So last week after heavy rain our usual fishing rivers are in flood yet the guides are still taking guests out.... but where? And when we ask the guests we always seem to get the same answer..."we cant tell you, the guide has sworn us to secrecy!"
Well that's not very helpful to us, so back to the drawing board, looking at the map and the rivers we know are in spate searching for somewhere that hasn't had the same rain and preferably a tributary to one of the larger rivers.
So inland we head, out to Mossburn with a few smaller rivers on route were looking for a new spot, we cross the Aparima and stop on the bridge. Its slightly coloured but at a good height so we watch for a few minutes to see if there are any signs of fish.
As we were looking, a brown trout comes to the surface in the middle of the stained river, swings out to the margin and proceeds to sip a dry fly from the smooth ripple.
Alastair and I look at each other with cheery grins and race to the car to set up our rods!
There were overhanging willows on the margin which al crawled under to an opening where there were now numerous trout rising to the surface, I was above trying to get a drag free drift down stream under the willow where we could see some active feeding trout. After around 15 minutes, I hadn't moved a fish whereas Al had moved fish but couldn't entice a solid take.
I moved further down stream, fighting through the willows and stumbling over the uneven ground where the river had previously created holes and deposited debris making my life quite difficult. I came to an opening and could see trout still feeding on the surface, I waded in which was actually a lot shallower than I first thought given the coloured water. I saw a fish rise again, so what flies to use? I thought willow grubs would be the likely food but after studying the water and the contents drifting down I picked out a tiny little nymph floating down, then another... So I look in my box of tricks and pull out a size 16 brown parachute adams and trailed a size 18 pheasant tail nymph un-weighted behind.
So armed with a hopeful killer combo I get into place down stream of the feeding trout, I couldn't see the fish so waited with line out floating down stream for a rise.... predictably he came up again so with one false cast I landed the flies about a foot in front of his nose, and watched as his mouth elegantly came up and sipped my PTN from the top.... after waiting that split second, as all fishermen know where your heart seems to stop for a second and you get ready to strike praying you feel contact, and strike I did!
As the line ripped from the water making contact the surprised trout, there was a flash of brown and splash of water as he frantically darted and jumped clean out of his watery world before entering his safe underwater home. After fighting a good fight hearing line screaming from my lamson he was ready to come in, not a monster but a perfectly proportioned beauty he was nonetheless. After carefully releasing him back into the mysterious world he came from I continued to fish.
Another rise and another fish landed, today seemed to be turning out successfully and we were happy to find some fishable water.
By this time I had an audience, Al had come down stream to see how I was doing, he had lost one fish but couldn't seem to connect with any others and there were 3 men on the bridge watching us, a guide and two guests, now we knew we had found the right place, they moved on and we continued upstream!
As I caught up with Al he had a fish on, after he had spotted a brown in the margins who had kindly taken his fly he played it well and landed a beautiful 4lb brownie. So after an hours fishing we had landed three and lost another, at this point we were quite chuffed that we had found a place to fish when the majority of rivers are in flood.
We continued up, I approached the head of a pool which looked fishy, although I couldn't spot any I blind fished it, as I approached the head I almost stumbled on what looked like a 5lb fish, I quickly back tracked quietly and cast to him, landing the flies perfect first time they drifted down past he swung out and took my fly, again with the splash of line ripping from the water he was on!! Although these larger trout are by no means easy to land and he darted into the overhanging willow tree and caught me on a snag!!! The trout escaped and I was left caught on a tree and had to snap the line loosing both of my flies, and the pool had been disturbed so upstream I head! I must admit I have always been lucky in the sense that with salmon fishing I don't tend to loose many fish once hooked, but here they seem to know exactly what they are doing and know how to shake a fly off!!
So upstream I head and Al has another fish on, he had blind fished the head of a pool and connected with another 4lb brownie, this river seems to be full of fish!! He played it well and beached another beauty!!
We took 5 minutes after rolled a cigarette and discussed our tactics and what we would do for the next few pools. The river forked so I went left and Al went right. I had spotted a feeding trout in some fast water and cast practically every fly in my box to it with no avail, it can be so frustrating when you can see him but cant entice him with any of our artificial imitations! I gave up on him, moved up stream before going back down to see how Al was getting on.
I crossed the river in a relatively fast part and slipped on a rock, I managed to gain my balance but in the process had lost my croc which was now floating down river!! Panicking I made my way across the other side, hopping down the bank trying to catch up with it, whilst hopping taking off my jacket and shirt with cameras in before diving in a long deeper pool and swimming for my floating shoe!! I caught up with it and made my way back picking items of clothing up on the way. Now I know wading boots would be a more suitable choice of footwear but I kind of like the romance of wet wading with crocs and having to swim after lost footwear from time to time! The sun was out and although the water cold I soon dried out and I caught up with Al.
Now Al had been spending the last 30 minutes stalking a good 6lb trout which was patrolling the margins sipping willow grubs from the surface. He had cast every imitation he had to the fish but he was hard on the naturals and denied anything that looked slightly un-toward. So whilst in desperation Al was trying everything I chuckled to myself and took a video of the wonderful moment when he gracefully sipped the grubs from the surface. Not to be caught today, but we know where he is for next time!!
We had lunch on the bank discussing the day and how chuffed we were even though no-one would tell us where to go we had found where the guides would have gone and a productive day just by exploring with the map. One of the best things about New Zealand is that as long as you can find a river there will be a good head of trout in it!
We fished on into the afternoon getting to the upper reaches, spotting the fish was difficult but we blind fished where looked good and concentrated on the heads of the pools. Nearing the end as time was running out and we had work at 4:30pm I had noticed through some willow trees two fish on the surface, I'm going to have a go I said. Al replied good luck mate I don't think you will be able to get a cast out as there are too many trees around you.
I slowly made my way down, had to climb a small tree to get onto a fallen tree trunk where I could just about get a very short roll cast out. So I'm in place after maybe 7 minutes of getting there and precariously balancing on an overhanging tree trunk I look for the the rising fish....... They have gone Al said.
Sods law I thought and after waiting 10 minutes for them to come back I gave up and climbed back to the bank. Fishing here is by no means easy and you have to sometimes be willing to get your self into some rather difficult places to get a fly to these fish.
With a 3k trek back to the car we headed back down the riverbank. We came across two locals who were fishing and mentioned a 5lb brownie they saw but couldn't catch in the same pool where I had lost one previously. I thought to myself quietly, I know why you couldn't catch him, because he had out smarted me an hour before and is probably sulking a little with a sore lip!!
We get to the car, ecstatic about the successful day we had against the odds and headed back. Although not as secretive as the guides, that evening one of our Swiss guests was asking about where would be good to go on his own and I gave him directions to our newly discovered river and hope he had some success there as well.
Another great day down under, no trophy fish but a few perfectly conditioned brownies were kind enough to give us some sport!!
Definitely going to make a return trip as I have a bone to pick with the one that took me into the snag and Al still has dreams bout the 6lber sipping willow grubs from the surface. Some more imitations are needed first though I think.
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