How To Fly Fish In Other Countries - New Zealand

In this series about how to fly fish, I’ve covered most of the basics so far about lies, technique, gear and tackle but it’s important to note that there are differences in technique and equipment between different countries. I've been lucky enough to fish in more than one country and can tell you that if you think you can take your gear and tackle and just go to another country and use it just like you would at home then you’re wrong.

The canniest anglers will go for the best option of consulting a fishing guide in the country they are visiting.. especially if that is New Zealand. The sports fishing in New Zealand, whether salt water big fish or fresh water salmon and trout fishing must, arguably, be some of the best game fishing in the world. But I used a fishing guide until I got to know the various rivers. There is some pretty wild water in the back country of the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. And some pretty wild fish too.

One of the best spots to salmon fish in New Zealand is on the Rakaia.

The small town of Rakaia has earned its name as the Salmon Capital of New Zealand, with large populations of both salmon and trout in the Rakaia River. The fishing season stretches from October through until April, peaking in the months of February and March. During this time, anglers line the 20 kilometres closest to the mouth of the river. The annual Rakaia Salmon Fishing Competition puts the skills of local and visiting fishermen to the test.

But you must be aware that trout fishing regulations are different for the different rivers and unless you want to find your gear, tackle and catch confiscated and yourself being fined a substantial amount for using the wrong gear, at the wrong time of year, it would definitely be a wise thing to find yourself a fishing guide.

One guy I know to be one of the best fishing guides around is Chappie Chapman. You can be sure of getting yourself some really decent fishing when you go out with him. But there are others who are pretty good too.

The thing to do would be to get yourself to Christchurch, New Zealand and make your way to a couple of the really good fishing stores and ask them there.

Learning how to fly fish is an entertainment, a struggle and a real downright pleasure.. it definitely is a love/hate relationship. Only the pig ignorant angler thinks they know it all for fishing is like life, a series of ups and downs - times of great pleasure followed by times of massive frustration. Times when 'never again' are followed by 'when can I go fishing again'.


Good fishing - until next time


Al

How To Fly Fish: Fly Fishing Tackle.

As a rule of thumb, I’ve found that quality gear is worth the investment. In my experience, learning how to fly fish means learning that the cheaper the product, the faster it gets broken, so take the time to choose your gear wisely even if you have to save up for it.

I have found that going to a tackle store that specializes in fishing gear with staff who are actual fishermen and women pays off in the long run. You might get cheaper gear at a chain store but whether it will hold up to the rigors of fly fishing is pretty much of a gamble. If the gamble pays off, well and good, but if your cheap piece of gear falls apart when you are out fishing, then that’s your fishing trip down the drain.

There is pretty much of a set system when it comes to putting together your tackle. First off is the rod to which is added a reel. Next comes about 100m of Dacron or micron to which the fly line is then attached as a backing. Most fly fishermen tend not to use or even need backing line but in other places in the world you will find it is essential.

The fly line is quite a specialized piece of line. It is made of one sort of polymer or another enclosing a Dacron core which has a breaking strain of around 10 - 15 kg. Next is attached a leader butt or trace, about 2m long of around 4kg breaking strain line, then a leader of around 3 - 5 m. This system then allows the line to break off close to the fly if you get snagged. Better losing a bit of leader and a fly than the fly line itself which can be a very expensive bit of line (around $100 and sometime more).

Generally fly-fishing gear is matched to a size numbering system. These run from#1 weight (the lightest) to #12 (the heaviest). That means a #7 rod will be matched with a #7 line which goes with a #7 reel and so on. The key to this whole system is the line weight. In America, most fishermen don’t use reels with backing as you simply do not need it on the fish you catch there. However, if you were fishing in New Zealand waters, for example, backing is very much needed and so the reel needs to be big enough to cope. I've seen anglers using American gear downunder, and not being able to load the extra backing line which is needed.

Learning how to fly fish can seem never ending with all the new information. You are learning all the time. Anyone who thinks they know it all are usually the guys I tend not to fish with. They can be arrogant and stupid and their tall fishing tales are always much longer than any fish they catch. It’s a bit like a small pool with a medium size trout in it… as long as he stays in that pool he is a pretty big fish.. but if he ever makes it out into a big stream he will quickly find he isn't the biggest fish in the river after all. :)

Catch you next time

Al

How To Fly Fish: How To Catch Yourself A Trout – Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing is about the only way I know to deliver a lure to a trout in a way that won't scare them half to death and send them heading for the best cover they can find. When you are learning how to fly fish, then good casting skills are one of the disciplines you will practice and practice.

Flies are so light that they will not pull the line off the reel. The line weighs so much more than the fly. This is one of the major differences with surf casting and other forms of fishing. These other forms use the weight of the sinker to pull the line off the reel, but it is entirely different with fly fishing. This is the reason you cannot fly fish using a spin or jig reel. With fly fishing, the line is relatively heavy and it is the line which pulls the fly to the spot you want it to be.

Practice, practice and even more practice and eventually you will be able to deliver your fly to almost exactly where you want it to go and in such a way that entices that trout to rise and gulp it down.

Control and flexibility are the two keywords that come to mind when thinking about a fly rod. The extra long length gives the angler the sort of control that is absent in all other forms of fishing.

