References

Peter with a wilderness South Island rainbow trout.

"Early November this year (2011) saw me fish a remote New Zealand river with Casey Cravens from Wild Angler. After a serious health scare through the year I decided I couldn’t put this trip off any longer so I left it to Casey to put a trip together for the first three days of the opening season. My arrival on the South Island coincided with a pretty ordinary weather forecast for the week with rain and snow predicted for much of the South Island.

"After an enjoyable day of hiking we arrived at a backcountry hut and found that we were the only people there. Obviously the poor forecast had put other anglers off, and on November 1st we awoke to a dry morning and a crystal clear river. Spotting large Rainbows was so easy, it wasn’t long before we had spotted 20 fish. And while they were numerous it was somewhat challenging to get them to take a fly. Wets were the order of the day and after a while we managed to release six fish. As the day progressed the weather worsened and the fish were less active. We averaged around  seven fish a day in very trying conditions.  We fished in snow for the last day and a half but the lure of the trophy fish made it easy to persevere.  Towards the end of day two we spotted a very large fish from a very high cutaway bank. Casey suggested I walk around and have a go at it while he returned to camp and prepare dinner. After a lot of effort I was able to get within range of a really great fish which looked to be just less than 10 pounds. My first cast was perfect and the fish crashed the fly with vigour and then proceeded to launch its self across the stream like a missile. Unfortunately the fight didn’t last long and the fish and the fly parted company.  Although it was a fish lost it's going to be a lasting memory for me.

"I have fished many locations around the world, and my week with Casey was amongst the best fishing trips I have had. Casey’s organisation was fabulous even to the point of knowing that with extreme weather imminent our destination river would be one of the few fishable locations on the South Island. And through Casey’s patience and tuition my casting reached a new level. Casey is a top class guide who provides a really professional service, great conversation, and can arrange trips that provide memories that will last a lifetime.  As for the dream river we fished, it’s a must for any keen fly angler.  I can’t wait to get back!"

Peter Quigley
Principal Moorooduc Primary School
Australia  

Casey with Chris Travis

"To anyone out there considering a fly fishing guide on New Zealand's South Island, I wanted to let you know that when you use Casey Cravens as a fly fishing outfitter, you get 100% of him. He is not only fun to be with and full of energy, but knows the rivers and lakes of New Zealand like they were his back yard.

"Casey has all the equipment and knows how to teach the guests the right techniques to hook the great New Zealand wary trout. I personally had a great time and Casey will send you a photo of one example on a river that shall remain unnamed, until Casey fishes it with the guests.

"I am the host of a fly fishing TV series, "Hooked on the Fly". It airs all over the world and we sell DVDs of the aired shows on our website as well as fly shops. Check us out at: www.hookedonthefly.net .

"Due to hosting a TV series, I have had the chance to fish with numerous outfitters all over the world, and Casey is right up there at the top in all categories of being a guide and companion on a fly fishing trip of a lifetime."
 
Tight Lines, Chris Travis DDS
Hooked on the Fly
chris.hookedonthefly@yahoo.com
www.hookedonthefly.net

 
Jim with a nice brown trout from New Zealand's South Island.

"Choosing a South Island fly fishing guide for your first trip to New Zealand is no easy task, given all the options available. I am very happy I chose Casey Cravens of Wild Angler, based on the recommendation of a friend. He proved to be a top-notch guide and I have fished with numerous guides both salt and fresh. He ranks up with the best of them.

"Casey's depth of knowledge of South Island rivers and his willingness to listen to what I wanted out of the trip allowed us to fine-tune the best location to fish given the conditions. Casey's attention to detail from fly selection, to food, to sight fishing made my multi-day helicopter backcountry trip one I will never forget.

I recommend Casey without hesitation, and look forward to my next trip with him."

Jim Grant, Texas

Grey with his first New Zealand trout, a rainbow from a
Central South Island wilderness spring creek.

"From my initial contact with Casey, I knew that our wilderness South Island New Zealand trip was going to be something special. He provided me volumes of helpful information before I had even booked. Casey's expertise helped my buddy and me nail our first NZ trout in one of the prettiest Central South Island wilderness streams I have ever had the pleasure of fishing.  He tailored his guiding to both our skill levels, and I’m a newbie and my friend Rob is quite experienced.  His sight fishing skills, hospitality, custom flies, photography and willingness to help, and hospitality were of the highest level.  And I really enjoyed the gourmet back country meal we all shared—cranberry venison ragout with mushrooms and shiraz and a great bottle of Central Otago Roaring Meg Pinot Noir.  Our New Zealand fly fishing trip is one Rob and I will never forget."

Grey Littlewood, South Carolina

Rob hooked over a dozen fish, landed most, including three of the
largest trout of his life, both rainbows and browns.
Later, in the gloaming, he even landed an eel on a fly,
completing the South Island Grand Slam."

