new zealand issue 122 october/november 2010 trout fisher · 2 nz trout fisher 122 w inter is...

NEW ZEALAND Issue 122 October/November 2010

SEEK & YOU . . .BEATING THE ODDS BEAD ME UP, SCOTTY!ADDING TO THE EXPERIENCEBLING UP those EARLY SEASON FLIES

TROUT$9.90

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Welcome to Godzone's only dedicated trout fishing magazine, Kiwi owned and produced, bimonthly:-

ISSUE 122FeaturesBLING UP THOSE EARLY SEASON FLIES Jonathan Scott . . . 2BEAD ME UP, SCOTTY! John & Cullen Murphy . . . 20BEATING THE ODDS Russell McKendry . . . 32ADDING TO THE EXPERIENCE Quentin Donnelly . . . 36

FixturesSEEK & YOU . . . Peter Garaway . . . 6HOOK IT & COOK IT Stephan & Brigitte Baumberger . . . 18LAST CAST Peter Storey . . . 38

Regional ColumnsTAUPO Andrew Christmas . . . 8NORTH ISLAND ROVING Belinda Thomas . . . 12HAWKES BAY Tony Hildesheim . . . 14WELLINGTON Brendon Digby-Smith . . . 16NELSON/MARLBOROUGH Tony Orman . . . 30SOUTH ISLAND ROVING Mel Hollis . . . 34

COvERFront: Southland guide Lawton Weber ([email protected]) with another local resident (David Lambroughton)

THIS PAgEBEAD ME UP, SCOTTY! (John Murphy)

ISSN 1173-1761No part of this magazine, in print and digital form, may be reproduced in any way without prior permission of the publisher.

PHOTOgRAPHERSAndy Trowbridge, Cory Scott, Dan Thomas, David Lambroughton, Elwyn Green, Nick Reygaert.

PRODUCTION & ADvERTISINgPeter Storey, Editor & Publisher, 1 Ronald Road Lake Tarawera RD5 Rotorua 3076 NZ. Email: [email protected]; ph/fax: 07 (+647) 3628 914

www.nztroutfisher.co.nz 1

Welcome to Godzone's only dedicated trout fishing magazine, Kiwi owned and produced, bimonthly:-

ISSUE 122FeaturesBLING UP THOSE EARLY SEASON FLIES Jonathan Scott . . . 2BEAD ME UP, SCOTTY! John & Cullen Murphy . . . 20BEATING THE ODDS Russell McKendry . . . 32ADDING TO THE EXPERIENCE Quentin Donnelly . . . 36

FixturesSEEK & YOU . . . Peter Garaway . . . 6HOOK IT & COOK IT Stephan & Brigitte Baumberger . . . 18LAST CAST Peter Storey . . . 38

Regional ColumnsTAUPO Andrew Christmas . . . 8NORTH ISLAND ROVING Belinda Thomas . . . 12HAWKES BAY Tony Hildesheim . . . 14WELLINGTON Brendon Digby-Smith . . . 16NELSON/MARLBOROUGH Tony Orman . . . 30SOUTH ISLAND ROVING Mel Hollis . . . 34

COvERFront: Southland guide Lawton Weber ([email protected]) with another local resident (David Lambroughton)

THIS PAgEBEAD ME UP, SCOTTY! (John Murphy)

ISSN 1173-1761No part of this magazine, in print and digital form, may be reproduced in any way without prior permission of the publisher.

PHOTOgRAPHERSAndy Trowbridge, Cory Scott, Dan Thomas, David Lambroughton, Elwyn Green, Nick Reygaert.

PRODUCTION & ADvERTISINgPeter Storey, Editor & Publisher, 1 Ronald Road Lake Tarawera RD5 Rotorua 3076 NZ. Email: [email protected]; ph/fax: 07 (+647) 3628 914

2 NZ Trout Fisher 122

Winter is usually the time most fly tiers restock their boxes with old favourites and I’ll bet most

of us trawl the web for a new pattern, in the hope it will bring us more luck for the upcoming season. Two years ago I was introduced to a new form of fly tying that goes against the grain for the traditionalists. It’s described

BlINg Upthose early season fliesBy JONATHAN SCOTT


with custom Abel reels and still catching fish. If traditional patterns could be translated as a bit of steak in human terms, then his are the Big Mac — salad, tomato, gherkin, yellow cardboard wrapper and all. Forget about accurate imitation here, these flies are not about stealth they are about advertisement: “I’m different! PICK ME!”

If you’ve ever watched the DVD “Bugs of the underworld”, produced by Ralph & Lisa Cutter, you’ll see images in amazing high quality. The camera is down at fish level among a riffle where there is so much “stuff” shooting past the feeding fish that it either has to eat whatever flies past it or ignore it. Adding “bling” to your fly means it's different from everything else. Just out of curiosity the fish may give it a look; it may even give it a bite. Better still, when the early season rivers are a little discoloured then the “bling” helps your fly stand out. It’s like a big soft drink company having a bright red billboard outside the gym and you come out thirsty looking for a drink, it screams “THIS IS IT!”

“Blinging” your fliesThe “bling” content doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be as simple as a bright tungsten bead. Personally I prefer using a green, yellow, orange or red bead myself available from a couple of online retailers in NZ. It could also (yes — as well as the bead!!) include using bright dubbings, especially the metallic looking Glister brands. “What a load of BS”, you say! “I know trout that spook at “traditional” gold beads”. Well hold on a minute, what is the red portion for on a Royal Wulff, or the “hot spots” on a Czech nymph? I would contest that they are an early form of “bling”, they are something unique to attract a take. These are both very successful fly patterns that continue to catch fish every season world wide, including New Zealand browns.

Initially I wasn’t brave enough to put as much “bling” into my flies as those who inspired me to start using the technique. I started with (and still use) the aforementioned coloured bead on flies such as Hare N Copper or Pheasant Tail Nymph with some success. I progressed onto blending some Glister into my normal dubbing, adding a little to the hare mask. More success followed and pretty soon I was tying pure glister thoraxes on my PTN’s. About the same time, a good friend who guides told me how he was leaving out the hare component totally, using raw Glister instead. So it was a natural progression to try his technique and again, surprisingly, fish took it.

as “bling”, a word we associate with Southside LA where they like to chrome up their American SUV’s with shiny bits or something from Central Africa that’s been fashioned by Cartier to wear around your neck.

Yep, this vernacular has made the transfer from R&B culture to fly tying via a wee cottage in the Southland village

of Lumsden. For it was there, around a table festooned with tying materials, fly boxes and the odd tipple that I opened a box containing flies so bright, I needed to don my sunglasses simply to look upon them. Their owner, time and time again, had debunked the myth that trout shy away from bright objects. He’s well known for wearing pink shirts and fishing

4 NZ Trout Fisher 1224 NZ Trout Fisher 122

These flies aren’t about stealth, they are about saying:

"I’m different! PIcK Me!”

BlINg 'N' COppERThread: black or brown, 6/0

Hook: Kamasan B110 #14-16

Tail: black deer hair fibres tied up body (fold back butts later to make legs of an emerger)

Dubbing: natural hare mask blended with ice dubbing and red glister

Bling: hot orange tungsten bead

Weight: a couple of turns of lead to secure the bead

Rib: raw copper wire, diameter to suit


proof of the pudding!I bet the sceptics reading this are still not convinced. They’re probably saying, “How do you know the fish wouldn’t have taken a traditional nymph?” Well, last October I was fishing a local stream not far from where I live. Typically of an early season, Alps-fed Canty stream it was clouded by snow melt but still clear enough to pick out the “smudges” that may just be a fish. My photographer friend and I were only out for a couple of hours and had to make the best of the situation. I rigged up with an indicator and a typical #14 H&C with gold bead, to prospect the runs, covering any possible shadow or shape with a number of drifts.

As we came to a riffle leading into a pool I spotted a shape just out from the edge of an overhanging willow and covered it. Two drifts to the right, nothing! Not a twitch. Two drifts to the left, the same! So I stopped and watched. The smudge turned right and moved out, then moved back again. Clearly this was a feeding trout. So I considered changing down in size of nymph, but changed my mind considering the water colour and the speed. Quickly, I clipped off the pattern and changed to same size but with a bright “hot” red tungsten bead. This time as I cast at the fish again, my cast was off. I’d overcooked it in excitement and it was half a metre to the right of the fish. I left it to drift out but the shape came right over towards it and in the same split second turned back just as the indicator briefly stopped. Immediately

upon lifting the rod tip I felt the line tighten. FISH ON!

A couple of shakes, some tail splashing and the fish dropped into the lower pool where it was easily guided into the side with some side pressure. My friend was already snapping away from the last cast and continued as I beached the fish gently. As it rolled over in the shallows I couldn’t believe its length. It was very long, but upon weighing I was disappointed at its weight. Clearly in post spawning condition, the fish had a huge head, with long narrowing body but only tipped the scales at 4 something pounds. In prime condition this was a 6lb fish.

So in response to the skeptics, I’m convinced that in the snow-melt water this brownie just wasn’t able to pick up my original nymph as it was fleeting past among all the other detritus. Something special was needed, something easily identifiable to attract the fish’s attention, for it shoot across and have a taste. Fortunately I had some “bling” flies in my box. I firmly believe it made the difference.

My fishing buddies and I continue to tie and regularly fish “bling” flies.

We’ve used them all season, for fish that have seen the fly but clearly refused it and for those that have been pricked but are on the feed again. I hope you’re challenged to get to the vice and add some bling to yours. Don’t make them stupidly garish. Remember weight, size and shape. The result needs to look like it’s worth eating and you may just need it this opening.

photosPrevious pages & below: Stu Jacques and an opening week trout from a high country stream, caught on a "StuChu" bling emerger; the "StuChu" in the trout's mouth.(Author)Left & above: the fly, the author and the fish in the story. (Jonathan Harrod)


Seek & you . . .© Peter garaway 2010

Whenever Alan “The Professor” Beauchamp comes bustling up with a big grin on his face, you can bet he’s got a

new project on the go. That’s because The Professor, a relative newcomer to trout fishing, is the sort of person who can’t rest until he has all the answers. And he came bustling up now.

‘Hi fellas,’ he greeted us cheerfully. ‘You know we were talking the other day about which was the best trout fishing lure? Well, I’m going to settle the matter once and for all.’ He unzipped the document case he was carrying and took out a large, folded piece of paper.

‘Once I’ve finished my trials, I’ll be able to tell you exactly which lure is the most effective. And the only way to do that is to present a range of lures to trout simultaneously. The trout will naturally choose the one that most takes its fancy, and so ... Look at this,’ he commanded, unfolding the paper onto the table.

The paper showed sketches of a small boat. A long pole stood up from each rear corner, outrigger-style, but the parallel poles were joined at their outer ends by a cross-bar that extended well to either side. ‘We’ll be using John Parker’s boat, modified like this,’ Alan explained eagerly, using a pencil as a pointer

‘The idea is that we attach several lines to this cross bar, and each line will have a different lure – cobra, tassie, toby, whatever – and we troll them simultaneously behind the boat. And we can run at different depths, too, using this rope here to raise or lower the frame.’

He sat back and beamed at us. ‘So, what do you reckon?’

There was silence as we searched for tactful responses.

‘Um, nice drawing,’ someone ventured cautiously.

‘Should do the trick,’ another suggested, neutrally.

There was more non-committal silence.

‘Tell us again, Alan,’ Rufus spoke

eventually. ‘How are you going to raise and lower this frame arrangement?’

‘Eh? I just said – with this rope here.’ Alan tapped the drawing again. ‘We can just let the rope out or pull it in to set the depth we want. Depending on how long we make these poles, we can troll down to about, oh, four metres or so.’

Rufus nodded slowly, staring at the drawing. He looked up at The Professor.

‘Did you study physics at university?’ he enquired in a neutral voice.

Alan looked affronted. ‘Of course I did,’ he snapped. ‘ I have got a science degree, you know. Two, actually.’

‘What about engineering?’ Rufus asked, ignoring The Professor’s indignation.

‘Erm, not as such. Why?’‘Well, this arrangement you’ve

got for raising and lowering the frame … lowering won’t be a problem, but how’re you going to get the frame up again when its down?’ Rufus touched the drawing. ‘Where’s your point of leverage?’

