NZ Fly Fishing Experts

There are easier ways to make a living than chasing wild brown trout through backcountry rivers.

But then again, there are few better ways to spend a life.

Our guides know these waters because they have put in the time: reading flows, learning seasons, watching fish behaviour change with light, pressure, weather and mood. Some days the trout are exactly where they should be. Other days they make you earn it.

That is part of the appeal.

New Zealand’s lower South Island is famous for clear water and visible fish, but visibility works both ways. These trout have seen plenty. They do not give much away for free. The right approach, the right cast, the right drift, and sometimes the right sense of humour, all matter.

Serious fishing, not a serious mood.

Our expeditions are designed for anglers who want more than a pleasant day beside the river.

You may be sight fishing to large browns in small streams, covering remote backcountry water, or working through technical sections where patience matters as much as presentation. We will push for the best opportunities the conditions allow, but we will also make sure the day feels human.

Good guiding is not just pointing at fish. It is knowing when to move, when to wait, when to change the plan, and when to tell you that yes, the fish did see that.

We want you to leave with better fishing instincts than you arrived with.

New Zealand Fly Fishing Expeditions is owned and led by Gavin McAuliffe.

Gavin grew up on the shores of Tauranga Harbour, where fishing was part of life from early on. His first lessons came from his father, whose patience was tested often and appreciated later. Saltwater came first, but fly fishing soon followed, with many early trips spent exploring Lake Waikeremoana and the surrounding rivers.

Now based in Queenstown, Gavin spends his summers on the water and has fished extensively throughout the lower South Island. He has a particular love for sight fishing smaller rivers, where every movement counts and every fish feels personal.

His background in training and educating ski instructors also shows on the river. He knows how to teach without overcomplicating things, how to read people as well as water, and how to make a demanding day feel enjoyable.

You will fish hard. You will learn something. You will probably be laughed at once or twice.

Fairly, of course.

While our focus is the lower South Island, we are also connected to a trusted network of excellent guides throughout New Zealand.

So if your trip calls for something different - winter steelhead-style fishing on the Tongariro, saltwater species in the far north, or another corner of the country entirely - we can help point you in the right direction.

But if you are here for wild South Island trout, clear water, big country and fish that make you work for it, you are in the right place.