Fishing Reports index >February 2008

Trout chasin’ with Chris Dore

Well the southland region has been proving tough of recent with very low river levels and consequently high water temps in some of the slower, or smaller waters. This rain has boosted a few systems but these increased levels wont last. Rivers will soon return to tough status.

I have encountered many people of recent visiting NZ and finding the fishing tough. The prob is they just dont seem to know how to deal with these extreme conditions, persevering with their 9' 4x leaders and size 12 and 14 flies.

As someone who is lucky enough to spend most days on the river I feel I can offer a few peices of advice.

1 - Location

Forget those small streams which offer an intimate and often fun angling experience. In these conditions you will find more feeding trout in your bathtub.... the water temps will both be similar, and this is the problem. Look for more substantial waters, those holding a better flow. Even as to which section you fish will make the world of difference. Areas supporting deeper riffles will provide more dissolved oxygen than the lower gradient, shallower sections. Find a good, substantial ripple and associated pool and this is where you will find the trout.
Ignore the skinny water. By midday the temperatures here may have risen to as much as 22 degrees c in many areas, proving near fatal to trout.

Tip on location - Look for cooler water temperatures and ample cover, wether willows, cut banks of deep, well oxygenated pools. The streams which may have fished well for your friend in October is likely to be dead now.

2 - Tackle

Your 9' 4x leaders will spook many more fish than it will decieve. Right now I am using 15 - 18' leaders tapering to 5 or 6x. There is not a lot of flow in many places at the moment and with low, warm conditions fish are very discerning, and micro drag is killing many anglers attempts.
The long fine leader will help combat micro drag. You dont want your leader to straighten fully - a little slack line in the system will assist in a drag free presentation of your fly whilst the currents pull and tug on the remaining line.
I dont go so fine because I believe the fish would see a heavier tippet - I believe such fine tippet provides less surface area and thus friction, and consequently drag is much reduced with 5 and 6x.

Why not throw slack line presentations instead? Most people cant whilst maintaining accuracy, and accuracy is important. This is something to be practised at home BEFORE the big trip, not when on the river with a bug fush feeding enticingly in front. If you have put in the time and effort to practise your reaches, tucks and pile casts then you will catch more fish. Regardless, a long, fine leader will assist your drift.

Tackle tip - Fish long and light for improved drag free drifts.

3 - flies

Low water and reduced flows see larger invertibrete happlily secure amongst the instream structure, safe from being washed off throughout the day. Smaller, less mature invertibrete though will still fall prey to the currents, and will be found in the drift  throughout the day. As well, in these warmer summer tempreatures, mayfly larva will mature sooner, at a much smaller size than in springtime conditions, so keep those size 12's in the box and look towards smaller, 16's, 18's and even 20's. I believe weight is more inportant than pattern when it becomes to nymphs, so carry anything small and dark in a variety of sink rates to accomodate a variety of water.... Tis no use throwing a beadhead at a fish feeding in several inches of water just as it is no use throwing an unweighted pattern solo through a thigh deep ripple... And think of those conditions inbetween.
Dry fly wise, small paras and emerger pattterns are my norm, and ensure there is always a good spent spinner pattern on hand in suitable sizes.

Fly tip - Keep em small

Casting small flies on long, fine leaders can prove troublesome to many, the most common problem being the leader piling up far off target. Two quick tips on turning over these long leaders, without going into the mechanics of the overhead cast - Keep your backcast high and tight, and ensure a positive stop to ensure efficient energy transfer on both the back, and forward casts. Ensure your hand travels directly away from the target on your backcast, and straight back to it on the presentation to ensure good tracking, and consequentially energy transfer throughout the line, and accuracy.

Have fun out there - the best of the seasons yet to come!!

Chris Dore
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor.
Queenstown, NZ
027 693 3027

Chris Dore is an independent fishing guide; his reports are not officially representative of Fish & Game NZ

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