The Professor’s face wasn’t the only one to look blank.

‘Pardon?’Rufus sighed. ‘Look, you’ve got the

poles hinged at the rear corners of the boat, right? And when the poles are hanging straight down, your rope will go straight over the stern and lie along the same plane as the poles. So if you pull on the rope, you’ll be pulling straight back along the length of the poles; you won’t be able to lift them because you’ve got no leverage.’

Alan’s hand slapped his forehead. ‘Of course! You’re absolutely right!’ he cried. 'Goodness, what an idiot I am! Oh, bother!’ He sighed. ‘Oh well, back to the drawing board, I guess.’

Three weeks later, the word went around: The Professor was ready to

show off his re-designed trolling device on Saturday afternoon up at the lake. A surprising number of people were already at the boat ramp by the time I arrived, milling around John Parker’s fourteen-foot boat on its trailer. They were gazing at the five-metre long

poles sticking up in the air, and at the seven rods of assorted types sitting in a makeshift holder. Each rod had a line running to a clip on the cross bar, and a variety of trolling lures glistened and twisted gently in the sunlight.

It took only a quick glance to see how Alan had modified his design

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Seek & you . . .© Peter garaway 2010

to address the problem of raising and lowering the poles. An eclectic arrangement of link-rods, bell-cranks, cog wheels and chains, driven by an electric motor connected to a car battery, demonstrated that ingenuity could always find an answer. It didn’t look very pretty, but …

‘A worthy successor to Heath Robinson, don’t you think?’ Rufus’s murmured comment echoed my thoughts.

I was nodding agreement when another voice asked, ‘Who’s

Heath Robinson?’ We hadn’t seen Porter Mason just behind us. Rufus flashed me an amused glance and a surreptitious wink.

‘Oh, a well-known English designer of intricate devices. Before your time,’ he explained. It was clear that Porter hadn’t a clue who Heath Robinson was, and I was waiting for Rufus to start pulling his leg about it when we heard that the boat was about to be launched.

But as John climbed into his car and Alan stood by to direct, a green-uniformed figure appeared from around the far side of the spectators and marched towards the car: Roger Connors, the local fisheries ranger. After a brief conversation with Alan, during which arms were waved in the direction of the boat, the ranger stalked off and left Alan looking daggers after him.

‘What’s up, Professor?’ someone called.

Alan shook his head slowly in disbelief. ‘That blasted – luddite – said I couldn’t carry out trials with that rig,’ he spluttered, pointing back at the boat. ‘Because I’ve got seven rods and lines set up, he said I must have seven licenced anglers in the boat! We can’t even fit that many people into the boat! As for the scientific purpose – he just didn’t want to know!’

‘Never mind, Alan,’ Rufus grinned. ‘Actually, real anglers don’t want to know the answers, either. It takes all the fun out of fishing.’

Photo: NZ's March Brown dun (Belinda Thomas)

Talking TaUpOWith ANDREW CHRISTmAS

The Taupo fishery has been in full swing for the past few months with the annual run of spawning trout into the rivers. The Winter

fishery certainly has put the area on the map and made the usually sleepy little town of Turangi famous with the title of "Trout Fishing Capital Of The World".

This season the condition of trout in Lake Taupo has bounced back. Most anglers agree their size and condition are far better than the last couple of years. So fishing pressure has been fairly high and anglers are once again stumbling over icy rocks and making deep water crossings, in search of the perfect silver bullet which has just entered the rivers.

The Tongariro is by far the best known river in Taupo, of course. For many it is the easiest to access and being the largest body of water flowing into the lake, it generates the biggest runs of trout; but as I hope to show, there are many other options worth exploring as well. Angling pressure has been high and getting first lines through the popular pools has been difficult on weekends or after a good rain. It pays to familiarise yourself with some of the other fantastic water.

Other rivers which have fired this Winter include the Waitahanui, Tauranga-Taupo, Waimarino and best by far, the Hinemaiaia — yes, I have been very surprised with the fish coming out of the Hinemaiaia this season and the bulk of my guiding has been done within the new Winter fishing limit. All will continue to fish well with spawning fish for the next few months.

In the past the smaller Taupo rivers have scared me a little, mainly because you can lose the entire contents of your treasured fly box in one outing thanks to submerged trees, roots and overgrown banks. Dedicating a trip to work out where these obstacles are and how to access some of the best water is well worth it. You will soon find yourself with more options, fish and water. If that idea appeals but you are not able to fish very often, hire a guide for a day, throw his flies in the trees and get onto all the best spots for your next visit.

In my opinion the best Winter fishing is still to come as, looking back on my guiding records, the best runs have started early September and continued right through to December. In the past the best and only time for spawning fish in Taupo has been June, July,

August; after that, rods were stacked away for another season. Now, with the seasons changing and weather conditions varying, fish seem to be running later. It should be made quite clear that we have a fishery which can produce great angling all year round. Fish are not running in huge groups anymore. Instead we are seeing small groups entering the rivers more often, encouraged by cold wet weather.

Traditional methods have been popular this season, with many anglers dragging out the sinking lines and fishing large wet flies in the high water conditions. Standard patterns such as Olive Woolly Buggers, Red Setters and even wet lining Glo Bugs have been catching their fair share of trout. While guiding I get most of my clients to nymph and we have done very well, switching between larval and roe imitations with the conditions. I always start the day by fishing a Glo Bug behind a heavy bomb but generally have switched to a small larval such as a Pheasant Tail Flashback by morning tea. Anglers should always fish to the day and when it comes to fly selection, the condition of the water, time of day and even time of year must all be taken into account before tying on a pattern. Large Glo Bugs may work well in the dirty or high water conditions of Winter but have no place when conditions are low in the Summer. The key to successful fishing is to try and work out what your target species may be eating, or why they are even there in the first place.

The days are slowly getting longer, which will be encouraging for those who enjoy slightly warmer fishing conditions. Spring is an exciting time of year in Taupo; the harsh cold Winter months are generally behind us and we can look forward to nature's life cycle starting again. There are always plenty of trout in the system too, some of which would have just entered for spawning and some of which will be on their way down river again, to fatten in the depths of Lake Taupo for another year.

Lake Taupo has roughly 120km of shoreline and nearly 80km of it can

be accessed by shore based anglers. So with Spring upon us, we can also concentrate our efforts on smelting trout in one of Taupo's many stream mouths or calm bays and with smelt numbers much higher than previous years, we should see some amazing surface action this year.

Smelting around the lake seems to peak late November/early December but with smelt starting to move as soon as the colder months have passed angling really kicks off in September. Lake edge fishing will be productive from September through to December but with shallow waters warming quickly thereafter fish will soon be making their

This season the condition of trout in Lake Taupo has bounced back . . .


way to the depths of the lake and out of the reach of most flyfishers.

If you are thinking of trying this approach to fishing this Spring/Summer, you should arm yourself with both a floating line and sinking line to cover all water depths.

Areas which will be most productive will be river mouths like the Waitahanui,

Tauranga-Taupo, Hinemaiaia, Waimarino and the Delta. If you have access through private property or fish from a boat there are some fantastic options in the Western Bays. A floating line armed with a Silicone Smelt or traditional Grey Ghost can be deadly in the waters of Waihaha or Waihora mouths. A personal favourite is the Whanganui Stream

mouth, which can generally only be accessed by boat. This one can be very productive with smelting trout in the rip during the day and even down the beach on a dark night.

If staying in Taupo is more your thing there is still plenty of river mouth fishing between Taupo and Turangi. Some of those places above can be very busy



when the fishing is hot and I try and fish the smaller streams such as the Waipehi and the Waimarino, simply to escape the crowds. I will generally fish an Olive Woolly Bugger or smelt pattern during the day and switch to a large black fur fly or Doll Fly during the night.

Something else I always look forward to is the return of large Brown trout

in the early Summer months. The big numbers of spawning Rainbow trout tend to shadow the lazy Browns which sneak up from the lake, but I can tell you that Taupo and in particular the Tongariro, is home to some of the largest Brown trout in New Zealand. There are now Brown trout getting caught year round and they are starting to become a fish which anglers are targeting in the Tongariro, simply because of their beauty and size. This magnificent 10-pounder above came from Cattle Rustlers.

Typically the Brown trout of Taupo enter the rivers in the Summer and on any given day, armed with a good pair of polaroids one could see between 20 and 30 fish ranging from 5lb to 15lb in the lower reaches of the Tongariro, hiding amongst the willows and undercut banks. While their spawning habits may have slightly changed the places they hang out remain the same and some fish are deemed uncatchable by most. With the warmer months only just around the corner we will certainly see more of these torpedoes in daily limits.

Anglers surf websites and purchase different reading material for

many reasons but most are looking for information to make them a more successful angler, which they can use next time they are heading to the river. Planning fishing trips with friends, family, clubs or just heading out yourself can

take up time and getting free information to make these trips happen is always handy. I live for fishing and even on my days off you will find me on a river somewhere, trying to find new water or techniques which will help with my guiding. Something very close to home for me and a day trip which I look forward to every year, is rafting the upper section of the Tongariro.

The upper river opens 1 December after being closed for spawning through the Winter and is without a doubt, the best one day adventure in Taupo. On the more popular pools of the Tongariro we just have to get used to sharing water with others, but with a raft one can once again find solitude and scenery that's just out of this world. In my opinion rafting the upper Tongariro is also the best way to catch more trout, regardless of ability and fitness.


TAUPO TROUT FISHINGFull and half day adventures

www.taupotroutguide.comE: [email protected]

Mob: 021 116 2752

In my opinion rafting the upper Tongariro is also the best way to catch more trout, regardless of ability

and fitness . . .

This water is only really accessible via the river and rafting allows anglers to get into untouched water, to fish for both resident and spawning fish. December and January are popular months with anglers, as the upper section holds huge numbers of late spawning fish from Lake Taupo. I often get asked if all the trout up that high are spawners or slabby, and without a doubt you will catch more, but expect to catch plenty of maiden or recovered fish too, which have decided to call the upper river home because of the abundance of food.

The river is open to all fly fishing methods and most pools can be wet lined, nymphed or fished with a dry fly/dropper rig, but I find the most effective method to be fishing small larval nymphs in the deeper holes with long leaders. Early in the season I can spend the entire day in just the first few km's of the

float and still be seeing and pulling fish from water that I have fished all day. You will never run out of water up here — there is no need to share any length of river with anyone else, as every stretch is as good as the next. All my exploring and guiding is done with Rafting New Zealand, who have a fantastic base in the heart of Turangi and are always open for rafting, coffee or just a friendly chat.

The entire float is about 14km of river which ends with us pulling the raft out at the Blue Pool. During your 14km float you will pass over 50 rapids which are rated up to Grade 3, so you should expect to get the heart rate pumping while trying to pull into the next stretch of river to fish. The scenery is just out of this world, with gorges and native bush lining much of the upper river to blend brilliantly with the crystal clear water. Last season this was one of my

most popular trips, having something for everyone, young and old. It was a total hit with the ladies, who could enjoy the thrill of the ride down admiring the awesome scenery, while the husband enjoyed a day out fishing terrific water without getting into trouble about it from the wife. If you are not as agile or quick over the stones as you used to be, don't worry. We can pick and choose where we stop and all you have to do is step off the raft and start casting! If you are fit and enthusiastic, get ready for an action packed day which should see you and your party landing well over 20 fish.

So if you are looking for a totally different experience with your fishing and want something you will remember for years to come, grab your best mate and get in contact now, to book your guided fly fishing raft trip this Summer.Tight lines.


Thinking about frosty Winter mornings makes me shiver and a little bit cranky, yet thinking of

frosty Winter mornings on rivers having my arms pulled off by fresh run trout is supremely exhilarating and sends a shiver up my spine. It’s the moments just prior to sunrise that are the coldest. The light is soft and you have that wonderful feeling of Being There. But the cold is so terribly punishing! My fingers fail me, lines freeze in rod guides making casting difficult, but most brutal of all is losing fish in the dawn chill to a reel that is frozen solid. Mother Nature can be unforgiving and at this time of year she is well and truly staking a claim on the Taupo Rivers.

