The most important difference between fishing rivers in the US and those of New Zealand has to do with the kind of rivers New Zealand is noted for; namely, gin-clear or crystal clear waters.

Because of the clarity of the water in many NZ rivers, the method used to angle for trout relies heavily on spotting your quarry before making a presentation. This “sight-fishing” is in contrast to fishing blind, that is, working a section of river with either a dry-fly, nymph or streamer without actually seeing the fish.

In the US, except for those times when a hatch is occurring and the fish are rising and are therefore visible either taking duns off the surface or emergers coming off the bottom, most anglers in the States will cast to areas of a river most likely to hold fish.

Please do not think that blind fishing is not practiced in NZ, it is. New Zealand is blessed with many rivers and as we all know every river has its own personality. There are heaps of rivers on both the North and South Islands where one can simply wade into the water and begin casting.

But the point I would like to make is that there are many rivers (usually referred to here in NZ as “back-country” rivers ) where, because of the clarity of the water, the name of the game is to spot the fish first, then make your presentations.

These clear, back-country rivers, generally speaking, do not hold many fish. Instead, they have large, solitary fish and they are spaced far apart. A lot of walking/hiking is required in the course of a day’s outing.

When I take an angler who is a newcomer to one of these back-country rivers, their initial response is usually a gasp of delight at the sheer beauty of the river. Most of these rivers run through valleys of native bush (forests) and all is framed by rugged mountain ranges.

One look at these rivers and you can’t help feeling you have arrived at trout Valhalla. The water is so clear, the runs so pristine, the pools have a deep jade color: it all looks so fishy! But looks can be deceiving. What most anglers have a hard time grasping is that the river is not jammed with fish. But the truth is, not only is the river not loaded with fish, there are entire sections that are devoid of fish. Nothing.

That is why blind casting is pretty much a futile exercise. You could cast yourself silly for hours and never be near a fish. As I said earlier, the modus operandi is to spot the fish first, then enter the water. Once a fish is located, the angler stealthily positions himself downstream of the trout; while the guide monitors the fish’s movements, the angler begins to make presentations.

Usually, a dry fly is tied on first. With the guide watching where the fly lands, he instructs the angler as to the next cast: more to the left, more to the right, more distance etc. If the fish does not rise to the dry, then a nymph is tied on and fished in the same manner, that is, the nymph is cast so that just the leader rolls out over the fish allowing the nymph to sink a bit before it passes the trout.

If the trout comes up for the dry, the angler will see the head of the trout break the surface and will therefore know when to set the hook. When fishing with the nymph, however, if the fish takes, because the take occurs sub-surface, the guide will tell the angler when to set.

It is exciting fishing but by no means easy; particularly if there is a stiff down-river wind blowing. Also, because the fish in these back-country rivers tend to be large, many anglers get a wee bit nervous - duff the cast and spook the fish. If you have walked a great distance to find a fish only to watch it bolt out of your life forever, this will not make you happy. Prepare yourself, for this will happen.

So in a nutshell, what Americans fishing back-country rivers in NZ for the first time need to know is:

1) Spotting fish is vital
2) Blind casting is highly unproductive
3) A lot of walking will be required

Michael Bednar
Te Anau, NZ

About The Author:

Michael Bednar operates Southern Cross Flyfishing and is a member in good standing of the New Zealand Professional Fishing Guides Association.

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