Egg Rolling or Drift Fishing in the Mackenzie Country Canals When you consider that a large trout or salmon hen fish can produce as many as 5,000 eggs that's a lot of fish-bite size protein parcels going into the food chain. Big rainbow trout can produce as many as 8000 eggs. Smaller trout produce…
Three Kings Islands Marlin Fishing, Northland, NZ By Andrew Padlie It had just come into winter and a memory of the past season still floats in the mind. That year I was lucky enough to venture north for the fishing trip of a lifetime. So far north, in fact, 50-60 miles off the top of…
Yellowtail - King of Broken Water by Dick Marquand The yellowtail kingfish, or kingi as it is known in New Zealand game fishing circles, would rate as one of the hardest fighting species of game fish available to the light tackle angler. The yellowtail kingfish, or kingi as it is known in New Zealand game…
Marlin Hunting - The Quest for a Beakie By Dick Marquand I read with great interest Chappie Chapman's excellent article "Marlin Magic, Mania or Madness?" It brought back to me, memories of the endless planning, the exhilarating experiences, the great camaraderie, the frustrations, as well as the spending of thousands of dollars on travel and…
Best Kahawai Fishing Lure - Smaller lures 10-18g with a single hook work best by Allan Burgess Which is the best kahawai fishing lure for spin fishing at river-mouths? This is an interesting question. When there are plenty of kahawai about does your choice of lure matter that much? Well, I think it still does. …
Kahawai Fishing at River Mouths on Light Tackle Video Kahawai is one of the most readily available fish species for anglers to catch in New Zealand waters. They often gather in huge numbers around river mouths where they hunt for silveries (smelt), sprats, whitebait, and krill. Kahawai schools will come right in close to…
Thin Water Snapper Fishing - Snapper from the Shore by Johnny Groome Have you ever asked yourself that age-old question "What is the meaning of life?" Well, it's simple really. Keep yourself warm and find yourself enough to eat in order to be able to collect as many of the best memories you can. Always…
French Pass, D'Urville Island - Top Yellowtail Kingfish Spot Plus French Pass Kingfish by Maurice Scoble (scroll down). by Roy Jones French Pass is a most beautiful and rewarding location. It is a top spot for yellowtail kingfish. For those of you fishing it for the first time, it can be quite daunting. That's…
Catch and Release - Exquisite Moment at Larry's Creek - also known as the Awarau River, Near Reefton by Graeme Smith It happens in that one exquisite moment, that moment we wait for, are watching for, yet usually miss. One instant it's there, the next instant it's not. Catch and Release. Like watching a magician,…
School Shark Tag Awareness - How You Can Help By Alex Burton New Zealand is a host to a variety of shark species from well-known species such as the great white - Carcharodon carcharias and whale sharks - Rhincodon typus to deep-sea species like the smalltooth sandtiger - Odontaspis fero and goblin shark - Mitsukurina…
By Monty Wright Being on holiday Colleen and I woke at a respectable hour. We had stayed overnight at Makarora House which is a farm stay facility in the Makarora Valley. From our bedroom, we could look right up the Wilkin River Valley - a beautiful sight for anyone to behold first thing in the…
by Peter Lemin - Harling Lake Dunstan Part 1 The main angling methods in Lake Dunstan have been trolling as well as fly fishing and thread-lining from the shore. During January, the fishing slowed down considerably, no doubt partly due to the angling pressure the lake received over the Christmas holiday period. I felt sure…
By Monty Wright The habits of various kinds of trout differ considerably. Even though transplanted to new surroundings they still maintain their individual ways. The majority fish which we angle for in the South Island are now in their own individual right a wild strain. These fish were introduced originally by the old Acclimatisation Societies…
Hiring a Trout Fishing Guide By Allan Burgess Our fishing guides are doing it tuff at the moment as a result of COVID-19 restrictions preventing overseas anglers from coming to New Zealand and hiring a trout fishing guide. Over a typical summer fishing season, experienced guides can take out as many as 100 clients. However,…
Surfcasting After Dark with Allan Burgess Most experienced trout anglers are well aware of the advantages fishing after dark. Cruising trout lose their inhibitions and will come right into the shallows chasing bullies…
Boobie Fly UV Straggle Chenille Trout Lure - Boobie or Booby trout fly. The boobie fly is…
By Allan Burgess Very few New Zealand anglers fish for salmon with salmon flies and true fly fishing tackle. The Canterbury braided rivers, which are where the majority of salmon are caught, don't really lend themselves to traditional fly fishing. These big rivers often run swift and dirty. Even when running clear the water where…
Fuzzy Wuzzy is a trout egg imitation fly The Fuzzy Wuzzy was created by the late Fred Fletcher to imitate freshwater crayfish (koura) in Lake Taupo. Fletcher was the original builder and owner of the Waitahanui Lodge he started way back in 1932. The simple bach-like lodge situated next to the Waitahanui River, which flows into the eastern…
Tungsten Bead Head Attractor Nymph This nymph pattern has proven deadly on big rainbows when fishing on the Ohau A Inlet Wall near Twizel. It is, for the most part, an attractor fly. The Black Tungsten Bead Head Attractor Nymph doesn't represent any particular insect though it could be taken for a blowfly or perhaps a spider.…
Hare and Copper Nymph The Hare and Copper nymph is probably the most popular nymph pattern used to fish for trout in New Zealand. Relatively easy to tie. It is a favourite of the home tier. It is also possible to make numerous variations with different coloured beads, body shapes, and the like to suggest…
Glo-Bugs are Fish Egg Imitations by Allan Burgess At first sight, a pink or orange Glo-bug seems an unlikely trout bait. A Glo-bug is a fly tied to imitate a trout or salmon row. It's a fish egg imitation! It can be…