Perhaps one of my favourite days last Winter took me back to my own early angling experiences. I was alone and an absolute beginner, trying my luck in the Gordon Williams pool of the Waitahanui. Two gentlemen in swandris, hailing from Hamilton came to my assistance and helped me onto what was (from my rose coloured memory) a perfect rainbow under the trees. It was sheer delight to join William’s family and witness a similar act of angling kindness on the Tauranga-Taupo this Winter, and the resultant catch. Another delight was something of a ladies day under the Tongariro road bridge. I joined three women, all related, and had a wonderful time in their company. Best we rename the Troll Pool – hardly becoming of female anglers!

It’s been like fishing different worlds at times on the Tongariro this season. I have experienced really tough going some days, and by far the most reliable fishing has been at day break. The fish seem to cross entire waterways to eat your flies in that brief, often breathtaking time. It’s like getting congratulated for

having hauled yourself out of bed so early and should endure right through Spring. The most important thing I’ve needed and sometimes not had with me, has been a brightly coloured indicator that I can see in the near dark. Choice of flies doesn’t seem to matter a great deal. Glo-bugs work, but I have been astounded how often fish fall for a 5.5mm tungsten bead nymph tied on a size 8 hook with about 18 wraps of .020 lead as a bomb — Caddis on Steroids is a terrific fish catcher. To look at it I’m sure that they must hear it coming before they see it, rumbling down the riverbed like an underwater steam train. This seems evidenced by the variances in colour that prove effective, olive being my favourite.

I’ve also been surprised at how well that particular fly works during the day,

even in shallow water. I had the pleasure of fishing with a

couple of friends from (ahem) Australia recently. We decided to spend a sunny Winter’s day chasing sighted browns in the Waitahanui as a change to long casts and blind fishing. I find these fish difficult to catch and believe they have some sort of piscatorial eating disorder, rendering most of what I offer them unpalatable. Based on this I opted for the small tasty-looking naturals that had worked for me in the past, while they rigged oversized caddis trailed by only slightly smaller caddis. Watching them fling these at large sighted browns made me shudder a little, but rather than these fish bolting for cover they ate them. Wolfed them down in fact! Essentially the flies were allowed to drift right onto the fish at the right depth, which clearly made them difficult to refuse. What made the fish eat the larger flies rather than the smaller that followed them is open for debate, but the lesson was

in how to fish. Any flies snagged were immediately broken rather than spooking fish trying to retrieve them — these guys meant business. Casting was accurate and delicate even with the weight of these chunky flies. Indicators were very small or non-existent as short drifts negated the requirement of a large indicator to ‘hold your nymphs up’. Wading too was aggressive, but well calculated. We joked that you had exactly seven seconds to have these fish in the net lest they break you in the snags, which was close to the truth. It is a pleasure to have a day with inspiring anglers who are so passionate and dedicated to catching trout.

Fishing during the day on the Tongariro has often been

challenging. I’ve questioned my abilities, the techniques I’m using, my knowledge of the river, and I have definitely questioned the parentage of the trout. Lucky skiers opt for sunny days with fresh snow just as canny anglers get the magic days when the rivers are coloured and fresh fish are running. I rank as one quite desperate to fish and with limited opportunities, but firmly believe this makes you more adaptable — perhaps even braver — and that fishing in less than ideal conditions makes you a better angler. Nevertheless it can also be frustrating and demoralising. Wind is my enemy, especially when I’m using 5 lb tippet to cast bombs as far as I can in low clear conditions without whipping the water to a foam. It is easier to cast directly across the river, but the resulting drag-free drift is so short that I would rather fish a longer drift in the reachable mid-water. Perhaps there really are fewer fish there, but I would rather be in touch with my flies and strike well than miss a multitude in favour of distance casting. So often it is a case of gritting

Steroids@DaybreakNorth Island Roving with BELINDA THOmAS


your teeth and being committed to every cast you make. The simple act of putting more muscle into your back cast helps. As does turning to the side so that you can physically see your fly line straighten behind you before you power it forward again. And if in doubt – duck!

The other rivers have been more consistent during the day. For me the Tauranga-Taupo has been consistently good, the Hinemaiaia consistently busy and wonderful, and the Waitahanui consistently fey. I tend to look for shady spots or deeper riffles when the going gets tough, but small naturals and fine diameter fluorocarbon are usually enough to even the odds. In return there have been some terrific fish, several of whom have succumbed to the priest. It’s worth being fussy, fresh fat silver bullets taste best if given a choice. After a long time of being perhaps too precious about killing fish in these well populated rivers, I’m really happy to be over that and dining on fresh trout again. It’s a wonderful celebration of a day's fishing.

It’s been mostly blind casting this Winter which will carry on well into the

Summer months. Sighted fish make my heart race, but having knowledge of hydrology makes blind fishing an experience to love and opens up a realm of fish catching possibilities. It is like

a trip into another dimension, trying to think like a fish and read the water that you have available, and to present your flies in a manner that makes them hard to resist.

In brief, trout are not terrific swimmers in relation to other species and their first consideration is to save energy. Second to this is to have a safe place to bolt to and, unlucky for us, their third consideration is a supply of food. So while fish are at times feeding actively, at others they are far more opportunistic.

This is usually the case with spawning or non-resident fish and why reading water is so important when fishing to them. Typically you are looking for spots where energy expenditure is low. Most obviously this is amongst structure and along the riverbed, where friction makes water flow more slowly. Your flies should also drift a little more slowly there, so if you are fishing an indicator at a slightly slower rate than the flow of water on the surface you might indeed be imitating a ‘dead drift’ as well as is possible on the floor of the river.

Another obvious place to conserve energy is in front of or behind rocks, snags or dips in the riverbed. While behind structure seems obvious, at times the situation in front is more

suitable and has less in the way of swirling sand or similar. Covering both is always worthwhile. And more and more I am becoming an advocate of less line on the water to impede a drag-free drift. I’m not a strong wader, so a rod held high is of huge benefit in achieving this.

There is still so much fishing to be had on the Taupo Rivers this Spring.

Last year there were good numbers of fresh fish entering the system well into October, although I expect the rain we have had so far will already have numbers in the rivers up on last year. There will also be recovering fish about, and they love to hit dry flies once the weather hots up. I’m longing for warmer days and although I can’t tell you the exact number of days, hours and minutes until October 1st, I am sure that there are those who can. From then the options are huge, but I’m really looking forward to getting into some of the smaller Waikato streams and giving my 4 weight some air. I’ve stockpiled a good stash of flies to road test and hope that the trout find them tasty.

In the meantime enjoy your fishing in what ever form, be it tying flies, reading about it or throwing a fly-line.

In Trout We Trust.

caddis on Steroids is a terrific fish catcher . . .


Out there, doing it . . .Hawkes Bay with TONy HILDESHEIm

great for blind fishing those deep pools or deep fast ripple water, casting across and down. Always a big pull when the bite comes.

Practice… Do what all good sportsman do. Spend time perfecting your casting techniques; learn the double haul, it’s the turbo charging of fly fishing. If you’re struggling to cast and get your flies out to the strike zone, give your local trout guide a call to enquire about casting lessons or better still shout yourself a day on the river with him, you’ll be amazed what tips you will pick up from a good guide in a single day. Or there’s a really good DVD by legend American fly caster Lefty Kreh

So where to fishWell, who on earth is going to give up their opening morning favourite trout fishing spot. Definitely not me, sorry. I most certainly want to be the first angler stomping up that little tributary stream in the dark with led lenser blazing, getting as far upstream as possible to be waiting at that favourite stretch of water in the dark before sunrise, staking out those trout that haven’t seen angler pressure for the past four months. Those early season days when every trout you cast to takes your nymphs; add a dry fly and they’ll take that too.

Bearing all this in mind and not giving too much away on potential hot spots, the new season brings some new challenges for finding the best spots for the next few months. Put a plan together. Check out a few maps and have confidence in your ability, your flies and gear, to hook every fish you see.

The Tukituki and Waipawa middle reaches have produced reasonable fish over Winter and therefore should do well early in the new season; just venture a bit further up both rivers for those late spawners. Keep a good eye on the backwaters for any of those 6lb+ fish; you won’t miss them, but tread lightly. The lower reaches around Black Bridge will often produce magnificent sea run trout chasing whitebait and smelt; handy for a few hours after work. Use a smelt pattern or a smallish saltwater fly. Cast across and down with sinking lines in 7-8wt on a good quality reel.

The Mohaka also has produced some good catches between the downpours we experienced this Winter. Some nice browns, I hear. Expect very good fishing between now and Christmas on the main river and its tributaries. Look close to the edges for any brownies and the faster water and deeper pools for rainbows.

and how to catch themFlies and presentation go hand in hand and are equally important. Choosing the right nymph and presenting it to the trout in the least amount of casts with the longest possible drag-free drift, is the

name of the game. Easy right…Choose the weight for your

bead head nymph very carefully. A selection of #10-14 in tungsten is all that is needed for Hawkes Bay waters. Determine river size and flow before choosing what size to use and with the tungsten you can go a slightly smaller size nymph to a normal bead head. Old faithful Hare & Copper, Horn Caddis in brown, Cadillac Pheasant Tail and Copper John nymphs should all work well, and gold beads seem to work best for me. Look out for nymphs with CDC feathers tied in round the bead, too — very lifelike in the water. It's important to get down with your bead heads to the right depth where fish are feeding.

As a point fly or end nymph I use a range of size #16 and #18’s like John Scott’s Flashback Grotty in #18, Pheasant Tail variations, Copper Flashback Horn Caddis and March Brown. Flashbacks always work well for me, as does any black and dark brown fly. Size and colour can be very important when selecting flies. Have faith in what you’ve selected. Check under a few rocks, try and match the hatch and fish it hard; don’t worry if the fly breaks up a bit either, it usually works better like that.

Rubber leg nymphs look very interesting, with benefits being the movement of the fly as it sinks and drifts in the current giving an erratic movement as if injured. Going to try some bead head rubbers this season. Will report on the success I have with them in the next issue.

Think about changing your indicator for a dry fly on your nymph fishing rig. I use a Royal Crystal Stimulator Rubber Legs in size 8 or 10 tied on a dropper, a half rod length from the floating line, with your double nymphs a rod length down from the Stimulator. One fish every day will usually take the dry right from the start and as the season progresses you will find yourself catching more and more. It’s the ultimate hook up.

For the Mohaka's big deep pools you could consider taking a second rod set up with a fast sinking shooting head line and a wet fly such as Rabbit, Woolly Bugger, Hamills Killer or Red Setter;

It's that time of year again when all anglers are gearing up for the new season and wondering what’s new, what will work and catch trout which have been those long awaited dreams over winter.

The Hawkes Bay, like most of NZ, recveived an abundance of rainfall, changing and affecting the rivers and streams. Here’s hoping by October all will have settled in time for the opening of the 2010 season, as it has in the past.

A selection of my favourite HB early season flies. (Mark Roberts)


and Rene Vaz is just releasing his own flycasting DVD; both would be an asset for any flycaster, from learner to the experienced. They are available in the Bay from your local hunting and fishing store, Guns 'n' Tackle, Napier

Salt Water Fly time again. Gannets, dolphins and kahawai have been

showing up along the coast over the last couple of weeks in the Te Awanaga/Haumoana and Bay View/Whirinaki areas. For shore based fly fishing try the river mouths of the Tukituki, Ngaruroro and Esk rivers. There's been good work ups of gannets and kahawai only a kilometre or so offshore; perfect for dinghies off the beach. Use

your Tongariro gear; 7 or 8 weight is perfect from the beach. If using your trout floating line try a weighted Clouser Minnow; any colour will do the job. You could also consider trying a shooting head for any deep channel river mouth from the shore or off a boat; use a smelt fly or a Lefty’s Deceiver, Grey Minnow or Surf Candy. Use the biggest flies you can cast when the kingies show up. Prospect around the channel harbour markers and Pania Reef, if fly fishing from a boat.

Well, that's about it. Enjoy your forthcoming season; limit your kill, of course; but above all make sure you're out there, doing it . . .

