Well it is long overdue
but despite a lost digital camera with a 512 meg card
full of photos from the trip we have been able to scrounge
together a number of images which go a long to to sum
up what went on. We hope you enjoy viewing them as much
as I did putting them together.
For a couple of hours
today I was transported back to the south island. Only
a few months and I will be back there chasing the large
and sometimes fussy browns that it is famous for. If
you haven't done it yet do yourselves' a favour and
book a flight and go. Enjoy!
Most
of you who have fished down south will recognise
this feature. Great for polaroiding from the top
of. Just don't trip on your tongue when you count
10 fish over 10lb below!
The country
is simply stunning. Large rivers running through
farmland, crystal clear and home to big fish.
A lot of the
rivers run through gorge sections and it really
puts in your place at times. To be fishing through
your own little private amphitheater stalking wary
browns.
Success!
A private
moment behind guide and client, or should that read
between two fly fishers!
Not all the
fish are huge and if size was all that we were after
we would go to Alaska and chase salmon. Proud angler
with a typical fish.
Some of the
rivers are not gravel bottom as would be expected.
nevertheless they are very clear and have awesome
hatches. Another fish taken through the day.
A big, beautiful
brown! It really does not get any better than this.
NOTE: The drab clothing. No bright colour's allowed
on these trips!
The end of
another day on another perfect river. A group of
friends pose for a snapshot so that they can relive
the moment for years to come.
Time to go.
The helicopter arrives and the fisherman are ready
to be whisked out to civilisation. A 15-20 minute
flight saves a couple of day's walking in these
remote catchments.
Stunningly
marked brown is the reward for carefully fishing
a small beetle pattern on a windy day. Smaller streams
offer fish up to 5lb on the dry when the bigger
rivers are blown out.
Nick looks
pretty pleased. Nick is a friend of ours and a great
guide. Here he is during a rare moment he gets to
fish. '8.25lb pounds of love' as he says.
The water
in these rivers is just stunning. Cold, clear and
in most places great tasting. While Giardia is present
in NZ most of the backcountry rivers are pure and
free of this problem. Ask a local!;-)
How big? Seriously
there are some massive fish in these rivers and
we heard of a 17lb brown being caught on dry when
we were there in Feb!
Another day,
another river. Late afternoon after a day on the
water, back for an early dinner and then out for
the evening rise.
