RITES OF SPRING
Rites of Spring is a three-day sampler of some of the best tributaries in the lower South Island.
The headwaters of Otago and Southland river systems like the Clutha and Mataura, or the Waitaki or Grey further afield, have excellent fishing in spring for large fish in small water. Fishing pressure and visitor numbers are low in the opening months of October and November. And we often experience Deleatidium vernale mayfly hatches. Stenoperla prasina, our large green stonefly, is also often active and, like their Northern Hemisphere counterparts, the salmonfly, emerge in spring's high water as an adaptive predator-avoidance strategy. The weather can be brisk and sometimes wet--but the fishing hot. This is the time true South Island fly-fishing aficionados plan trips because the pressure is a fraction of what it is in the more popular months like February. Avoid bootprints by booking early season now.
Located about two hours west of Dunedin, or about that far south of Queenstown, is Gore. The middle reaches of the Mataura flow through town. With over twenty blue-ribbon waters nearby, Gore is Godzone's version of West Yellowstone from the 1950s, an agricultural hub on the edge of national parks and an astounding variety of water in every direction. The area has great hatches but a fraction of the angling pressure of Queenstown, which has over 3 million visitor nights a year. So when clients quiz Queenstown and Wanaka fly-fishing guides about road trips, Gore is a logical suggestion. The area is a confluence of European and North American techniques and gave birth to our own Church of the Dry Fly. Local waters inspired patterns like the Dad's Favourite, the Waipahi Red and Black, or the Pomahaka Red. But you'll also find older English flies like Greenwell's Glory in a few old-timers' boxes. In the mid 1980s, equipped with patterns inspired by Hans van Klinken, Doug Swisher and Carl Richards, local anglers started experimenting with emergers and cripples. The First Choice became our version of the Klinkhamer Special. A similar pattern and simple tie, the CDC Upright consists of just a body dubbed with hare's mask and four CDC feathers tied in upright like a Mohawk, with the stems clipped to form wing pads. It's perhaps the most common fly in local anglers' arsenals.
So if you're interested in experiencing our local fishing traditions, and becoming a better angler, the area is a great addition to any New Zealand fly fishing itinerary.
Prices begin at NZ$2,985.
The headwaters of Otago and Southland river systems like the Clutha and Mataura, or the Waitaki or Grey further afield, have excellent fishing in spring for large fish in small water. Fishing pressure and visitor numbers are low in the opening months of October and November. And we often experience Deleatidium vernale mayfly hatches. Stenoperla prasina, our large green stonefly, is also often active and, like their Northern Hemisphere counterparts, the salmonfly, emerge in spring's high water as an adaptive predator-avoidance strategy. The weather can be brisk and sometimes wet--but the fishing hot. This is the time true South Island fly-fishing aficionados plan trips because the pressure is a fraction of what it is in the more popular months like February. Avoid bootprints by booking early season now.
Located about two hours west of Dunedin, or about that far south of Queenstown, is Gore. The middle reaches of the Mataura flow through town. With over twenty blue-ribbon waters nearby, Gore is Godzone's version of West Yellowstone from the 1950s, an agricultural hub on the edge of national parks and an astounding variety of water in every direction. The area has great hatches but a fraction of the angling pressure of Queenstown, which has over 3 million visitor nights a year. So when clients quiz Queenstown and Wanaka fly-fishing guides about road trips, Gore is a logical suggestion. The area is a confluence of European and North American techniques and gave birth to our own Church of the Dry Fly. Local waters inspired patterns like the Dad's Favourite, the Waipahi Red and Black, or the Pomahaka Red. But you'll also find older English flies like Greenwell's Glory in a few old-timers' boxes. In the mid 1980s, equipped with patterns inspired by Hans van Klinken, Doug Swisher and Carl Richards, local anglers started experimenting with emergers and cripples. The First Choice became our version of the Klinkhamer Special. A similar pattern and simple tie, the CDC Upright consists of just a body dubbed with hare's mask and four CDC feathers tied in upright like a Mohawk, with the stems clipped to form wing pads. It's perhaps the most common fly in local anglers' arsenals.
So if you're interested in experiencing our local fishing traditions, and becoming a better angler, the area is a great addition to any New Zealand fly fishing itinerary.
Prices begin at NZ$2,985.