River Fishing New ZealandWith Guide Tony Hildesheim• HawkesBayTroutFishingGuide

• RuakituriRiverFishingTrips• SaltwaterFlyFishing..Boat&LandBased

• FlyCastingLessons

www.riverfishing.co.nzwww.outoftheblueboatcharters.co.nz

Ph 06 8750188 Mob Ph 0274 420354

ExplorationCapital Fishing with BRENDON DIgBy-SmITH

Spring must be in the air. Yesterday during a Southerly blast, I began to fill the gaps in my fly boxes. In my local sports shop today, I noted others gearing up as well and now I'm waiting for the first day off with little wind, to fish certain

Tararua rivers below the winter limit. I mentioned the fishing available here in a previous issue but am yet to encounter anyone else taking advantage of this.

This is where my season begins around mid-August, chasing browns building up condition from spawning and slowly dropping downstream from higher up in the catchments. Interestingly they are often in good condition, which leads me to believe that browns may fare better in this regard than rainbows. Then September rolls along with the anticipation of trout chasing whitebait in the lower reaches of rivers flowing to the sea and here, the best water to fish is often influenced by the tides. Then it's October and the freedom of the new season; although then spring rains often begin in earnest and it can be a struggle to find fishable water.

There is a general rush to the mountains amongst my angling cronies in October and with schedules now influenced by pressing commitments such as children and work, we often find it hard to fish together. But I'Il get a phone call from one of them babbling about the great fishing he’s had and between us we will soon build up a picture of how the season is shaping up. If backcountry scenery is your ‘thing’ then you will do well exploring the Tararuas. The fishing here is every bit as good as that found in the South Island, with the added benefit of less pressure. You will have to explore some, as there are often stretches that don’t hold many fish, if any, and of course, others that do. I recommend you choose a river, don a pack and spend some days fishing it and you’ll soon get to know just where the good fishing is. If you're not inclined to tramping you will do well to fish the Waiohine, as the fishing here is fairly reliable with good numbers compared to other Tararua rivers and a day's fishing here can be very rewarding. The fish here aren’t usually fussy and standard dry fly with a nymph dropper is the way to go.

One thing I should mention is that on the backcountry rivers it is largely a waste of time fishing behind another angler or group of anglers, as they will often either catch or spook those fish present, leaving little chance of success for those following. An early start is often the answer to this. If you do encounter another party extend the courtesies you would expect in the same circumstances and an enjoyable day can be had by all. On bigger rivers like the Waiohine there’s often room for two parties and you can take a side each, or alternate pools and runs on the walk upstream. Fishing downstream is often a wasted effort in the backcountry as the fish usually sense or smell you coming, resulting in spooked fish. If for some reason you must fish downstream, limit crossings and walk some distance, then take your time fishing back up. If you encounter trampers or hunters coming downstream it pays to wait a while before continuing, for the same reasons.

The lowland rivers, Rangitikei, Manawatu, Ruamahanga, Hutt and Otaki, and their tributaries will also fish well through the spring when not in full flood, and especially when they begin to recede. The draw card here is these rivers often have better fish numbers than the backcountry rivers. The large variety of food items available in these rivers often necessitates a greater variety of fly patterns. When these rivers are receding I often fish creeper or ‘toebiter’ flies as these are abundant during freshes and the fish are often full to the brim with them early in the season. The standard Hare & Copper or Pheasant Tail in size 14 are also a good bet here throughout the season and as the season progresses the 16-18s will become more effective. You’ll also need some caddis and mayfly emergers for hatches and some spent spinners for any spinner falls. November will bring brown beetles and both wet and dry patterns should be carried. Fish the dry patterns in the evening and wet the morning after. I also carry snail, midge and waterboatman flies for the larger slow-flowing pools, although these are often more relevant later in the season.

All we can hope for now is settled weather leading up to the opening and continuing through the rest of the season, allowing us maximum time on the

water. Exploration is a large part of fishing for me and I believe it ultimately results in greater knowledge of fishing and fisheries. We can all benefit from this, so I recommend you get to know some new water this season.

Until the next issue, make the most of your opportunities and remember 'you aint gonna catch fish, fishing where the fish aint'!

Brendon, who in his own words, "fishes too much and remains in debt", can be contacted at: [email protected]


Tararua browns — you can't beat 'em!

(Dan Thomas)



Place the trout on a tray or chopping board. Using a sharp knife make a few incisions through the skin on both sides of the fish. Brush both sides with oil and then rub some salt, pepper and rosemary into the skin. Place some horopito leaves inside the fish.

Bring a medium size pot with water to the boil, add salt. Trim the hard, dark green part as well as the root end of the leek and discard. Make a cut lengthwise along the leek about half way through, open and wash well under cold running water. Take the outer, wide leaves and place them into the boiling water. cook for about two minutes to soften them, remove and cool in a bowl of cold water. Place the whole kumara into the same pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked but still quite firm.

Heat a flat BBQ plate, add a little oil and then sear the fish on both sides until the skin is brown and crisp, reduce the heat to low. Remove from the plate and wrap the blanched leek around the trout. Place the fish back onto the BBQ plate on a bed of horopito leaves and carefully cook for about 30 minutes or until the fish is just cooked. carefully turn it every now and then.

Should you wish to accelerate the cooking process cover the fish with baking paper or tin foil.

cut the kumara into about 10 mm slices and fry alongside the fish. Drizzle white wine over the fish to add flavour and steam to finish the cooking process.

For the sauce, blend all ingredients.Unwrap the fish, remove the flesh from the bones and serve with the sauce and kumara.

HOOK IT & COOK ITWith STEPHAN & BRIgITTE BAUmBERgER

Barbecued Trout wrapped in leek and flavoured with Horopito leaves1 whole trout, gutted & cleaned;

Oil; flaky sea salt; coarse black pepper;

Fresh rosemary leaves; Horopito leaves

1 medium to large leek; white wine; 2 red kumara

Sour cream sauce

1 cup sour cream; juice of 1 lemon; Salt & pepper


1164 Main Highway, Manakau, RD31, Levin. 5573 Phone: 063626733; [email protected]; www.stephans.co.nz

During our Winter holidays in Turangi we once again had ample opportunities to utilize and explore motel–style cooking, away from the restaurant where almost everything is at hand. This time it was enhanced by economic, in other

words hard business times for us, resulting in not going out for meals that much. Also, our favourite local restaurant, Valentino’s, was closed for its well deserved annual break.

Apart from a variety of food we cooked, or better my wife did since I usually returned at dark from fishing, we enjoyed a couple of nice fresh run rainbows from the Tongariro.

We would like to share with you a barbecued trout dish we cooked one evening. We tried to use what we had on hand and the Horopito made a great spicy addition to the fish cooked in a protective coat of leek. This may sound a little strange, had we been in a warmer place I would have wrapped the trout in banana leaves like the Pacific Islanders cook some of their food to keep it moist. Well, leek is easily

available and provided a suitable protective coat. Horopito, the New Zealand native Pepper Tree, is commonly found and probably often overlooked. Horopito is now commercially available mainly as a spice rub. The sharp, peppery flavour is a great enhancement for many culinary recipes. Rosemary, you may think where to find it when you are somewhere in a motel or at your holiday batch. You will be surprised how many rosemary bushes are in driveways or somewhere in the grounds, alternatively you may have to sneak over to the neighbour’s garden...

Happy cooking!

BEaD ME Up, SCOTTy!Matching the Hatch, Alaskan-style, with CULLEN mURPHy & JOHN mURPHy

20 NZ Trout Fisher 12220 NZ Trout Fisher 122

While Globugs in the right colours and sizes and at the right times certainly

catch fish, they are limited in how realistic they can

be made to look . . .

www.nztroutfisher.co.nz 21www.nztroutfisher.co.nz 21

BEaD ME Up, SCOTTy!

even when fish are not spawning around them, trout are affected by the sight of a bead . . . The bottom line is: beads trigger response, year-round.


Let's begin with a warning to dry fly purists; the following may shake the very foundations of fly-fishing as you know it. Even those committed to hand tied nymphs

might be disheartened by the thought of a bare hook and a plastic bead. But hey, lets face it, fish love eggs and the rough dull exterior of a Globug doesn’t compete with the smooth, glossy finish of a plastic bead. The purpose of this article is to convince the sceptical that using a bead to catch trout will not offend the Fish Gods and will certainly result in many fish hooked, though landing them is another matter of course. We also hope to enlighten all those who enjoy “fishing with an angle” to the techniques of bead preparation and fishing.

In the realm of imitation, fly anglers have used Globugs to imitate eggs for many years — a bit of yarn twisted around a bare hook, tied, and trimmed to resemble something round, that is dead-drifted in traditional nymph style. While Globugs in the right colours and sizes and at the right times certainly catch fish, they are limited in how realistic they can be made to look. Though they can be shaped round, the finish will never be smooth or glossy like a natural egg. The protruding hook also looks unnatural and its gap is decreased by the yarn, which can inhibit a successful hook-up. A plastic bead pegged above a hook (preferably barbless) can effectively increase hook-up potential and very closely imitate a natural egg at various stages of its existence. In addition, the trailing hook almost always ends up in the side of the fish’s mouth when set, just where it should be.

In this article we will describe matching the “hatch” by evaluating the size of eggs from different fish and the evolution of colour that occurs after eggs are deposited.

What Eats Eggs EVERYTHING! Here in the States, though we are usually fishing for trout and char species when using beads, salmon will readily eat them as well. In fact, spawned out salmon taking the bead just as you get that perfect drift in front of a fat Rainbow or Dolly can dramatically complicate targeting these fish in Alaska. Brown trout and other fish species also eat eggs readily. ALASKA, NZ. ANYWHERE there are spawning salmonids — there is little reason for ANY fish to pass up large quantities of readily available protein.

Even when fish are not spawning around them, trout are affected by the sight of a bead. In high summer, in the crystal clear waters of the San Juan River in New Mexico, USA, we have watched rainbow and brown trout aggressively chase

a bead downriver if it did not pass close enough for them to immediately inhale it. The bottom line is: beads trigger response, year-round.

Stages of Natural EggsThe variation in size and colour of eggs is an important determinant of the potential to catch fish. After being deposited by female fish the eggs begin a multistage colour change, making it important to study all of the phases and pattern imitations accordingly. Up here there are five species of Pacific salmon, all of which lay eggs in a river if they happened to be lucky enough to get past the gauntlet of whales, seals, commercial fishing nets, bears, and anglers. The King (Chinook/Quinnat) Salmon is the largest and has the largest eggs, though all eggs swell with water after they are deposited. The other four species of Pacific salmon are much smaller than the Chinook, but except for the Sockeye or Red Salmon, whose eggs are much smaller than the others, even a salmon of smaller body size can lay eggs of size comparable to those of Kings.

The first stages of egg colour progression happen fairly quickly. Salmon eggs generally begin as an orange to red colour, differing slightly between the species. Kings, Pinks (Humpies), and Chum (Dog) Salmon tend more toward orange, while Sockeye and Silvers (Coho) possess more of a reddish hue. The colour of the egg comes from within, with a transparent outer membrane visible in newly dropped eggs. Within a half hour or so the eggs begin their procession of changes and to “pale out,” losing the brightness of their original colour. Over time the colours change from red to a washed out pale pink or from orange to pale yellow. An “eye” can also be seen in the eggs at certain stages. Though eggs may start out a different colour and go through a different series of changes, all “dead” eggs will end up an opaque creamy colour. Colours in between “fresh” and “dead” can include apricot, peach, yellow, and many variations of more than one colour. For example, the later stage egg of a pink salmon may be a pale milky yellow but can also have swirls of orange or even speckles.

A “match the hatch” trout egg pattern can also be a deadly addition to the arsenal, and here we're talking ANYWHERE in the world. Trout eggs begin as clear caramel/orange or even bright yellow and proceed to milky apricot and pale yellow over time. Don’t forget about swirls and “eyes” when picking colours, because trout eggs have them too.


Making your OwnPlastic beads in many colours can be purchased at craft stores or from distributors dedicated to the production of beads for fishing purposes. Troutbeads.com carries a wide variety of colours and sizes ranging from 6 to 12 mm in clear and opaque colours. They also provide mottled versions and some with an “eye” visible. Many of these colours will catch fish right off the shelf and don’t require any preparation other than setting up the rig.

In Alaska many top guides pride themselves on adapting purchased beads to a “secret colour” based on what they have observed when discovering eggs straight out of the mouths of trout or what might wash up near shore. In case you might be interested in getting creative like the guides, a whole new level of preparation can open up. And, just like tying flies to match the hatch, painting beads requires considerable time, knowledge, and discipline.

