Be sure to have New Zealand on your bucket list.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAWGA9kwiTs

Sweet video........

[PV_Premier]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAWGA9kwiTs

Sweet video........

I have been down three times...twice on the S. Island and once on the N. I had an invitation to go this past February from a friend in Queenstown, if only I had known how difficult it might be to go back in the near future when I passed it up.

At the end of the day it is still fishing...the fish are very spooky and can be quite selective, and you will have days of getting skunked. Stay long enough and you'll also have a banger of a day here and there.

The scenery and the people are second to none.

I would recommend strongly staying at least two weeks and renting a campervan. This gives you the ultimate flexibility to find good flows and fishy water versus being married to a lodge or hotel the whole time. Distances are long, lodging is not always where you want/need it to be, and the weather, particuarly on the South Island, can be hugely variable on any given day so sometimes you are "chasing it".

The good news is that if you go with a small collection of very standard mayfly and caddis wets and dries, you will probably have quite a successful trip. The most effective fly for me down there has consistently been a regular old pheasant tail.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

PV......your info is excellent and appreciated.

Not a good trip for beginner fly fishers, especially for the sight casting.

Alaska is the place for beginner fly fishers.

[PV_Premier]

There are places that are more beginner friendly, but the majority of the fishing is not for the faint of heart.

A common misconception is that NZ trips are expensive. Certainly they can be, but when I go I fly down on frequent flyer miles, rent a nice camper for about $200 a day, do a lot of my own cooking, and only hire a guide for 2-3 days. When I went in 2017 I think I only spent $4000 US/$6000 NZD in 16 days, plus 150k miles to fly round trip in business class. Still not a small chunk of change but for 16 days in country...many lodges would charge that for 4 nights.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

PV, the way you a going is so good.....





I was on a two week free trip to NZ 25 years ago where the government, airlines, tourism dept and 4 lodges host a large group of

people in the fishing and travel industry to familiarize them with NZ fly fishing.

[dynaflow]

As everyone knows,NZ is in the top echelon of Fly fishing destinations in the world,and if you want a once-in-a-lifetime trip check out Owen River Lodge in the South Island.It's located at Murchison,near Nelson and smack in the middle of some of the best Brown Trout sight fishing on the planet.You don't need to bring anything in the way of equipment as everything is supplied....and I mean everything.Then there's the food and wine.I've not been but a good mate goes regularly from Australia (yes he's rich....lol)