ominous clouds streaking overhead and the endless hope for sunshine and perfect weather.
Regions that shape the fishing
South Island is divided into districts which make road tripping and guides more useful to follow. Nelson – Tasman in the far north, Marlborough in the far nor east, the spectacular mountain-riddled west coast, Canterbury which includes the main city of Christchurch), alpine Mackenzie and Central Otago plus the rugged and remote Southland (Fiordland). Different in so many ways, each region has some pretty special fishing in the endless freshwater systems.
Tramping, huts and harsh conditions
When you go for a walk in New Zealand, it’s called tramping. And tramp you can, with the island set up brilliantly for nature lovers and those seeking remote walking trails.
Sometimes Kiwis even put up nice little huts for a weary traveller to rest in their new found paradise. It’s not suggested to tramp too far in the winter and shoulder months as conditions can change quickly and with ferocity. Walks and overnighters in the wild can be restricted from October through to March.
Snow melt, rivers and the wild west coast
Those towering mountain ranges are where the snow gathers during winter and melts again each Spring
and Summer.
The constant charge of springs and snow melt help keep most the rivers flowing year-round.
Lakes throughout the middle off the island intertwine with inflows and outlets.
The extremely rugged west coast has much shorter, more intense rivers and inlets. It is a sparse population spread out over the most amazing scenery.
Little goat tracks might take you to the shores of a serene lake or to some whitebait fisherman’s camp where sea run trout gobble up the tiny whitebait running up the estuary.
Fiordland: Wet, wild and unforgiving
Down in Fiordland, the land and water are so desiccated it becomes hard to differentiate between the two.
Even the land gets around 7m of rain a year falling for an average 200 days.
So choose your path wisely and always have a plan to be caught out in inclement weather.
Keeping warm and keeping dry are challenges that must either be embraced or overcome in this neck of the woods.
The rivers tend to be crystal clear, making the low numbers of big fish very wary!
Water clarity and flexible planning
When many of the systems come down from the snow-capped peaks, you will find a huge discrepancy in the clarity of water.
Many of the larger stony stems might flow quite
cloudy for much of the snow melt period.
Especially if glacial activity adds an extra element
of silt and cloudiness to t he water column. Because there are so many systems to choose from within a couple of hours drive, your South Island fishing plans should not be so rigid to prevent reactive change.
Seasons, sight fishing and timing
Try and fish non-flooding, clear flowing systems wherever possible for the sight fishing ability and sheer enjoyment of the pursuit.
October 1st right through till April 30th is the official season and travelling anglers normally find their own preference for early season where fishing can be less pressured compared to later season when conditions and insect hatches can really turn the fish to active mode.
The classic dry fly dream
Many fly fishermen dream of a wily brown trout sipping mayflies off the surface on a clear mid-afternoon slow stretch of river.
Their guard down and launching at the hapless emerging winged morsels floating past their
favourite riffle.
A very sleepy fish can activate with feeding savagery when the right conditions are struck and the change can be blisteringly quick.
Boom-and-bust feeding events
Anglers might also dream of a cicada or mouse plague which can cause fish to throw caution to the wind in an attempt to stack weight on quickly.
Many boom and bust cycles play out for freshwater trout, based mainly around aquatic larvae and insect hatches.
To cover more water, fly fishers often prospect with a dry fly on the surface acting as both an indicator and lure, with a small, weighted nymph suspended below.
Light tackle and technical precision
Being primarily sight-feeding species, there is usually the need for very light leaders and tippet.
It is common to fish between 4-6 pound tippet, which doesn’t leave much margin for error.
Fly fishers will normally use a 5 or 6 weight rod and a floating or sometimes sink tip line. Depending on conditions and clarity of water, it is sometimes necessary to fish long leaders to prevent ‘lining’ or spooking the fish with the fly line.
Casting practice is mighty helpful because the rush of the moment can easily bring things undone with your casting technique.
Spin fishing versatility
For spin fishers, there is an enormous variety of fishing on offer from long casts to sea run salmon in cobblestone rivers to dragging cicada imitations slowly across the willow lined stream.
There are a handful of fly-only backcountry streams to avoid but literally hundreds of other options to choose from.
The South Island is very well known for monster fish and covering extensive water in fast flowing reaches is where spin fishing shines.
Overcast skies, rain, drizzle and wind are all common factors, giving anglers willing to adapt the chance to keep fishing spin in tougher conditions.
Lures, profiles and night sessions
Casting lightly weighted paddle tails upstream and across then dragging them diagonally back is a great way to cover unseen fish.
Size should match the expected baitfish in the system but don’t underestimate the aggressive nature of these fish.
Trout will eat plenty of smaller trout throughout their life and also munch on larger offerings then most fly fisherman will give them credit for.
Small profile hard bodied minnows and surface offerings are also worth casting.
A tiny walk the dog lure with razor sharp trebles is a great way to cover water on a moonlight night.
Lakes, jet boats and remote water
Lake fishing might be undertaken for two lifetimes with endless waters still uncovered. Plenty of little shacks, camping and caravan spots will line the shores of South Island lakes.
The inflow and outflows of these lakes are where plenty of effort is centred around, epically for fly fishers.
But for those trolling the lake edges or deeper stretches, a boat proves its worth.
Kiwis love little jet boats and you will find adventure seekers accessing the many remote creeks and rivers feeding their way down into the larger lakes.
Places where trampers and all-wheel drive vehicles seldom get and the fish that little wilder and less pressured.
Whitebait runs and sea-run trout
On many of the west coast rivers during the late Spring months Sep – Nov, a delicacy swims up into the rivers on the larger incoming tides.
Whitebait are a translucent little fish that swarms for protection, making them relatively easy to catch in fine mesh scoop and set nets.
Many trout actually live right down in the downstream sections of major systems, living a more standard estuarine life and feeding on these tasty morsels.
A little white plastic or streamer fly will get you in on the action on these sea run fish.
Chasing salmon on the east coast
Sea-run salmon are quite famous in the larger east coast systems with the fishing best through the warmer summer months.
A clearing river after rain is preferred and the river mouths and downstream sections are where these fish congregate.
Spawning numbers have been well down in recent years, leading to very strict regulations, down to one fish kept per season.
Slinging bigger streamer flies and spinning are the preferred methods for catching salmon.
Canal country giants
Some of the biggest trout on record have been caught in the hydro canals and ponds surrounding the lake-strewn area of Twizel in Canterbury.
Big girthy fish are taken each year on nymphs being floated downstream and by spin fishers working the deeper runs and channels.
Spill over feed from the famous Kiwi salmon farms and predictable channel ways of funnelled food have lead to some incredible captures.
For the more pure at heart, spectacular dry fly fishing can be found in meandering streams just round the corner.
Guides, books and going it alone
A fishing guide is recommended by almost all who travel to NZ. To cut down on the learning curve and understand both your quarry and the environment, this is money well spent.
However, you can just as easily do it yourself, all be it with a longer learning curve. A bloke names John Kent has produced a brilliant body of work, covering most of the lakes and rivers of both North and South Islands in a Trout Fishing Guide.
Get your hands on a copy, especially if fishing NZ’s freshwater systems is up your alley.