The value of bead painting lies in creating a pattern that not only closely imitates what is coming down the river, but also has characteristics that set it apart from the others. When fishing a river that gets a bit of pressure the goal is to have something that not only matches the “hatch” but is perhaps slightly different than what other anglers BEaD ME Up, SCOTTy!


on the river are using. If you are the only angler for miles it won’t matter so much, just as long as your imitation is close. Either way, painting your own egg patterns allows you to attempt making the perfect imitation. Distributors mass produce beads that imitate eggs in some stages, though in many cases not very closely. The fish of a lifetime could be the difference between close and right on the money. Fly anglers know that being unable to hook the big one can be frustrating, especially if it is feeding aggressively on or under the surface yet refusing every fly in your box. Having the right bead, as with all imitations, can be paramount to enhancing success. STEP 1: Creating the best pattern for each situation usually involves application of one or more coats of one or more colours of nail polish or paint, followed by a sealing coat of silicon based or glue sealant. Those male-types not comfortable in their manhood might need to recruit a sister, daughter, mother, girlfriend, spouse, female friend, or a male who IS comfortable buying nail polish. We have experienced many an odd stare when looking through nail polish stands and cheering on finding what might be a new perfect colour. Women anglers will likely have less trouble with this phase of the preparation. Another way to source the polish is via purloining tempting colours from the above-mentioned individuals

(except the male friend in most cases). Appropriate colours for bead painting

generally tend to be fairly pale and translucent rather than completely opaque. Some guides use spray paints to rapidly paint beads. We will not describe that slacker approach, but can appreciate it after several hours painting even a small batch of beads. As an aside, those anglers fishing with guides who paint their beads should appreciate the considerable effort put forth to enhance the client’s potential to catch fish. Since they rarely charge for the effort and may well spend long nights after long days on the water preparing for your fishing pleasure, be sure to give them a tip that accounts for how many of the beads you lost during the day.STEP 2: Stick as many of the chosen base bead colour as you feel ambitious enough to paint one or more times on the end of a round toothpick, or other device of similar nature that holds the bead and allows it to be turned for painting. Since holding a bunch of toothpicks attached to beads in one’s hands is quite difficult, the next important piece of equipment is something that will hold the beads while drying. We like blocks of Styrofoam which are fairly easy to get for free. Computers, televisions, and other large electronics usually have significant quantities of Styrofoam packaging that end up in the trash. Save the local landfill for a while by using

these discards rather than purchasing your own.STEP 3: Experimentation will eventually lead to colours that match what you have decided are the optimum for a particular situation. Though not exactly what the paint job on our cars should look like, we believe that a perfect coat is less interesting to a trout than one with imperfections and variations, since real eggs exhibit variety in their colour. After the first coat has dried, which, if you are ambitious enough, will be by the time you finish the last bead, the second coat can be applied to the first beads. Repeat as desired. If a colour swirl is desired the second coat may be applied while the first is still wet or tacky. This allows the two colours to blend together and create a unique look. Once the perfect colour has been reached and the last coat has dried, apply a coat of Shoo-Goo® or other similar substance. This step is not absolutely required but will dramatically reduce the number of times you change beads due to paint flaking from being chewed on by fish (good) or being banged in rocks, trees, etc. (bad, but common). In fact, it is of critical importance that the bead is checked periodically while fishing, particularly when the underlying original bead colour is very bright and clear (red and orange for example), because any chipping will look unnatural and fish won’t readily take the bead.

Though not exactly what the paint job on our

cars should look like, we believe that a perfect

coat is less interesting to a trout than one

with imperfections and variations, since real

eggs exhibit variety in their colour.


preparing a Bead RigNow that an adequate supply of painted or direct from the box beads are ready, it is time to create the setup on your line. The equipment needed for setting up a bead rig includes beads in the appropriate colours and sizes, hooks matched to bead size, something to peg the bead on the tippet, weight, and an indicator if preferred.

Examples of a bead rig are shown. The leader varies in length based on the depth of water, but often the total is 9 to 10 feet. Longer leaders are helpful when the water is deep, but make landing the fish more difficult when in a boat unless the angler has 1) very long arms, 2) a very long rod, or 3) stands on a seat or the bow, an action frowned upon by any captain and of course dangerous, with the potential for a swim in cold water if a fall occurs during the excitement of landing a beautiful fish. Longer leaders are possible if an adjustable indicator is used. These are nice to use so leader length can be altered easily by sliding the indicator up or down the line depending on the situation or depth of water and during the fighting of a fish when needed.

After the desired total length is determined, cut a piece of tippet approximately 24 inches in length and make a knot using the tippet and end of the leader approximately 20 inches

above where the hook will be. We like blood or surgeon’s knots at this junction. (Note that if you are using an indicator that must be able to slide on the line, it should be placed on the leader prior to tying this knot. That way you won’t have to cut the line and redo the whole apparatus when you realise that this critical step was left out — something we unfortunately have experience with.) The primary purpose of this knot is to keep the weight from sliding down the line, which reduces time spent monitoring the rig to ensure that it hasn’t. A bead with a chunk of weight sitting next to it doesn’t look nearly as enticing and will lead to missed opportunities to catch fish. Though it is not a necessity, we think this “weight” knot prevents

many problems and should be used.Next put the bead of choice on the

tippet and let it slide toward the knot. Then create another knot about 18 inches from the first knot using a 4-6 inch piece of tippet tied to the original. Again, a blood or surgeon’s knot works well here. This “bead knot” is designed to keep the bead from sliding toward the hook, another event that dramatically reduces catch rate. Some guides and anglers skip this step since the bead is pegged. In our experience, the bead does not stay in place and then must be checked and adjusted back up the tippet if it has moved. An overhand knot could also be used but that weakens the

line considerably and has led to the loss of a big rainbow for one of us (JM), who was too lazy to prepare the rig properly one day. After a sizzling run the line snapped right at the overhand knot. A lesson learned the hard way. A toothpick or other jamming material (bass anglers have a rubber type device that can be put in the hole) is then placed tightly into one end of the bead and the excess trimmed off. A strong pair of scissors will work, but toenail clippers work better in our opinion because of the ability to cut the toothpick flush to the bead. Any protrusions reduce perfection.

The hook is now tied on with your preferred knot so that it ends up about 1.5 to 2 inches below the bead-holding knot. Hooks of many types can be effective. Since larger hooks tend to be used they do not have to be heavy or extra-heavy versions. Use a standard brand you are comfortable with. The smallest size hook we recommend is 12 for a 6mm bead, though it is likely fish can be caught with smaller ones. Hooks as large as size 4 can be accommodated with 12 mm beads. Again, larger ones will surely catch fish too. Fish seem to be keyed in on the bead and don’t notice the hook much, though we believe that trout

This 'bead knot' is designed to keep the bead from sliding toward the hook, another event that dramatically reduces catch rate.

BEaD ME Up, SCOTTy!26 NZ Trout Fisher 122

and other fish can become “educated” and begin looking for a trailing piece of metal. Bigger than necessary hooks may therefore reduce overall hookup rate.

If an indicator was not placed on the line earlier, attach one now. In Alaska we are often using considerable weight to get the bead to the bottom. Since weight is definitely the determining factor in the type and size of indicator that is used, choose accordingly. Place the indicator at the appropriate length for the depth and speed of the water, attach the appropriate amount of weight for the conditions, and go fishing.

If the bead is not working, changing colour and/or size may yield results. When this is necessary, the leader can be cut at the weight knot, old bead slid off, new one put on and pegged, and the weight knot retied. This is most easily done if a blood knot is used. After a time or two of changing the bead this way the line will have shortened enough that the entire rig should be redone. While changing colours and size can be important, when thousands of salmon of single or multiple varieties are spawning and different sizes and colours of eggs are coming down the river by the millions, a trout and char feeding frenzy can develop that lead fish to be caught on many different bead colours and

sizes.

ALASKA, NZ, ANYWHeRe in the world there are spawning salmonids . . .

. . . there is little reason for ANY fish to pass up large quantities of readily available protein.



BEaD ME Up, SCOTTy!


Fishing TechniquesBeads are fished like nymphs with the goal being a drag free drift along the bottom. Appropriate mending is necessary as always. On large rivers such as the Kenai in Alaska, casting is not pretty since there is usually considerable weight along with a large indicator positioned near the fly line. The long line with several heavy and large items affixed necessitates a casting technique that lets the line load in the current followed by lifting and lobbing the line and leader upstream. When fishing with several people in a drift boat, casting requires a coordinated effort to avoid crossing each other’s lines and the flaring of tempers. Anglers on the same side of the boat should let their lines load and cast at the same time. This will give each approximately the same drift time.

Rainbows will also strike a bead viscously as it begins to rise or swing at the end of a drift and sometimes as an angler lifts the line a bit for a mend. Because the natural eggs floating down the river tumble in the current, the rising motion may simulate that action. Just like traditional nymphing, letting the line swing or straighten at the end of a drift can pay off.

Fly-fishing has advanced tremendously throughout the years.

Technology, techniques, understanding entomology, and knowledge in general have grown by leaps and bounds. The trout bead is one of these fairly recent advances. Pioneered in Alaska, use of the bead as an egg imitation has made the Globug a somewhat antiquated choice. Just as fiberglass and graphite revolutionized the fly rod industry, so the plastic bead has taken egg patterns to a whole new level. It is another advance in fly-fishing that should be embraced and taken in stride.

We hope sceptic readers now realize that bead fishing is truly matching the

hatch and the fish gods would not be offended if it is attempted. We also hope those already convinced have received tips to improve their technique and success. The plastic bead is an important evolution. Jump on the train or get left behind. FISH ON!

pHOTOS, in sequence:-20-21 Mark Gaissert with a Dolly Varden from the Upper Kenai River, in the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

(Cullen Murphy)

22-23 Author Cullen Murphy with a steelhead to remember; fresh trout eggs

(both John Murphy)

24-25 Beads, bead making, & the sort of range we carry

(John Murphy)

26-27 Bead rig examples below left, above right and below, and inset left; the rainbow is from the Cattle Rustlers Pool, Tongariro River

(John Murphy);

the flounder is not!

(Cullen Murphy)

28-29 Author John Murphy with another magnificent Alaskan steelhead; and finally, please remember that not all the fish you catch with beads will be trophies!

(both Cullen Murphy)

Just as fiberglass and graphite

revolutionized the fly rod industry, so

the plastic bead has taken egg patterns

to a whole new level.

It's been a thoroughly soggy winter with 550 mm of rain to date and a succession of floods in the Wairau River, with some raging brown torrents. I do wonder looking at the

force behind these floods, what happens to the trout up country trying to spawn and their eggs in the shingle, washed out by the surging waters. Does it mean a whole year's age class of fish is lost. We'll find out in three seasons, when those fish would be mature.

For the fly fisher, besides a little fishing when the weather allows, winter is a time to restock the fly box with some old favourites, read up about some new patterns and plan some trips for the coming summer.

My old early season favourites include Green Stonefly Nymph, Speckled Nymph and a few basic patterns in varying sizes such as the Hare & Copper and Possum Nymph. The latter is basically a Hare & Copper pattern using possum fur, which comes in a variety of shades from creamy underbelly fur to grey, to light brown, dark brown and black.

Possum fur is really under utilised and it's virtually free from the occasional road kill. In my book "Trout With Nymph" (1974), I included a possum nymph pattern of the late Charles Nott of Havelock North. Charles, a delightful character, total gentleman and an avid student of trout and entomology, used his possum nymph with high success. Tied on a #12-16, it had short dark whisks of a hackle feather for the tail with a body of dubbed dark fur from a possum, ribbed with silver wire. Charles

said it probably imitated the Dobsonfly creeper larva and the Coloburiscus mayfly nymph.

In the same chapter I had a Cream Caddis Nymph along similar lines but using cream seal's fur. Why not cream possum belly fur? I used this pattern with good success on the Waipawa and other Hawkes Bay rivers but somehow I've forgotten about it. I must tie some up and reintroduce it to my options on the river this summer — a tail of red brown fibres, body of dubbed cream fur, thin dark copper wire ribbing, a thorax of peacock herl for a grub-like head and a half turn of red brown short hackle to suggest feelers.

