New Zealand November 2011
29 October
Flew Canberra to Sydney (6.45am flight) then Emirates to Christchurch. Saw cousins, got gear. Left Christchurch at 8.30pm. Arrived in Moana (Lake Brunner Country Motel) at 11pm. Had pre-booked a room which was a good idea as we arrived so late.
Sunday 30 October
Up at 6.30am, we were both a bit keen to go and try out our new Incept kick rafts. It took a couple of minutes to figure out where everything goes and how they all fit together. Then we were ready to go!
We went and fished Lake Poerua, the boats performed superbly. We started fishing about 9.40 and finished at 6.45, a longish day for a total of 4 fish in the net (2 each). Both Clacko and I were on the score board with 4 lbs fish.
Heading over to the other side.
Looks like these rafts are good for sitting on too.
Clacko walked back to the car while I deflated both boats and packed them up. We then drove around to look for a venue to fish tomorrow. We think we will do the Arnold River where it flows out of Lake Brunner – down to where the highway crosses the Arnold about 6km below Moana. Back at the camp ground at 8.45pm. Dinner was butter chicken cooked to perfection by one Mr David Claxton.
Right this looks like how you do it...
Ok so if the captain sits here, where do the oarsmen sit....
Heading over to the other side.
Working the edges.
Clacko walked back to the car while I deflated both boats and packed them up. We then drove around to look for a venue to fish tomorrow. We think we will do the Arnold River where it flows out of Lake Brunner – down to where the highway crosses the Arnold about 6km below Moana. Back at the camp ground at 8.45pm. Dinner was butter chicken cooked to perfection by one Mr David Claxton.
Monday 31 October
Going under the footbridge at the bottom of Lake Brunner.
Clacko caught 2, one nice one of 3.5lbs that he sight fished under a willow tree then ambushed it. Good work by him!
I managed 6, biggest one was just over 5 ½ lbs. It was fun seeing them come out and hit the fly. The fly of choice for the big fish was an orange and red booby! The others were caught on a black streamer.
Tuesday 1 November
Away by 7am, drove to Hokitika. Stop in at a little dam on the way – had a great day. Clacko caught 12 (beating his previous personal best by 3) whereas I caught.. wait for it... 26! Lost another 8 as well. So what a great day. They were all rainbows. I had caught 10 in the first 2 hours. Then they got a little gun shy.
We had dinner in a bar called Stumpers. I choose wisely and had 12 spare ribs and chips. Clacko ate some gay salad and chicken, so of course he was still hungry. I gave him one rib and 2 chips. That didn’t help so he ordered a sticky date pudding.
Wednesday 2 November
Drove from Hokitika to Franz Joseph. It was bucketing down rain – West Coast style – ie torrential! We went and got some accommodation then went and fished Lake Maporika.
Bit disappointing, only caught 4, Clacko 1 (the biggest of 3lbs) and I caught 3 all around the 1 ½ pound mark. The interesting thing was they were all landlocked salmon. I have never caught salmon in New Zealand before so that was something new.
Time to warm up.
You know you arent catching fish when you have all these other photos on your camera...
We only fished from about 12.30pm until 7pm as the rain and then the wind were pretty bad!
Bit disappointing, only caught 4, Clacko 1 (the biggest of 3lbs) and I caught 3 all around the 1 ½ pound mark. The interesting thing was they were all landlocked salmon. I have never caught salmon in New Zealand before so that was something new.
Time to warm up.
You know you arent catching fish when you have all these other photos on your camera...
We only fished from about 12.30pm until 7pm as the rain and then the wind were pretty bad!
Clacko's idea of 'fishing'.
Thursday 3 November
Fished Lake Moeraki today from 11 until 9pm. Had a good day, we both caught 5. Clacko’s was the biggest at 6.75lbs. A beautiful fish.
6.75lbs.
Another good one for Clacko.
I managed to loose 7 other fish... just one of those days. It was cold and sleeted twice while we were out fishing.
The wind came up a couple of times during the day and made rowing no fun at all! Have just finished dinner (beans and gluten free pre cooked saugages, which are surprisingly good) and am typing this while I have desert – Toblerone. They are predicting snow down to 300m tomorrow. So its going to be cold!
6.75lbs.
Another good one for Clacko.
I managed to loose 7 other fish... just one of those days. It was cold and sleeted twice while we were out fishing.
The wind came up a couple of times during the day and made rowing no fun at all! Have just finished dinner (beans and gluten free pre cooked saugages, which are surprisingly good) and am typing this while I have desert – Toblerone. They are predicting snow down to 300m tomorrow. So its going to be cold!
Friday 4 November
Walked into Lake Ellery with the boats on our backs. We then inflated them there, fished the lake and when the wind came up (and it came up - the waves would have sunk the Titanic) we then floated back to the car down the outflow. Unfortunately we didnt catch any fish there.
Walking in.
Using the foot pump - which is quite uncivilised and slow compared to the electric pump we bought.
Getting in.
And in case you were wondering... it did get cold.
Afterwards we went and had a fish on the Turnbull for a couple of hours. Clacko caught one there, a decent fish of about 4lbs.
