High-country Rivers and Lakes

Rainbow hen from the Southern Alps

No angling trip to New Zealand would be complete without spending time on alpine water. Although the weather is less dependable then, November and early December offer anglers the best chance at trophy fish and uncrowded conditions. From Christmas 'til early February Kiwis head to the hills for their summer holidays, and this is when backcountry rivers experience the most pressure.

February and March offer less crowded conditions and more consistent hatches. The rivers are often low and clear, and the warmer weather brings the fish up looking for terrestrials and sporadic mayfly hatches. This is an ideal time for sight fishing for large backcountry trout. But don’t expect large numbers of fish; the watersheds can often hold remarkably few, though large, fish.

Helicopter and jetboat can be used to access remote destinations.
 

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High-country brown taken on a Kakahi Queen nymph.
The flask is 5.5 inches long.


Helicopters can be used to access remote water.


By Special Arrangement:
I also offer 3- to 10-day trips to trophy North Island fisheries.


Rainbow from a remote corner of the North Island.
 

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