Personally, I believe that when I learned how to fly fish, I was pretty much hooked. It is so elegant and so cool being able to flick that line out and lay the lure so it will drift down to where your wily trout is waiting and enticing it to snatch it down. There isn't anything like it in the whole wild world, especially when that trout takes the bait.

Good fishing

Al

Fly Fishing for Trout

HOW TO FLY FISH – Worst Day Fishing Is Better Than Most Good Days

How are you going with your flyfishing this season. Must admit to being pretty busy myself to the point of not getting around to post to my blog. It's been a pretty good year for fish this season and I've manage to pull a couple of really big ones in. I released most of them to go and fight another day.

When I was a bit younger, I felt that to prove my status as an angler, I had to cook and eat my own fish... now, particularly if the fish put up a great fight, I nearly always elect to release them. Trouble with that, is that as Im usually on my own, I dont get to take a picture of me holding the fish to prove that I caught it... and somehow, saying "The fish was th-i-s big" while holding my hands about 3 feet apart, doesn't have the same believability factor that a digi-pic would have. Ah well.. I know I caught the fish. Guess I don't have to prove anything to anyone anymore. Thats one of the good things about being all grown up.

Would be great for some of you reading this post, to drop a comment and let me know about the fish that YOU caught.

Great fishing

Al

Northern Hemisphere vs Southern Hemisphere

Hi there fellow anglers...

It's been quite a while since I last posted in this blog. Reason for that is that while the fishing season was closed in the Northern Hemisphere, I've been down enjoying the wonderful summer in the South Island of New Zealand. The weather has been fantastic and the fishing has been great.

I will be posting again regularly once the fishing season begins again in the States.

Catch you soon

AJ

How To Fly Fish: Ways To Catch Yourself A Trout – Trolling

Just so that we are certain exactly what is meant by trolling, here is a definition of sorts. Trolling is NOT trawling. Trawling is dragging a net behind a boat. Trolling is pulling a lure or a fly behind a boat. Trolling is the method used for catching Big Game fish such as marlin but is also used for other fish species. As you learn how to fly fish, you will learn all the different ways of getting whatever you are using for bait (lure or fly) down to where the fish are lying.

So how do you get your lure down to the depth where the fish are? There are a couple of good ways. One is a lead-line and the other is ‘down riggers’. A lead-line is a lead wire inside a dacron outer sleeve. These lines usually have a different colour every ten feet or so and while it is a pretty inexact science, many trollers will talk about how many colors are down below. This will be a rough guide to whether the fish are shallow or deep.

A ‘down rigger’ is a around a 6-7 lb lead ball attached to a reel by wire. The fishing line is attached to this by a clip. This is then lowered to the fishing depth which then pulls the line down with it and trolling begins. This is a much easier way and more exact method of reaching a specific depth. Once you have your fish on the hook, the line snaps out of the clip and you then work on landing your fish in much the usual way. The lead ball or ‘down rigger’ get wound up by its wire.

Trolling is usually done at a very slow speed. To my way of thinking, trolling is about as exciting as watching paint dry or grass grow but, whatever spins your wheel as they say. Learning how to fly fish is full of interesting twists and turns and it really pays to try many different ways until you hit on the one that really rocks your boat and one that you can get your teeth into and give it your best shot. This is the one that will hold you in thrall. And when you catch that big fish, make sure you have a great set of scales to weigh it on.

As always… good fishing

Al

How To Fly Fish: Ways To Catch Yourself A Trout

This week’s information is vitally important for every person learning how to fly fish. Forgetting or ignoring these rules can lead to a day of fishing from hell. Yeah, I identify with that because I’ve had a few days from hell myself in my earlier days. Now I always carry a reference notebook detailing what the angling rules are in the area I’m fishing so I don’t make the errors I used to make..

In most places in the world, trout fishing is governed by strict rules and regulations and the methods I'm going to be discussing in the next few blogs are not all legal in all areas,. whether you are in the UK, the USA, Australia or most particularly in New Zealand, the rules can change from one river to another and from one lake to another and the penalties can be really severe from a fine and confiscation of your trout, to loss of gear and even loss of your vehicle if any illegal fishing gear can be found in it. So you need to be aware of the rules governing how you fish, when you fish and what tackle you can legally use.

JIGGING:

The first method you need to know when learning how to fly fish, is Jigging. Jigging isn't something new, its been around for thousands of years and the reason its still used is because it WORKS.

So what is Jigging? A jig is a lure that looks like a bait fish. In action it acts like a wounded fish. I cannot say enough about fishing where the fish are not. It’s especially true with jigs. You can move your jig and make it look like a perfect injured baitfish, but if there aren’t any fish there its all just wasted time and effort. Jigging is for fishermen who catch fish.

Jigging by its very nature is pro-active fishing. What you get out of it is in direct proportion to the time and effort you put into it.

To be a successful jigger, you have to use the 80:20 rule. 80% of the time in preparation and 20% actually fishing so it is a three part process:

• Identify the 10% of the water where the fish are most likely to be
• Search in that area and find the fish
• Use your equipment in the right way to catch the fish

So there you have it. The first in a series on how to fly fish, “catch yourself a trout” methods. Keep dropping in. I've got lots of fishing secrets to share.

Keep spotting those fish

Al

Fly Fishing For Dummies