New Zealand - Dec '15

It's hard to believe that New Zealand is suffering from a severe shortage of water.

The South Island rivers are at the lowest that I have ever seen them at in all the time that I have fished there over the years.

The one upside to this shortage of water is that spotting fish does become a bit easier, but then again, the odds are against you as they see you coming from miles away!

Lots of stealth and good presentations resulted in a few good fish, although there were the obligatory heartbreaks over the course of this trip.

Enjoy and feel free to post a comment.
  1. Hooking them was the easy part at times.....
  2. Cicada crunching rainbows.
  3. This capture was immensely satisfying. 
 
Stalked him for 40 minutes - 
Couldn't get a shot due to the vegetation and eventually he moved just far...
  4. Easy big fella - let me get that hook out and send you on your way.
  5. Average brownie taken on a nymph.
  6. Small dries and picky fish are a lot of fun.
  7. The algae and weed in the rivers was diabolical. 
 
Trying to get a presentation to holes in the weed-beds often resulted in fish.
  8. It looks like a post card - wait until you see it for yourself. 
 
Photo's just don't do it justice!
  9. Little pocket rockets - 
 
Had an absolute ball over New Year chasing rainbows in remote creeks - not big fish - all between 3 and 5 pounds but man,...
  10. Such good fun.
  11. It is amazing the scenery. 
 
Looking at this picture, you can see just how low the water levels are. 
The gravel bed is usually well under water...
  12. One of many........
  13. There's something about fooling big browns that gives you a sense of achievement. 
 
They really are cagey and very smart.
  14. What more can one say? 
 
Picture tells a thousand words.
  15. There were some big fish we fished to.
  16. A chunky brown taken on a dead drifted nymph.
  17. Some of the markings on the fish are just incredible. 
This has to be one of the yellowist fish I think I have ever seen let alone caught. 
 
You'd...
  18. Safely in the net ready to be released after the customary smile.
  19. Got to love those terrestrials.
  20. Just another slice of paradise. 
 
A very remote corner of the world where trout grow BIG and are super smart.....or is the angler dumb <grin>.
  21. Got lucky this time.
  22. Trying to stop him reaching his bolt hole - usually a tangled bunch of willow roots or a sunken tree to cut you off.
  23. Thanks for coming mate.
  24. Getting into position for the shot. 
Trout lying just on the edge of the shadow.
  25. Presenting to a sighted fish.
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