Possum fur is hollow, I'm told by the possum fur industry chaps. So on nymphs, if you want them to sink, a little bit of lead wire underlay, would help. For dry flies, hollow possum fur sounds great for bodies!

And I will tie up in the lure department, John Morton's excellent Hob Nail Boot lure using the black fur from a possum tail. I've written of it so often that it probably doesn't need repeating, but it is a very effective lure, mainly at dusk and into the dark of night.

Places to fish! I have a few targets in the Top of the South for the summer.

The Aorere River over in Golden Bay, is one. It's an enigma in many ways, so full of promise but very reluctant to yield its secrets. By the Devils Boots near Rockville, one evening, on the little Turkey Sedge (refer to Keith Draper's book) I hooked three splendid browns. One I landed — a fat 2.2 kg fish — the other two broke me!

They may have been very good fish because the Aorere can hold big fish. Many years ago a friend fished it, walked for about 3 kms without seeing a fish and then spied a monster and on the feed too. He estimated the fish well into double figures, but the sight of the big trout, gave him the "heebie-jeebies" and he duffed the cast. The big trout disdainfully drifted off into deeper water.

Another area of the Aorere that could harbour big fish in Spring and early Summer is the estuary, when trout home in on whitebait. Just above Collingwood at its mouth, at low tide, it could be well worth a look.

The lower reaches of rivers like the Takaka, Pelorus and Wairau are all potential early season producers. A small size 8 or even size 10, lure like a Grey Ghost is the ideal but don't neglect a nymph for cruising brownies. In the lower Wairau River one day I encountered two good sized sea runners, but they were the devil to spot, seeming almost transparent because of their light colour; in fact, it was their shadows on the bottom that gave them away. I hooked both on a small dark possum nymph by the way!

I've got one or two rivers lined up down in the Buller watershed. The Mangles, Maruia, Matakitaki and the Inangahua and one I've never fished the Matiri. Reefton is a good spot to fish the Inangahua from. From there you've got Larry's Creek and the Waitahu. The Reef Cottage in the main street is a great place to stay. Contact Ronnie and Susan on 03 732 8440. And in the Maruia Valley, try Gary Sheppard and

SPIN-FISHING FOR TROUT aNd OTHeR FISHIt’s the only book available on spin-fishing. Many New Zealanders, particularly youngsters, use spinning tackle for trout fishing and often start their angling in that way. Almost exclusively past books have been and are still, devoted to flyfishing. Tony Orman’s book will fill that gap.•Spin Fishing for Trout and other Fish, gives advice for conventional methods as well as some innovative angles to spinning for trout, among them the use of trout flies not normally associated with spinning tackle. •Included are thoughts on streamside strategy and the best tactics to adopt. •A bonus is chapters on angling for fish other than trout, most notably the under-rated fresh water perch and light-tackle salt water species such as kahawai, tarakihi and other sea fish.The book will appeal to both the experienced and beginner angler and is reasonably priced, illustrated with line drawings, diagrams and colour photographs. $22.95

THe ReaL STORY ON TROUT FISHING New ZeaLaNdThis book seeks to expose the myths and misconceptions about fishing for New Zealand’s wild trout. It aims to give a better understanding on realistic expections by the angler trout fishing throughout the rivers, lakes and streams of New Zealand.The Real Story on Trout Fishing New Zealand will give practical advice not only to the visitor but also the beginner, on casting and techniques, flies and fly patterns. It will help the angler to get the most out of the many experiences to be had in and on our waters. The moderately priced book is packed with sound advice, features a colour section and is laced with sketches and delightful, often wise, quotes from trout fishing literature. $19.95

aBOUT deeR aNd deeRSTaLKING IN New ZeaLaNdIn his most recent hunting book, Tony Orman writes stories of legendary and contemporary deerstalkers along with discussions on the deer-vegetation debate.There is advice on hunting techniques, philosophies and deer themselves. There is also a fascinating insight into how the wilderness ecosystem with deer, functions in New Zealand. With colour cover, the 175 page book is liberally illustrated with black and white photos and sketches. $29.95

INCREaSE yOUR STRIKE RaTE! Great titles from TONy ORMAN

you can order these books now! Direct from the publisher — delivery free in New Zealand! Overseas subscribers enquire by e-mail for post and packaging costs. Spring Creek Publishing P O Box 939, Blenheim, 7240, New Zealand email: [email protected] phone and fax: +64 3 5777875


Weighing up the pROSpECTS

Nelson/Marborough with TONy ORmAN

Helen Angel's Maruia Motels (03 523 8898). Gary is a very keen fly fisher and will give you up-to-date advice.

Close to Nelson and Blenheim respectively, are a couple of rivers the Waimea and Opawa, well worth trying. The Waimea between Brightwater and Appleby is where a few years ago I encountered some sturdy browns using the Hob Nail Boot after dark. It can have an influx of sea runners now and again, that at dusk just rise, porpoise-like, and in frantic fashion. I encountered one such rise that left me fishless and frustrated, but wanting to try to match wits again! My good friend, the late AG "Smithy" Smith, reckoned a small, slim lure was the way to go. That was something I never tried that evening. Maybe next time?

Near Blenheim, the Opawa River is one very underrated river. It crosses SH1 on the northern outskirts of Blenheim. Downstream it goes into a meandering, languid mood, with only a few ripples but there are good browns there, the stocks being replenished by sea-run or estuarine fish moving up. Stalk it on a still sunny morning with a small nymph such as Pheasant Tail, Hare & Copper, Damsel Fly or a nondescript possum style one, and look for cruising trout.

Upstream of the highway, the Opawa soon becomes a lovely spring creek. Its water flow has been boosted by an irrigation scheme up near Renwick taking water in from the Wairau. That means if the Wairau floods the Opawa can be discoloured, but in low rainfall Summers such as Marlborough is prone to, water flows do not get too diminished. Fish it with a Pheasant Tail, mayfly variant, Caddis Nymph, a dry fly such as a small Royal Wulff or an emerger like a Klinkhammer.

I recently attended the annual general meeting of the Wildland Biodiversity

Management Society. While it's a conservation lobby, its primary focus at the moment is 1080 poison.

The more you look into the toxin "industry" in New Zealand, the more alarming it is. What's this got to do with trout and trout fishing? Well, while authorities — even some Fish and Game sources — deny that 1080 harms trout, you can't avoid wondering when you see photos of dead eels and freshwater crayfish (koura) after a 1080 aerial drop. And if you watch the Graf brothers DVD "Poisoning Paradise" (google graf boys) you'll see eels eating 1080 contaminated possum carcasses and koura fighting over poison baits. After all, 1080 was first developed in 1917 as an insecticide so it is likely to harm invertebrates, "nymphs" as anglers call them.

Okay, what's the alternative to

1080? Well the Environmental Risk Management Authority has given the green light to trial sodium nitrate. But according to the Safety Data Sheet on sodium nitrate, that is "toxic to aquatic life and may cause long lasting effects in the aquatic environment." Another alternative is Pindone, which is highly lethal to rainbow trout. Pest

Management Services say the lethal concentration for rainbow trout is just .021 parts per million.

The potential for high damage to trout fisheries from New Zealand's obsessed use of poisons, cannot be dismissed. Want to support WBMS who are doing a splendid job? Drop a line to P O Box 1700, Taupo. Sub is $25.

Springtime success on the Inangahua


BEaTINg THE ODDS!By RUSSELL mcKENDRy

These days it’s easy to feel that we just can’t win. The threats to our fishery seem simply too many and too hard to deal with. If we make a list of the challenges

— an incomplete one — it includes Water Pollution; Water Abstraction; Damming and Diversion of Rivers; Imported Disease Threats and Restrictions to Access. The odds seem stacked against us.

Big corporations and financiers have had a lot of success in getting their schemes authorised, it seems more easily than small farmers and other business people. Prosecutions for pollution and abstraction were once few and far between.

There is a change in the air, however. Information about all sorts of things is becoming more readily available. The Internet has opened things up considerably and politicians have to be more and more circumspect. Records of their expenses are just the beginning. Local government is starting to get the message too. Their improved reaction to complaints is now resulting in more prosecutions and some actions are being taken towards cleaning up damage that was done over many years. For example, the Wellington Regional Council can take great credit for their multi-million clean-up of the Hutt River tributary, the Waiwhetu Stream.

Another crucial factor is the increasing effectiveness of Non-Government Organisations. Anglers have their own representation in NZ Fish and Game Councils and the NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers (NZFFA). They also have many natural allies such as Forest and Bird, Federated Mountain Clubs and Public Access New Zealand. Of course each of these has its unique priorities but it is what they have in common that matters most. Together they can get a great deal done, against massive odds.A case in point is probably worth telling, even though the story is now over twenty years old, because the threat to our fishery then was truly serious and the politicians saw it as ‘A done deal”. Let’s go back to that…

We were attending our local fishing club meeting and the speaker said, “I’m here to tell you that there is an alien

freshwater fish species in our country. It eats everything it can swallow. It grows to as much as 27 kilograms unless it runs out of things to eat. It has a poisonous spine on its back and has a habit of muddying the water by burrowing into the banks of rivers and lakes”.

That’s exactly what happened to me in 1989. Theo Simeonidis, the President of the Federation of Freshwater Anglers (NZFFA), was giving us a wake-up call. He was talking about ‘channel catfish’, a native of North America, where it was farmed for its flesh, and still is. Almost everywhere that it had been introduced it had flourished in the wild, to the extreme detriment of local fish species. And now it was in New Zealand. How on earth had that been allowed?

Well, it was all legal and above-board. An application by Presbyterian Support Services to import fish ova had been accepted and the eggs had been hatched in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries quarantine facility at Wallaceville in Upper Hutt. The hatchlings were being grown on there until

they were big enough to stock a fish farm to be established in Northland, where it would provide employment. Matt Rata was the political advocate of this make-work scheme and had done well for his constituency to succeed where many others might have failed. Other leaders in the government of the day supported him in this, including Mike Moore, Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble and Ken Shirley.

The argument went like this: Don’t worry about the risk of disease brought in with the ova. They will go through quarantine. Don’t worry about the catfish getting into trout habitat. The fish farm will be securely fenced and staffed. Don’t worry about trout and salmon populations. There are not many trout to worry about in Northland anyway and it would be selfish and elitist of trout and salmon anglers to stand in the way of people’s efforts to make a living.

I was gob-smacked about all this and later asked Theo how I could help. He said that NZFFA needed a new Secretary. I was self-employed and felt I could cut a few corners, so I took it on. Although the situation looked like a done deal, Theo had been a private secretary in the Beehive and knew his way around that honeycomb. What we had to do was to raise public awareness and make the responsible politicians uncomfortable to the point that they would be trying to defend the indefensible. That’s all we had to do – to push the blimmin’ fish truck back up the cliff!

So how did that happen? Well, the problem had arisen and flourished ‘Under the radar’. The then Minister of

Fisheries, Colin Moyle, had fast-tracked the proposal. We therefore decided that we had to share information, as quickly as possible, with the maximum number of organizations and individuals. Fish and Game already knew all about it and the Regional Manager, who was at that club meeting, said that there was no need for NZFFA to get involved because Fish and Game already had the matter in hand. However we took the view that, if we each did a little, we could all achieve a lot. (Things are no different to-day. Each organization has its skills and contacts and influence as well as its limits. ‘Horses for courses’, so to speak). Anyhow we reported in newsletters and at angling club meetings as much information as we could find on the subject. We wrote letters and press releases and looked for allies.

