Locations.

New Zealand offers the trout fisherman a rich variety of angling opportunities. Pristine lakes, wild backcountry streams, large powerful rivers... Many novice anglers think that these waterways are all bursting with large fat trout. This is not strictly accurate, New Zealand is indeed blessed with magnificent trout but they are not evenly spread through all the waterways. Trout like to focus on areas where conditions are right; plentiful food and a safe retreat, if needed. Therefore the first challenge is to find the fish.



Large powerful trout are the target quarry for most fly fishermen but the pursuit of massive fish should not cloud our appreciation for the magnificent quality of all NZ trout. Hooking and landing a wild fish in a stunning river or lake is a huge thrill.
This section identifies a few beautiful rivers and lakes that I find a real pleasure to fish, even if they do not always give up their bounty easily!

Tongariro River.

A fly fishing Mecca for trout anglers around the world. The largest river running into Lake Taupo and attracts the most prolific runs of winter trout -more>

Waitawheta River.

Pristine small river that runs through the beautiful Karangahke Gorge to join the Ohinemouri River -more>

Upper Waihou River.

Totally spring fed the upper river runs over a white pumice bed, here the water has an astonishingly high optical purity with a striking blue colouration, thanks to a lack of light scattering impurities -more>

Lake Taupo - late summer/autumn.

A time when the fly fishermans attention turns to river mouths and the possibility of a large brown trout -more>