Booking a Fly Fishing Trip to New Zealand
Heli-fishing from Tongariro Lodge
Are you planning a trip ‘down under’ to fish for brown trout, rainbow trout or salmon in New Zealand?
Now is the right time to be getting this sorted as the southern hemisphere fishing season pulls in to gear on 1 October. All you need to do is decide where, when and how you want to fish in New Zealand.
So what is there to consider?
When – firstly you need to decide when you’re going. The main fly fishing season runs from 1 October to 30 April with all the great trout fishing rivers and lakes open. From November till March the weather is generally warm and sunny, and the fishing is great. October and April are the shoulder months with slightly cooler temperatures (usually at night) and shorter days. There can still be beautiful weather in both these months, but it can be a bit changeable. Some of the lodges offer early and late season rates in these shoulder months and availability is often better, with less people travelling, so there’s less pressure on the fishing. New Zealand summer holidays start at Christmas and run through January and early February so these times can be heavily booked by locals.
Where – then there’s the question of where. Most of the fly fishing is found in the central North Island and right down the backbone of the South Island. The main gateway airport to New Zealand is through Auckland in the North Island, but some flights do arrive in to Christchurch and Queenstown in the South Island. Most of these come from or via Australia, while most flights from the northern hemisphere arrive in to Auckland. There is a good network of domestic flights to get you out to the fishing regions, and New Zealand is an easy country to drive by rental car if you have the time. Areas to consider are the Taupo, Tongariro and Rotorua areas in the North Island, and Nelson, inland Canterbury, the West Coast, Otago, Southland and Fiordland in the South Island.
How – so what are your preferences? Do you like to fish with a guide every day? Do you want to experience some remote back-country fishing and stay at a safari camp by a tumbling river, or do some heli-fishing in the wilderness? There are fishing lodges throughout New Zealand ranging from high-end luxury to comfortable B&B style properties. Some have options like wilderness camping available. Guides are available by the day, at an average of around $NZ 850-1,050 a day for 2 people. This will include your hire gear and tackle, transport and lunch.
The Details – do you like to stay in luxury lodges – 4 or 5 star? Do you like to travel as part of a group, on your own, or as a couple? Do you want to stay at two or three lodges and see some of the country as you travel between them? Does your partner or companion want to play some golf, take some cooking classes, follow a wine trail or hike in the mountains while you’re away fishing? There are so many options to consider. And where as it may be a simple job to book a single lodge stay online, when you want to pull a more complex trip together with several people, several lodges, inter-island travel and other activities included you’ll get much better value booking through an experienced agent.
What to Bring – actually you don’t need to bring that much. All your fishing gear can be provided by the lodge you are staying at or the guide you are going out with. During summer you will only need one or two layers of clothing, although evenings can be cool. Layers are a great idea – a layer of polyprop or merino thermals under your outdoor gear is advised; and a jacket on top. Sunscreen and a good hat are paramount and insect repellent is always a good idea. Felt-soled boots are not allowed in New Zealand.
There are probably a thousand more questions to be asked and answered.
So email us with your questions about fishing in New Zealand