Queenstown fishing is good as Xmas is fast approaching. A wee fresh came thru and livened the rivers up again which was well needed as the water has been getting low. Nymphing has been the most productive still but the terrestrial action is starting with Manuka flowering and lots of blow flies appearing ….. the fish are starting to look at the surface again.
My man from Ascot!
Make sure you check out my Facebook page Fly Fish New Zealand to keep up to date with the fishing as I am posting more regularly there than my blog.
Other news … a good friend of mine JDub has just gone into commercial beer making (ex-head wine maker for Chard Farm) with Queenstown Brewers “Steam Brew”. Very refreshing after a days Queenstown fishing. It available at the Queenstown New World supermarket and most of Queenstowns liquor stores.
Queenstown Fly Fishing with Queenstown Brewers “Steam Brew”
Even in mid summer Queenstown fishing can throw some unpredictable weather at you so a Cloudburst Jacket from Sitka is a great option to keep the cold wind off you and keep you dry in the heaviest of downpours and keep you concealed from your elusive quarry with it’s amazing camo technology. Well worth getting some of this kit!
Check out Manic Tackle Projects new website and note they are now the Simms guys for New Zealand!
Camo
Tip – some situations a nymph or a dry fly just wont cut it. The shot below was one such fish in a tricky spot on the other side of a fallen tree with tons of over hanging branches. There was no easy way to get at it from below so we snuck around to the top of the fallen tree and delivered an accurate cast across the small channel and let it swing from the far bank towards the tree ….. the fish came skipping across the surface in hot pursuit and nailed it (it looked a lot like a skipjack tuna) …… the real fun started trying to negotiate the obstacles to land the fish!
Outside the box
Have a great Xmas and remember BOOK YOUR TRIP!
I can’t tell you how much I appreciated everything you did to make my fishing trip unforgettable. That trophy brown was totally unbelievable! Frankly, I’m surprised we were able to land him. That was one of the longest fights I’ve ever had with a fish. Fighting that trout and the river current was a whole new experience for me. Your advice and help were invaluable. I will definitely call you the next time I get to New Zealand. And I really enjoyed your website article and photo. Thanks again for putting me in position to catch the fish of a lifetime. And it was almost a few fish of a lifetime. All in all…brilliant!!!
