Time: 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Location: Above confluence with the Motueka River

Wangapeka River (New Zealand Day 4) Photo Album

Our guide, Steve Perry, picked us up at 8:15AM, and by the time we drove south and geared up and configured our rods, it was 10:00AM. Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous day, and the temperature peaked in the eighties. The Wangapeka was high for this time of year and carried a tinge of color according to our guide Steve. It looked rather ideal to this uninitiated Colorado fly fisherman.

Amazing Clarity

Steve was an excellent guide, and he patiently worked with us throughout the day. I gauge his height to be 6′ 5″ or taller, and this physical attribute served him well, as he patiently scanned deep runs and riffles in his efforts to spot target trout. Steve is a huge proponent of long leaders, and he rigged John and I up with a nine foot tapered leader plus a three foot section of 4X followed by three feet of 5X thus yielding a cumulative length of fifteen feet. I rarely fish longer than twelve feet, so it took some time to acclimate to pausing for the long leader to straighten on backcasts.

I Hooked But Failed to Land My First Fish on the Cicada at the Edge of the Shadows

During the morning I hooked a fish on a long cast across the river to within ten feet of the opposite bank. Steve was working with John and suggested I cover the bottom of a long pool while they were engaged. A nose appeared and nipped the spun deer hair cicada, and when I raised the rod tip and set the hook, the fish shot downstream a short distance before my line went limp. The never seen fish parted the 5X section from the 4X leaving a short nub of curled line.

I Used This Cicada Fly Off and On

Before we quit for lunch, I experienced two additional rises to the cicada, but in both instances I could not restrain my impulse to set the hook, and I raised the rod too early. Steve suggested that I repeat “God bless America” before striking, since large trout tend to slowly swirl around before chomping a large fly like a cicada. When seeking one’s first New Zealand fish, this is easier said than done.

On Display

Typical Nymph Used in New Zealand

Finally thirty minutes before lunch Steve spotted a brown trout in a depression between two faster moving currents. He removed the cicada and rigged my rod with a small neon green poly yarn strike indicator, and below that he knotted a size 14 nymph similar to a pheasant tail. This change finally produced results. On an early upstream cast the indicator dipped, and I instinctively responded with a hook set and landed an eighteen inch brown trout. What a blast! New Zealand brown trout are invariably large and display a silver background color with a sparse array of spots. I admired my prize and celebrated with a hand shake with Steve. I was on the scoreboard and ready to pursue more South Island beauties.

My First New Zealand Landed Fish Was This Fine Brown Trout

We ate our lunches on a high bank in the shade next to a very deep run. After lunch we once again alternated fishing to sighted fish. Steve was very adamant about remaining behind him, keeping our rod tip down at all times while on the bank, and unhooking and stripping line before entering the water. He knew from experience the skittish nature of New Zealand South Island brown trout. It did not take long for me to buy into his philosophy.

Steve Again Spotting

Steve assisted us as we crossed the river several times to fish the bank away from the road. Our guide’s years of experience taught him which bank provided the best holding lies for wary Wangapeka brown trout. Steve’s impressive fish sighting skills earned me shots at five or six fish, but only one moved toward my nymph, and I set prematurely and pulled the fly away. Fisherman error once again foiled my bid for a second fish.

Two very attractive wide riffle sections seduced us into blind casting, and although I was certain these areas would deliver some splendid fish, they did not. Toward the end of the day Steve spotted two excellent fish along the left bank. He worked hard for my success and changed flies four times for each target, but despite some accurate casts, the fish showed no interest.

Solid Stretch

My first full day of fly fishing in New Zealand was amazing. Yes, I only landed one fish, but it was a muscular eighteen inch brown trout, and I had multiple shots at more fine trout. I acquired a vast amount of knowledge about casting long leaders, sight fishing, and approaching spooky sighted fish. It was a fine start to my New Zealand fly fishing adventure.

Fish Landed: 1