I’m sure you’ve been keeping up with my instagram and facebook posts thru October and November, I am however overdue on a report so here goes.
October started on a good note, the weather was fine for most part and the winds were relatively mild. Temps were good and it was only the southerly winds that really made a difference to air temps. The southerlies however usually produce nice sunny blue sky days over the Fiordland region especially in the Te Anau basin. These are the days to be cherished, as an experienced angler in the region knows significant change in the weather patterns is eminent so making the most of it is a must. As a fishing guide it gives you time to scout about and find out whats changed since the closure of the last season. Although rainfall is relatively low during winter (which may shock you as a stat) when it does rain it can be very heavy. This can significantly change the characteristics of the river bed especially on those freestone larger rivers that feed off the higher mountain ranges. If the rain is heavy enough sometimes it can be devastating to a river system (more so the steeper smaller back country systems we have) totally wiping out the trouts ability to hold and therefore pushing all the fish out. Hence the reason to get out there early and check out whats been happening.
This is also a great time to check out some of the tributaries. As fish have moved into these areas to spawn they will hold for a while and slowly drop back as the season progresses. What do I mean by dropping back?? you ask… If you haven’t seen it yet it is quiet amazing and can happen quiet quickly especially on river systems that hold a lot of fish. Usually unexpected by the angler you will notice fish dropping down stream and as they pass you they then turn to move upstream slowly then turning once again to flow downstream. This can been seen by the angler as a spooked fish but is not always the case and they can still be intercepted not knowing your there..
Apart from that I’ve been unfortunate with the weather when clients have booked and we’ve really had to grind it out. Timing was not our friend. We came close but no cigar.
Couple days before my clients arrived before the storm rolled in.. Thumper..
The dreaded no fish day look with clients. We came close but no cigar. Great day out in tough conditions and they were most gracious in defeat. Thanks Mick & Honey..
As we creep into November the weather hasn’t given up and it’s been relentless with consistent rainfalls exceeding 50mm in the headwaters which has kept everything topped up to the max. It’s been a real pick and chose scenario. If you’ve had the privilege of time on your side or the opportunity to head east then those recluse little hidden gems seem to be fishing well. The endless map of artistry for a professional fishing guide.
Here’s some pics of what is on offer so far if your in the right place at the right time..
