New Zealand

[Brian Sloss]

Thinking of doing a New Zealand trip.  I prefer to do a do it yourself trip by renting an Air B&B and maybe a guide a day or two and then fishing on my own.  Anyone here ever fish over there?  If so, what is better, North or South Island?  Rivers and towns to look for lodging in?  Any other advice?

[Al Agnew]

I visited the South Island, and fished two days while there with a guide.  I'd highly recommend the South Island; it's wilder and more rugged and beautiful than the North Island.  We fished the Makarora River north of Wanaka the first day, and the Clutha River very close to Wanaka the second day.  The Makarora was a good sized, fast, very clear, and very infertile river, which didn't hold many trout but big ones that come up out of the lake below.  They were ultra-wary, and required long casts and perfect drifts.  It was tough fishing.  The Clutha was slower, more fertile, and had a lot of trout of all sizes in it, and it was easier fishing.  It would not have been very wadeable, and the Makarora was impractical to wade, since there were long stretches of braided riffles between the pools that held fish, so you'd be doing a lot of walking on boulders.  I saw other streams that looked very wadeable, though.

[Brian Sloss]

Thanks Al.  Was hoping more than 1 person had been to New Zealand fishing, but will look into your suggestion.