Many ‘super-greenies’ saw the introduced trout and salmon as ‘stoats of the waterways’ but they were intelligent enough to recognise that channel catfish in the New Zealand environment were something more like alligators! We joined up with Forest and Bird, through the Environment and Conservation Organisation which, comprising trampers, campers, kayakers, conservationists and others, had more ideas and contacts than we had. We happily supported their causes and they generously found more time to support ours. I’m still thankful to Kevin Smith, Mark Bellingham, Kirsty Hamilton, Barry Weeber, Cath Wallace, Kevin Hackwell and others who shared their wisdom and helped us while preparing their own ‘Vote Environment’ and ‘Action on Resource Management’ campaigns. Theo later wrote up the sequence


of events in ‘Forest and Bird Magazine’ and this is a very abbreviated version of the time-line he produced:• August 1988: Presbyterian Support Services contracted

an Environmental Impact Assessment with MAF.• June 1989: Colin Moyle granted import consent and a

week later the ova were in New Zealand.• January 1990: NZFFA, finding that MAF would not release

information, instituted an Ombudsman’s enquiry.• May 1990: NZFFA and Forest & Bird formed a coalition,

organizing petitions, publicity and letters to MPs and Ministers. The media took notice. Theo’s record says; “The turning point in the debate was 17 May, 1990. An NZFFA/Forest and Bird deputation (Russell McKendry, Kevin Smith, Mark Bellingham and myself) met with new Agriculture Minister, Jim Sutton. At that meeting it quickly became apparent that either Sutton had forgotten his lines or his officials had fed him some incorrect ones. For example he would not accept that he had the authority to order the destruction of the channel catfish without compensation. The relevant clause of the Consent to Importation (signed on 16 June 1989 by his predecessor) was quoted to him. Officials remained silent through that meeting, perhaps realising that the importation was indefensible. Soon the Minister was literally saved by the bell — the division bell summoning MPs to the debating chamber to vote. Calling the meeting to an end, a relieved Sutton lit up a smoke and darted off to vote in favour of the Government’s anti-smoking legislation!”

• June 1990: NZFFA presented two fully researched submissions to an Independent Review Team (IRT) which had been set up by the Minister of Fisheries at the PM’s instruction.

• July 1990: The IRT reported to the Minister that “… the environmental risk is not acceptable”. Presbyterian Support was asked to respond to the analysis and offer any new argument in favour of the importation. Public awareness was by this time very high. Fisheries

Minister, Ken Shirley, was still unwilling to take action but procedural irregularities surrounding the importation were now smelling bad to the Prime Minister, Geoffrey Palmer. In the light of the Independent Review report, he prevailed.

• 20 September 1990: 2200 channel catfish, now over a kilo each and ready for trucking to Northland, were destroyed.

Over all this time the Department of Conservation was noticeably absent from the debate and the opposition parties were of little help. Iwi from south of Auckland were generally supportive of our position, but did not really get involved. However NZFFA and a lot of anglers stood up and a lot of conservationists stood up with them. It hadn’t seemed likely that they would succeed, but they just had to try. They never thought of caving in just because it looked like a fait accompli.

The current situation of the industrialization of farming and the further pursuit of hydro power generation is not

much different, so any attempts to solve these problems may presently seem just as unlikely to succeed. However we also know that, in the end, channel catfish were not established in New Zealand. They were eventually destroyed in quarantine, after a public row, and at last the intervention of the Prime Minister. Politicians do listen for the public voice and, in this case, they reversed their policy. The public had finally got it and that was that.

Public opinion, then, was the crux of the matter and it still is. When groups work together they can get the most difficult messages across. Many conscientious anglers do their bit by writing letters and submissions and they make a big difference too. Most angling clubs support the NZFFA, which works to raise public awareness as a major way of beating the odds, so just joining a club is a step in the right direction. If you do that, you will have a good time and you’ll probably catch more fish too!

Photo of channel catfish taken by Brian Gratwicke was resourced from www.wikipedia.org


Brass Monkey Days & SpRINgTIME!Roving the South Island with mEL HOLLIS

Another season is almost upon us and how longingly I am looking forward to it! To get back out by

the lakes, rivers and streams; to stretch the creases from not just the fabric of my new Base Camp tent, but my creaking body as well. To see also how soon it will be before I inevitably fall in to the water following opening day!

Firstly, though, I want to mention a few glorious Brass Monkey days spent over Winter, at Otematata, Waitaki Valley, in the welcome company of my new friend and fishing mate Russell X — to save further embarrassment after an earlier story, I’m not allowed to mention his surname in this article . . .

Meeting up outside the Otematata motor camp, we thought the place looked a bit on the quiet side. Trudging through the entre length of the camp lodge, almost the length of the flight deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, we had still not located anyone and were just about ready to give up when the manager arrived with devastating news, that this camp opens no more during the Winter and we should seek out a room elsewhere. By our second unsuccessful attempt at the

Country Inn, we were starting to have sympathetic feelings for Mary & Joseph, along with their donkey too. That place was almost overflowing with workers contracted for the upgrading of Benmore Dam power house.

Our final option at the lakes hotel was a room in the backpackers lodge for $25.00 a night, after first declining the manager's attempts to put us up in their executive-priced rooms:“We are just a couple of hard-up retired fishermen”, I expressed, adding that we needed neither trimmings nor bells and whistles, just a bed for the night and access to the kitchen, which turned out to be locked and bolted. Later, when we needed to answer Mother Nature's call, we discovered that all of the showers & toilets in the lodge had been turned off and a 60 metre route march became necessary in the cold and dark to facilities they did open up for us. (I might add that the kitchen was nearly half that distance further again!) After realizing we had no heat, water nor toilets in our building, we left the beer alone and each enjoyed just one generous measure of single malt for our nightcap, before turning into our bunks.

Next morning Russell was almost fully recovered from his long drive and by the time our leisurely breakfast was over and our lunch was packed, he was strongly suggesting that I not have another mug of tea and that we should get out and attend to what we were there for. My new friend can be very persuasive when there are fish to be caught! We started the day off only a few minutes up the road at The Pylons, with a gentle stroll along the edge of Lake Aviemore, peering through and between the many willows that line the water's edge. Within half an hour Russell had started to change, his voice lowered to an excited whisper and his walking-straight stance more of a slow-bent-over stalk, as he would first sight and then position himself for a single roll cast or bow and arrow delivery. If anyone has never tried this sort of fly fishing/stalking before, then you really do not know what you are missing out on and to offer my opinion here, “This is as good as it gets!” You are presented with numerous opportunities to sight and stalk trout here, in calm, crystal clear water, which range from shallows with acres of weed beds and stones, to


where it goes down over some amazing drop-offs into pockets of very deep water. These provide some of the larger trout with an opportunity to make for freedom and safety, your reel spinning wildly as they dive, mostly breaking you off on the way, but providing an experience you will never forget!

Russell and I enjoyed ourselves enormously during our three Brass Monkey Days, taking in numerous spots on Lake Waitaki and Lake Aviemore predominantly. We landed fish at almost every stop and in most instances the trout we cast to were visible. Yes, admittedly the conditions were cold first thing in the morning and towards the end of the afternoon around 4pm, but with almost no wind and flat calm conditions, ideal for the ardent, well rugged-up stalker of trout to take advantage of, we were both truly amazed to be the only fishers out there. I suggest you give it a try next Winter and should you either have accommodation in the Otematata area or know of someone that does, perhaps you could let me know. Russell and I will happily join you and save our legs, by not having to walk so far to the kitchen or more importantly the loo!

When asked the question “Where will you be going for Opening?”, I

always suggest the smaller rivers and streams. By the end of November, or at best mid-December, these will have past their best; unless they get a reasonable supply of fresh rain, that is.

Locally, I am hoping the Taieri River will turn on a better showing than it has for the last two years, as I have seen good numbers of fingerlings along my Winter fishing stretches. If it's dirty then Dunedin is fortunate to have Sullivan’s Dam to the north and the Southern Reservoir just back from Kaikorai Valley Road. These two small pockets of water can provide a few hours of pleasure, with the prospect of landing a trout or two and maybe one over 4lbs.

Together with these two waters F&GNZ Otago also oversee the stocking Tomahawk Lagoon. Being prone to weed and silting, however, this water should only be fished with a dry fly or a small light nymph in my opinion.

Lastly I suggest that anyone who can visit the Waitaki Valley Lakes district does so. Firstly stop off at Lake Waitaki, then progress on to Lake Aviemore for a day or two and then on to Lake

Benmore. Enjoy the experience of the Ahuriri Arm of this wonderful lake, say hello to the three resident monster brown trout that frequent the deeper water as you view them from Pumpkin Point, and spend some time fishing the river mouth and the Ahuriri River too.

Although the river mouth has silted up incredibly over recent years, it can still provide an angler with acres of shallow wading opportunities to sight and cast to fish. Early mornings and late evenings during Summer provide hours of midge fishing along with the added excitement of possible adult caddis movement some evenings, so practice skating one of these over the surface sometimes — but don’t forget to tie on a minimum of 8lb tippet, as the fish take really vigorously.

Then progress on towards Twizel and try for a salmon down at the end of the Ohau Canal. A good number of adults between 4-6lbs were released there in early Winter and could well be in excellent condition by now.

Do the suggested trip in reverse if you come from another direction, but whatever you do, pay that area a visit and you will not be disappointed!

Photos:-

Lake Aviemore — a glorious Winter day and

early morning at the Otematata River mouth (MH)

Mel is a keen, 60-year old amateur fisherman always happy to make new fishing contacts. Email: [email protected]


adding to the ExpERIENCEBy QUENTIN DONNELLy

Every year I try to introduce a new aspect into my fishing experience but last year was a little different,

as I decided not to do something new but rather return to the way I used to fish, with a friend! I'm unsure why I have tended to fish alone for the majority of the last few seasons, it could be my abrasive personality but probably more often by choice.

In the past when I have gained permission to head out for a fish, you will find me slinking off to my favourite waters where I enjoy having every shot to myself. There is no false sense of chivalry, no need for the usual 2 minute argument on who will go for the first fish of the day, etc; I just get in there and go for it. Other really good things about fishing alone are that you will never have your casting criticised, no one will see you scrambling around trying to untangle the fly when it gets stuck in a tree, and failures are soon replaced by victories.

I have noticed, though, that by choosing to fish alone I tend to always go to the same stream, fish the same section and end up with a similar result;

satisfied, but far from rapture. So when I read stories of halcyon days on the water with great banter and company that outweighed the howling southerly and lack of hatch, despite only a fish or two between them, I start to think that maybe I am missing out.

This was highlighted on the opening weekend of last season, when a group of anglers all gathered at Simon Chu’s “Trout Cottage” for a BBQ. The weather had as per usual not been entirely kind (strange for Southland) but with the ale flowing and the fires lit, the theories were flying and the retelling of battles in full swing. When asked how each of them had faired it seemed that although I had landed a few more fish than most, I had lacked the enjoyment they experienced by witnessing their mate, son or co-worker induce a take from a good fish.

To reinforce this, digital cameras were produced with cracking images of guys holding their catch up in the moment of triumph, grins from ear to ear and fish perfectly posed. When asked to see the results of my day on the water I red-facedly had to explain that

due to an unexpected immersion of my non-waterproof camera while releasing a fish, it has ceased to function as a camera — I swear consumer products are just not what they used to be.

The damage to my little camera was not entirely a bad thing. When I got home and managed to recover the images taken prior to the “incident”, they were basically e-waste. You see, when fishing alone photos are often taken using the timer — set up the camera on your pack or the bank, hit the button, scramble back into the stream, lift the fish out of the net and grin. This in my experience results in shots with no head, no fish, out of focus, or at such an angle it appears the stream runs down the face of a mountain.

The morning after the BBQ I woke to a cold wet day and snow to very

low levels. Thinking of flagging it and heading home, I only just remembered I had arranged to meet up with a mate who had yet to wet a line this season. Knowing him to be notoriously late for most things, however, I knew there was time to go into town, get a breakfast pie


and have a walk around to clear the fuzz from last nights overindulgence.

Lionel eventually turned up an hour late and after pontificating over what to do, we decided to drive around and have a look at some new water.

We ended up having a look at the Aparima, the Oreti, the Hamilton Burn and many other of the small tributaries in the area until we finally settled on the upper Mataura.

Rigging up was no mean feat, as by this time the snow was falling and the wind was blowing 30 knots, but we made it to the river and after struggling the early season rock jitters, Lionel was the first to spot a real fish, lying in a long glide and feeding pretty well, considering the temperature. After a few rusty casts and a lot of really helpful advice from me, he managed to entice the fish to the surface with an Adams Irresistible, which lead to a very spirited fight and the netting of a stunning 5lb Brown in amazing condition. Handing me his camera for the Grip 'n' Grin session, the battery was flat, so no images to revoke the memory of this beautiful fish; worse still, it was one of those days that you would have got pictures of a lifetime with the snow being so fresh and the river in great order.

The rest of the day was spent sight fishing, exploring new bits of water. There were a few more successes and a couple of hard luck stories, a lot of friendly rivalry and plans set afoot for the remainder of the season. Although the actual number of fish landed was not huge, and we had no visual reminders of the day, we had a ball.

