The key to success in trout fishing in New Zealand is using the correct technique to suit the river, season and weather conditions. Here's a brief overview of the styles we use.

DRY FLY FISHING

One of our favourite techniques and what you might call the 'visual feast' of fly fishing. There is nothing better than sight casting to a large brown trout and watching it slowly rise and ingest your high floating dry fly.

We love hunting trout in their favourite lies such as under willows and around obstacles.

When conditions are right we can stalk and spot these wary fish for you and advise you on the correct pattern to use, a nicely presented cast and you're well on your way to successful South Island fishing.

Dry fly fishing is an exhilarating and very effective method of fly fishing. Trout are always on the lookout for surface food and will often cover a lot of water to take a dry fly if the correct pattern is being used.

As with a lot of South Island trout fishing, we use long leaders and light tippets, neutral fly line and clothing is also very important.

UPSTREAM NYMPH FISHING

It is said that 90% of trout food is made up of nymphs so it's no surprise this method of fly fishing is effective. Again the recipe for success is matching the pattern to what the trout are feeding on. South Island browns are notoriously fussy eaters and the nymph pattern and size are crucial to success.

Long leaders and light tippets, especially during the dry summer months are essential equipment for this style of fishing.

STREAMER FISHING

Another thrill seeking technique we love when conditions suit is downstream streamer and wet-fly fishing.

Casting an olive woolly bugger down and accross a rippled run on twilight and anticipating the take or spotting the trout charging the lure with mouth open can be real heart stopping stuff. This type of fly fishing is very effective and can induce a take from fish who would otherwise refuse all other offerings. It is especially useful when targeting large trout, triggering their natural aggresive response and preference for larger prey.

SPIN FISHING - THREADLINING

Our speciality for this is ultra light spin fishing, all tackle is high quality lightweight and we use a variety of modern and innovative lures to suit all water types. This type of fishing is very exciting for the client with trout charging the lure from the shadows, the trick is to induce the take which can be quite subtle or very aggressive and is mostly in full view to the angler.

Playing and landing the fish with this gear is also very responsive and a real adrenalin rush for the client.

It's also a great way to prospect new areas as you can cover more water and entice wary trout from normally hidden lies.

NIGHT FISHING

Large trout get large for a few key reasons, one of them is their preference for feeding under the cover of darkness. These predators will come out on or after the change of light and hunt small fish such as smelt and bullies, also small fresh water crayfish and hatching caddis flies.

If you really want a chance to catch that trophy fish of a lifetime the best time to do this is after the sun has gone down or just before if first rises. We make regular after dark excursions and are happy to show you this specialised type of fishing.

MOUSE & TROUT

Once every three of four years in the South Island the native beech trees seed and this can cause an explosion in the mouse population. These mice move around generally at night and predictably fall into the rivers or try and swim them 'lemmings' style.

Ever the opportunist this burst in mice numbers is not unoticed by the trout and they are there waiting for their new bundles of protein.

This new diet of mice encourages prodigious growth in these trout, they are generally in superb condition with large bodies and small heads weighing in at 8-11lbs. When these fish are caught it is not uncommon to find 5-8 half digested mice in their belly!

This is unique to the South Island, it's never guaranteed when the beech trees will decide to seed but signs are looking good for this to happen this year.