Ernie with a Southland brown trout."

"I'm writing on behalf of Casey Cravens, fishing guide based out of Gore, South Island, New Zealand.

"A while back, I brought a group  of over 20 anglers and partners from abroad to fish the Southland waters, including the famous Mataura River and its tributaries.  On that trip, I engaged Casey Cravens of Wild Angler as our head guide and organizer for the entire week.  In addition to guiding us, Casey arranged all the local guides as well as accommodations, spousal events and evening social venues.   As president of PPS (Pacific Professional Seminars), I have organized angling travel events all over the world (you can see reports of these destinations at http://www.pacificpro.com/deatinations_report.htm, including 6 other trips to New Zealand.  I can tell you that this was, by far, the best organized trip we have had for many years.  Certainly, the best we’ve had in New Zealand. Notwithstanding weather issues, our trip was a huge success. Guiding was very professional and all guides engaged provided excellent local knowledge as well as high quality tackle and flies.  Our anglers ranged from the highly skilled to rank amateurs and each was able to meet their expectations for the fishing trip.
 
"I would be thrilled to recommend Casey to any other corporate group for all the hard work and excellent trip he did for us.  I’d love to hear from you and would happily consolidate your confidence in taking Casey to handle your group’s needs.
 
"Best regards and look forward to hearing from you."
 
Ernie
 
Dr. Ernst J. Schmidt, B.Sc. DMD
Vancouver, BC

Lori with a brown taken from a backwater on the Mataura River.

Terry ambushed this brown as it cruised the same backwater
we targeted because the Mataura River was high.

"Hard working.  That's how we would describe our days fishing with Casey.  Always looking for opportunities, elated at our victories, supportive at our bad casts.  Not like fishing with a guide at all. More like fishing with your best friend, who happens to know the area, some secret spots, and has great eyes for finding trout." 

Terry & Lori Nicholson
Colorado

"My biggest trout ever." -- Peter Neil, Australia

Dr Sue Galvin, of the band Peninsula Envy, with a nice brown.

"I am very happy to recommend Casey Cravens as a fly fishing guide out of the ordinary. His friendly outgoing nature and his impressive knowledge in matching the hatch on the mighty Mataura ensured that my wife Sue and I had a most pleasurable and productive day's fishing. Contact him now!"

Tony Kiesanowski, Consultant Lawyer, Christchurch, New Zealand

Andy Altman

"Casey is enthusiasm personified! He's a good keen angler with focus and determination to go that extra distance in pursuit of fish. Amiable, personable and certainly knowledgeable, Casey's great company for a day on the river."

Andy Altman, Dunedin, NZ.

Mike Colombo with fine brown from a wee Otago tributary.

"It is my pleasure to recommend Casey Cravens to guide you through your New Zealand fly fishing experience. I have known Casey for more than a decade, fished with him more times than you can shake a stick at, and enjoyed them all. His experience with local and distant rivers, his knowledge of all things fish, and his great personality are all part of the package. Whether it be reading the water, or the thrill of seeing a fish rise to a carefully chosen dry fly, Casey will give you a memorable fishing experience."

Associate Professor Mike Colombo, New Jersey, USA

Gerard with a fish from the Mataura

"It was a real pleasure to fish New Zealand's beautiful rivers with you, Casey. Visitors unfamiliar with your guiding service can be assured they will be fishing with one of the most knowledgeable anglers of South Island trout streams like the Mataura and their entomology. This is reflected in Casey's innovative fly tying and matching-the-hatch ability. I wish Casey and his future clients every success. You won't be disappointed with the opportunity to fish with the Wild Angler."

Dr. Gerard Prendergrast

"I've enjoyed fishing with Casey every season for over a dozen years. He is one of the finest and most dedicated anglers I have known. When I first met him I wondered if he was just lucky. But I soon realized his ability to catch larger fish and more fish than anyone else on a stretch of water on any given day is due to something more than just skill--his ability to think like a fish, a trout to be precise. Couple this with a warm and generous nature and a wicked sense of humor, and you've got the perfect recipe for an excellent fishing expedition."

Dr. Steve Kerr, North Carolina, USA

"I have fished the rivers of Southern New Zealand for 50 years. The delicate streams of South Canterbury have yielded trout with spirit and size, up to 34 pounds in my lifetime. The peat waters of inland Otago share their shy trout with reluctance, and the cold lakes of the South offer the finest fighting rainbows. For the last dozen years I have enjoyed Casey's collegiality on a dozen streams, all in different moods and styles. Casey is a man for all waters. He's an enthusiast, widely knowledgeable about the New Zealand waters, an expert with the dry fly, a wonderful guide and companion. His knowledge and guidance about fly fishing New Zealand is complemented by his companionship and his conversation about literature, art, current affairs, sport and music. A compleat angler's guide!

Professor Geoff White,
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Otago University
Dunedin, NZ.