Work got in the way of my fishing for the next few days but on

Wednesday afternoon I sent a hopeful text message to Chris, to see if he was still floating around the area. He was and so after pleading my case at home, I was back on the road heading to meet up with him. For the last few years I have said we should go for a fish sometime but never have, mainly because I am lazy, have a young family and gotten used to fishing alone.

When I arrived at the cottage I walked in to find him preparing a roast for dinner, a fridge full of cold beer and welcoming hand shake. That night was spent tying a few nymphs, discussing the next day’s plans and talking fishing, and all too soon it was morning and Chris was banging about in the kitchen, preparing a fantastic packed lunch for us both, with the dishes from last night already done. Once a guide . . .

Looking at the weather the decision was made to head to a small tributary stream that flows into a river I have always found difficult to fish, so it was with low expectations I pulled out of the driveway. The car park was empty on arrival so we quickly donned our waders and wet weather gear, and chose our rods for the day, Chris his beloved Scott S4 and I the very first rod I built for myself, which has far more sentimental value than pedigree. On reaching the stream we found we were in luck, even though there had been constant drizzle all night there was only a touch of colour in the water and we looked set for a productive day.

New water brings new challenges, and so does a new fishing partner. Chris is an extremely accomplished caster, fisherman and guide so I could not help but feel a little anxious at the prospect of fishing with him. He did little to alleviate this when he hooked up on the first fish of the day while I was still looking through my fly box for inspiration. A controlled fight brought a stocky fish to the net and just as quickly returned.

All rigged up we made our way up to the next pool where a sitter was spotted; it was my turn and I crept into position with some trepidation. Unable to see the fish from where I was, I relied on input from Chris. More used to casting small dry flies than the big tungsten bead head nymph I had on now, it would be fair to say I was not impressing him. My complete confusion between left and right led to many casts, many refusals and eventually relinquishing my turn over to Chris. Not surprisingly, the fish proved too smart for either of us.

We carried on into the gorge. The mist-like rain continued for the best part of the morning, the small stream became more discoloured, and spotting fish got harder by the minute. I was lagging behind 2-0 when we finally spotted another feeding fish.

This again saw me on point so I proceeded to throw every big beadhead in my fly box at him, giving Chris a laugh whenever I hooked the gorse on my flailing backcast. Finally I struck (on his call) to nothing and spent the next 5 minutes trying in vain to untangle my tippet, while he added the extra insult of photographing the process.

I was getting desperate. Down to my own ugly creations, I considered that maybe the fish was just not seeing my nymph in the dirty water. On went a fluoro-orange-tungsten-beadhead-brown-sinky-thing and, first cast, the fish moved left, I struck and my day got a whole lot better. Something else you tend to forget about fishing with others is that a little bit of competition brings a whole new lease of life into the day.

After a stubborn effort a fine brown of 4lbs came to the net. Chris commented that I was so relaxed while playing the fish it looked like I was about to have a lie down — nice to hear but in reality that fish meant more to me than a trophy — it got me on the scoreboard.

We carried on further into the gorge, the rain continued and the stream got dirtier. Chris managed to land another fish in superb condition while I, being the true sportsman, tended to favour the LDR (long distance release). Eventually we called it a day.

Finally back at the truck, after Chris' "short cut up a track that will have us back in no time", we enjoyed that packed lunch over a post-fish debrief. We'd caught a few fish, had a heap of laughs, and Chris had remedied a terrible fault in my casting that I hadn't even noticed. Numbers landed were well in favour of Chris, of course, but once again I had taken way more out of the whole experience than a tally of fish and a few bad photos!


laST CaSTSFrom PETER STOREy

Firstly, my thanks to all subscribers who helped me make the decision to return to bimonthly publication. It seems most of you have missed those extra issues

just as much as me and that's probably because, somehow, this magazine fits the bimonthly format better than the more leisurely quarterly one. I suppose it's because Trout Fisher is, above all, a practical publication written by highly committed trout fishers, for the benefit of others with a similar drive to get out there fishing. Somehow, publishing quarterly seemed like lolling on the bank under a shady tree contemplating, Walton-style, as the world passed by; and while I value time spent watching trout highly, contemplating trout and their fishing is certainly not me. I now know it's not too many of you either! One thing just about every respondent made plain, however, is that the magazine is now a far better read and you want it to stay that way, bimonthly or quarterly. I've taken that message on board, I assure you.

Hence the two new regional columnists, Andrew Christmas and Tony Hildesheim. Both are guides and I make no apology for that; in fact, unless I can find a suitable amateur I prefer to have guides writing my regional columns. Anyone prepared to put his or her professional reputation on the line is about as safe a bet as you can find — and I know you readers will soon let me know if my assessment of that person was poor. So welcome aboard, guys.

Welcome also to Jonathan Scott, whose writing in the Cantafly newsletter caught my eye last Summer. I particularly like his enthusiasm and as you can see, he and his mate Jonathan Harrod are pretty accomplished photographers too.

Next issue Chappie Chapman will kick off, with a feature article particularly suited to Summer sight fishing. There's another river guide from David Williams, a profile of an overlooked lake here in the Bay of Plenty, and something totally different from Nick Taransky!


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FISH

ERI also took note of what you told me you'd like to see more of in the magazine. Fly tying featured highest and next issue

At the Bench will be back, with Stefan Florea at said bench. I know Belinda is also keen to send some patterns your way and from what I've seen she's a very accomplished tier.

Close behind fly tying came 'how-to-catch-more' style articles and with this issue's main feature, I think I've pretty well nailed one. Cullen and John's article reached me though Simon Chu, who has fished beads very successfully with them in Alaska. What caught my eye, however, was that in the email header Simon mentioned John had used the method successfully here in NZ, on the Tongariro; and while I've no reason to doubt the word of a University of Otago Dean, there were photos to prove it!

So with both method and rig already 'mainstream market-tested', after drooling over the steelhead and dolly photos, and noticing how similar Alaskan rivers looked to those here, I read the article, noticed the San Juan River comment, and became thoroughly intrigued: what else might take one? Within minutes I had rigged up a couple of rods with my 10mm orange-with-dark-swirl and 5mm pale yellow trolling beads, and shown them to nearby shoreline-spawning fish. The result was as expected, unfortunately — an immediate reaction, a close inspection and rejection, dead sink and induced take. I've caught nothing yet fishing them blind in the lake either, but nothing has been showing at any of those times. So I'll reserve judgement until that's happened, because there's no reason why feeding lake fish, which we all know take Glo Bugs of multiple size and colour, should not.

I next presented a yellow bead to a sizeable edgewater brown in the Ruahihi Canal — which studiously ignored it and carried on taking the small larvae drifting over its concrete sighting platform, before fading away after the third pass and returning as I walked away — a truly 'educated' trout! That failure proved beneficial, however, because for this scenario and stillwater it convinced me to follow my gut reaction on seeing the diagram: to take off the split-shot and replace the trimmed cocktail stick inside the bead with sinking putty, immediately creating an 'eye' in the process and turning the rig into something you can both present with accuracy and weight-to-situation at will. So what happened next? The wind got up and that crystal-clear edgewater turned into blind fishing territory. Rest assured smug trout, "I'll be back . . ."

Well, coming clean, between business, a primary school timetable, housework and foul weather, I've yet to catch anything on beads. As you can see, however, they still strike me as something to seriously consider trying, especially wherever there are late running, spawning or recovering rainbows, anywhere in the country. If you are like me, however, you will also experiment — and there are clearly more uses for this rig than imitating roe.

It also occurs there's a simple matter of economics to consider. Besides looking far more realistic than a Glo Bug, and working every bit as well in the same scenario if not better, online I find a Glo Bug is $1.00 - $1.30 while a bead, a split-shot/sink putty and a top quality hook are 40c max!

Oh yes, finally, I have also passed the rig by Rob Pitkethley to make sure it is legal here and got the okay.

Moving on to local fishing generally, it's good to be back in the Kaingaroa again. Of course, I would very much

prefer to be able to get in there as we used to during the week, but what we have is still better than nothing.


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FISH

ER

Spring is my favourite time in there. The air is clear and the water still cool by the time the long-tailed cuckoos turn up and the fish start looking up — or that's how it always seems to me. The light is better than late season too, if your main interest is sight fishing. The photos overleaf were taken in November and although I tried to get this solid young jack to rise, he actually took my hand tied Black Palmer sunk. I wonder if he's still there, or whether his replacement in this prime lie could be even larger, thanks to the respite from angling pressure last season's access closure created.

Ruahihi intrigues me and I'll be heading that way frequently this season too. It's an even more artificial-looking variation of the Rangitaiki Canal, with a slightly stronger flow. The water is totally different, however, being extremely clear and heavily tannin stained, while the Rangitaiki always reminds me of an English chalk stream. So where the trout overleaf is golden brown, those in Ruahihi are very dark, with some remarkable flank colours. Fishing-wise it's pretty much the same, however. You must spot these fish before they do you and then a delicate presentation at short range with a dark nymph (or bead?), may just put one of these Wairoa catchment beauties in your net.

Tarawera is where my season will begin, of course. After a rather poor Winter, with only 777 fish through the trap and

very few around the shoreline, it will be good to get the canoe and boat out and be able to move freely again. Trolling always seems to work best in October and I favour a single skeleton Tasie or green and gold Cobra free on the line, with a bead above the hook, both to act as a teaser and keep the lure off the shank. Early season I set depth at one or two colours in half light, then go down to five once the sun gets up.

Come November, however, the shoreline flyfishing action should pick up; and 'should', because there seem to be far fewer smelt around these days. There is a large beach at the bottom of this section and historically it's been somewhere you can sight fish, particularly in November. Last year's Spring and Autumn smelting were practically nonevents, however, and I can count the times I've noticed smelt in the shallows over Winter on one hand. I hope it's just a result of the higher stocking level, rather than some change in the lake affecting the food chain which supports both smelt and trout.

Which brings me on to this picture. It's a goldfish, which came out of one of the few maiden fish I caught over Winter. There are masses of goldfish in Tarawera, but it's the first time in nearly 30 years that I've found one in a rainbow. They were released into many central North Island lakes when the newly-introduced trout depleted the native koaro populations that made those early CNI trout so large — an adult koaro weighs about 150g, you see. Anyway, maybe, if the smelt population is less than it was, more of these goldfish will be targeted by trout and they will become worth imitating. The basic shape looks pretty 'killer' to me and Hamills Killer especially. This one has lost colour in the trout's gut; alive it would be more olive than gold. It's 4-5cm long, about 2cm deep and about 1cm broad. That's a sizeable piece of trout fodder in itself, but I've netted one dead adult which pulled 1.5kg!

It seems to me these goldfish mainly inhabit the oxygen weed beds, but whatever, if you are fishing over such a bed around dawn and notice small dimple rises around you, rather than the smashing chaos of a smelting rainbow, that's definitely goldfish feeding. So they are right in the first/last light shoreline floating/intermediate line target zone and fishing a Hamill's Killer there you will also cover bullies and dragonfly larvae. Could it be the fly for 2010/2011?

Finally, what do I think of Nick Reygaert's 'The Source - New Zealand'? WOW! It's everything that's the lower South

Island in a cunningly-created nutshell; and if you haven't got a copy yet I suggest you get one!

Here's to a great Opening Day and some glorious new season fishing. Fish hard and may the rise be with you . . .

New Zealand reigns supreme as the ultimate fly fishing destination, capturing the imagination of anglers across the globe.

extensively exploring the South Island with an eclectic group of anglers, the film flows through a collection of stories that personify the New Zealand fly fishing experience. Imagine casting tiny emerger patterns to delirious brown trout during a blanket hatch, the triumph of catching a trophy fish on a dry fly or a jet boat ride into a remote fiord.

Filmed during the best year for big fish in the last decade, The Source – New Zealand features breathtaking fly fishing moments captured using HD cameras, stunning aerials and crystal clear underwater footage. From acclaimed director, Nick Reygaert, this film sets a new benchmark in fly fishing entertainment.

The Source - New Zealand

Available for purchase at www.gin-clear.com


new zealand issue 122 october/november 2010 trout fisher · 2 nz trout fisher 122 w inter is...

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