Mot River Valley Scenery
By Gregg Rockett
There is a good reason to have New Zealand on your angling bucket list – all the stories you have heard are true. It is a trout fishing paradise and portrayed as such by Zane Grey in Tales of the Angler’s Eldorado, published in 1926. There are also those that go as far as proclaiming New Zealand to be unsurpassed as a trout fishing destination, including Derek Grzelewski in his book The Trout Diaries.
The trout are also gigantic, due to a myriad of factors that include clear water that is oxygen-rich, and year-round temperatures that promote cool water and a rich feeding habitat; as well as lower population densities that mitigate competition for food. We are blessed here in America with trout water that can hold hundreds to thousands of fish per mile, but in many rivers in New Zealand the populations are a fraction of that.
Another Mot trib brown
This represents both a blessing and a curse – the prospect for hooking up on trophy-sized trout also translates into challenging fishing that requires a very different approach than many American anglers may be accustomed to. In my case, being based in Northern Virginia I am surrounded by seemingly endless trout water within a 200-mile radius: to the north in Pennsylvania, to the south in Southcentral Virginia and to the west in the Maryland panhandle and West Virginia. Most of these waters are teeming with dense populations of trout and a typical approach is to read the water, then fish ‘blindly’ with a nymph under an indicator using a 9-foot, 5x diameter leader.
Compare that to the stealthy, measured stalking of a gin-clear river while sight fishing for brown trout that are challenging to see without some training (or the help of a guide), patiently observing the feeding pattern of your target and accurately casting a fly at the fish using a 7/8 weight rod, and 20-foot, 3x diameter leader. If you are off target, you may get another shot, especially if the cast is behind the fish. But in the absence of precision casting and effective presentation, you likely will have spooked the fish and will be forced to move between a quarter and a half mile upstream in search of your next target.
This was certainly my experience fishing for browns in the Motueka River Valley, which is situated in the northwest area of the South Island near Nelson. Locals refer to the Motueka River as “the Mot” and I would call it bad ass brown trout territory. I would also characterize this water as lean and mean – which is meant to highlight a sparse population of fish and a very technical approach to targeting the fish. Even the aforementioned author of The Trout Diaries, Derek Grzelewski, a former New Zealand trout fishing guide of many years, laments that “the Motueka (is) a tough place to fish.” Suffice it to say that “the Mot” presents the angler with a very interesting, if not arduous, fly-fishing experience.
Do you see the fish
A typical routine had me creeping behind my guide with an intense level of stealth. Our movement was noiseless and agonizingly slow with the rod tip kept low. There was hushed conversation, almost no wading and lots of standing around observing the water. Once my guide spotted a fish, he spent the better part of the next five to ten minutes trying to get my eye trained on the fish and then we proceeded to observe how the fish was feeding. On this basis a fly was chosen (usually a nymph or large terrestrial – or a tandem comprising both) and I was not permitted much time to size up the casting distance, lest the fish get spooked. My first presentation was half-way to the fish and the second had to be dead on, just upstream of the fish’s feeding lane. To say that this approach was challenging would be a monumental understatement.
Mot trib brown trout
But it was effective. My guide was an excellent tactician and knew the water well, although he was severely lacking in patience and people skills, which was exhausting. But he put us on fish, despite less-than-ideal water and weather – the best conditions for fishing ‘the Mot’ involve clear water and blue skies. But for the first few days the water was high and stained and the skies overcast. So, he steered us toward tributaries in the valley with better chances to sight fish for brown trout. When the principal rivers of the Motueka and Wangapeka were clear, he knew exactly where to find the fish.
Whakapapa river scenery
I followed the week of fishing on the South Island with a couple of days on the North Island on waters in the Lake Taupo Region. While the South Island epitomizes all the challenges one may have read or heard as it relates to fly fishing for trout, the experience of fishing the Lake Taupo region was less intense, but still rather technical. The waters here contained browns and rainbows, with the latter being more numerous and less easily spooked. In a section of the Tongariro River, the rainbows schooled up in great numbers along the edges of currents and in deep holes, and drifting nymphs under a wool indicator produced a dream of a first morning.
Tongariro rainbow
The two guides I hired for separate excursions on the North Island were also more relaxed. Both were less worried about extreme stealth, and I even wore studded wading boots and carried a wading staff, which was forbidden by my uber-cautious guide on the South Island. Having said that, low and slow water on sections of the rivers we fished (Tongariro and Whakapapa) required a careful approach and precise fly placement, especially when the occasional brown was sighted.
Whakapapa brown
The upshot is that if considering New Zealand for a trout fishing experience, it is worth making the effort to include both the South and North Islands in your visit. Domestic flights in New Zealand are generally frequent and represent short hops at reasonable prices. And the fishing experiences are distinctly different between the two islands. There are also some important considerations and regulations for anglers entering New Zealand to fish.
To begin with a trout license is required and the options for overseas visitors are limited to a one-day license (38 NZD) or a seasonal license (270 NZD). There is also a special permit required for certain areas, such as the Taupo area where I fished on the North Island. Entering New Zealand with fishing gear obliges the angler to either declare that the equipment has been cleaned or subject the equipment to sanitation at the airport. Any gear associated with outdoor activities, including camping, backpacking and boots needs a thorough cleaning before arriving to New Zealand, or you could be subject to a fine. Felt soled wading boots are prohibited. I opted to find fishing guides that would provide me with all the equipment and gear that I would need to fish.
In certain parts of the South Island, sandflies are a wicked pest and protection is necessary. Despite wearing long sleeve shirts, gloves and a gaiter, these persistent rascals still breached gaps in my sleeves and shirt to explore. The bites are nasty and uncomfortable for an extended period, so it would be best to be excessively cautious and use an effective repellent.
Given that sight fishing is a practiced talent, it is recommended to have the appropriate color of polarized sunglasses (amber, copper or yellow). Based on my experience, it would also be best to approach these waters with a professional guide, respond well to the challenge and keep expectations reasonable. And take time to experience the Kia Ora hospitality of New Zealand!
Kia pai tō haerenga (“Have a good trip” in Māori)