The mayflies were out though
Walking in.
Using the foot pump - which is quite uncivilised and slow compared to the electric pump we bought.
Getting in.
And in case you were wondering... it did get cold.
Afterwards we went and had a fish on the Turnbull for a couple of hours. Clacko caught one there, a decent fish of about 4lbs.
The mayflies were out though
Saturday 5 November
Lake Moeraki – started at 9.45 and finished at 7.15pm. Clacko caught one trolling I managed 6, best one was just on 6lbs. There were 6 mad jet boaters on the lake which didn’t help things!
There was some nice sun in the morning.
It got cold later in the day.
Sunday 6 November
There was some nice sun in the morning.
It got cold later in the day.
Sunday 6 November
Fished the Jacobs today, above and below the bridge. No luck.
It was a beautiful warm day though.
We only saw a couple of fish and none were rising. Drove to Franz Josef and stayed there the night.
Monday 7 November
It was a beautiful warm day though.We only saw a couple of fish and none were rising. Drove to Franz Josef and stayed there the night.
Monday 7 November
Fished the Waitangitaona today, managed 4 Clacko caught 2. Biggest was 6lbs. Met the owner of the property where the W flows into the sea (Kelvin) he gave me his mobile number so we might have a bit of access closer to the sea next trip.
Clacko playing one.
Managed another nice one later in the day.
Drove to Hokitika and stayed the night there.
Clacko playing one.
Managed another nice one later in the day.
Drove to Hokitika and stayed the night there.
Tuesday 8 November
Up early (8.30am! ) must have been tired. Decided to leave the west coast and drove to Glenthorne Station where we got some accommodation, massive house, not bad for $35 each a night, even though we will have to share on Thursday night. We fished Lake Selfe from 1pm until 8.30pm. Had an alright outing, Clacko and I both caught 2. Clacko’s best was 5.5lbs taken on a bright orange fly. I caught a 6.5lbs rainbow on a size 16 copper john, and then a 7.5lbs brown on a size 4 woolly bugger!
Paddling across Lake Selfe
That net holds a lovely coloured 6.5lbs rainbow.
A nice brown.
Bit of variety there in the flies used to catch those fish. I would have thought it would be the other way around, the tiny nymph to catch the brown and a the big woolly bugger for the rainbow.. but there you have it. Dinner was a sensational Indian feed. We made a big serve as we are running low on food and we only had one lot of chicken left so we thought that if we cooked it with heaps of veggies then we would have enough for two nights. Time will tell.
Paddling across Lake Selfe
That net holds a lovely coloured 6.5lbs rainbow.
A nice brown.
Bit of variety there in the flies used to catch those fish. I would have thought it would be the other way around, the tiny nymph to catch the brown and a the big woolly bugger for the rainbow.. but there you have it. Dinner was a sensational Indian feed. We made a big serve as we are running low on food and we only had one lot of chicken left so we thought that if we cooked it with heaps of veggies then we would have enough for two nights. Time will tell.
Wednesday 9 November
Left our salubrious accommodation at 8.20am, was on the water at Lake Selfe at 9am, our earliest start yet. Clacko and I both picked up one trolling our way across the lake. We thought we might have been in for a good day... how wrong we were. Fished until 5 pm with no luck. The wind came up, the rain blew in and the thermometer went through the floor. It was a cold and wet day alright with crap luck too. Should have stayed in bed.
We drove to Lake Evelyn (as its right next to Selfe) and had a fish on the way out. Clacko and I both picked up a couple but Clacko caught the best one, a rainbow tipping the scales at 4lbs. Home by 8pm and straight into the shower to defrost, stayed there for a good 15 minutes.
Clacko playing his on Lake Evelyn
A cold day for us....
Clacko playing his on Lake Evelyn
A cold day for us....
Thursday 10 November
Fished Lake Georgina today until 3pm. Only caught 1, which I made sashimi out of. Tasted pretty good too.
View down the end of Lake Georgina
Thats out car (ie bus) in the background.
View down the end of Lake Georgina
Thats out car (ie bus) in the background.
We then moved to lake Evelyn for the ‘afternoon session.’
Lake Evelyn
I managed a nice 4.5lbs brown just on sunset (on a large unweighted woolly bugger fished with a sink tip line.)
We left the lake at 8.50pm and were back at the accommodation on Glenthorne Station chowing down food by 9.15pm (the wonders of a microwave) All in all a pretty tough day.
11 November 2011
We drove back to Christchurch today. It was a nice day weather wise apart from the wind!
Heading home..
A fun trip all in all despite the cold weather at times, but what else can you expect from New Zealand in early November.
Lake Evelyn
I managed a nice 4.5lbs brown just on sunset (on a large unweighted woolly bugger fished with a sink tip line.)
We left the lake at 8.50pm and were back at the accommodation on Glenthorne Station chowing down food by 9.15pm (the wonders of a microwave) All in all a pretty tough day.
11 November 2011
We drove back to Christchurch today. It was a nice day weather wise apart from the wind!
Heading home..
A fun trip all in all despite the cold weather at times, but what else can you expect from New Zealand in early November.