Take me Higher…

Having spent a couple of days poking around lowland rivers, we were keen to get up in the high country where you’re surrounded by vast tussock plains and towering mountains (right).  Such vistas offer little in the way of a backdrop, so clear skies are essential for spotting trout.  Our plans couldn’t have been timed better as a high pressure system had parked itself over NZ’s South Island for some 3 days.  With trout sitting out on soft shoulders or gravel bars and prepared to eat our dry fly imitations the fishing we experienced was best described as top drawer.  Fingers crossed this weather might just hold for an extra day or so!

When conditions come good, High Country rivers offer some of the most spectacular surroundings you could ever wish for…the fishing isn't bad either

 

 

 

High Country trout tend to grow large and are therefore highly prized

The Beautiful South:

After some much needed shut eye we headed down country to NZ’s Southland.  Thankfully, sunny skies and temperatures in the high 20s greeted us(right), which is always a good sign for terrestrial activity.  With tussock cicadas chirping and some of them even crash landing onto water the trout were definitely looking up for lunch. Careful presentation was the order of the day when Mat and I kicked off our adventure with a string of hefty trout in a stunning valley.

 

 

It’s always nice to get one under your belt early in the day and if it happens to be a slab of a fish then so much the better!

 

 

 

~All smiles for Mat Mchugh of Fly Odyssey as he’s about to turn loose another spanking NZ trout taken on a dry fly~

A Great Start:

Eventually landing in Christchurch, our initial drive south lasted all of ten minutes before the rear wheel suffered a blow out.  Although hot and tired, our hunger to fish saw a pit stop in double quick time (right).  An hour later Mat McHugh and I were stalking the margins of a prime NZ stream.  Thankfully, our efforts were rewarded with a handful of stomping trout, getting us off to a flying start.

 

 

 

A sorry looking tyre after the blow out!

 

 

 

 

…First trout of our 2014 NZ adventure-a solid 5lb trout…