NZ trip overview

I came back from our NZ trip yesterday. We were there for two weeks, and I had a lovely time down there catching many fish, seeing interesting stuff on rivers and along roads, and meeting with new people.

NZ旅行から昨日帰って来ました。天候的にはちょっと恵まれなかったけど、それでも良い釣りが出来たし、新しい発見があったり、親切な人たちに会える事が出来て、満足の結果。

We picked the town of Gore in Southland as our base because we wanted to fish on Mataura river and having other rivers like Oreti, Clutha and those in Fiordland within a relatively easy driving distance.

Unfortunately, Many parts of the South Island were hit by heavy rainfall, and those major rivers became pretty much unfishable.

The stretch of the Mataura around Gore was running like chocolate milkshake on the day we arrived, and it pretty much stayed that way until the day I left the town ten days later (other friends left the place early to Mackenzie area only to find out the rivers up there were also dirty).

今回は、Goreと言う町をベースにし選びました。Matarua本流が町の横を流れているし、Oretiなどの他の有名河川へのアクセスも比較的良いので、オプションが広いと思ったのが理由。 ところが運悪く、滞在中に南島中部から南部全体は集中豪雨にあってどの河川も濁流状態。場所によっては洪水警報が出て釣りどころではありません。

Matauraも上流でかなりの量の雨が降ったらしく、Goreの町を流れる区間は水量と濁りがすごく、その後天気が回復しても結局帰る日になってもずっと濁ったまま。




We could see the Waimakariri running dark


The Rakaia River was running like ocean


Oreti. Also running murky


The Mataura River in the rain

While the condition of the main river was being poor, a few small streams in the area were fortunately remained fishable and they offered me a quality fishing time.

There were many fish in these small streams including some nice ones. Fish in these tea colour stained water had a beautiful colouring on them. Gold on their back and yellow flank with vivid red spots. I caught some of the nicest looking browns in these tiny streams.

The water was flowing slowly through meadow and there were many weed beds in the water too. Willow trees and bush along the bank were offering a protection for fish, and I caught many fish casting tight under the willows.

They looked bit like a small spring creek, and they were my kind of water to fish. Fish were ready to respond well to a well presented dry fly during the day, and when the hatch or spinner fall came in the evening, fish became very selective, and it was really fun time to be on the water.


本流のコンディションは結局最後まで回復しませんでしたが、数本の小さい支流の方は二日で回復して、それからは良い釣りができる様になりました。

川は、ゆっくりと牧草地を流れて所々に水草が生えていて、どことなくスプリングクリーク風の流れで、僕の好きな感じの流れ。川幅も小さくて、僕の持っていったショートロッドの竹竿には最適でした。

本当は、Westcoastのスプリングクリークに行くのを楽しみにしていたのですが、あいにくWestcoastは大雨。そういう事で、この疑似スプリングクリークで釣りを楽しむ事に。Goreの周辺には、こんな感じの流れの川がいくつかありました。

小さい川でしたが、魚影はまあまあで、サイズの方も良い型のが居ました。それと釣れる魚は、黄金色に鮮やかな赤い斑点があって、本当に綺麗だった。







I believe a part of fun of going on the fishing trip is to meet with new people and I have met some nice people while I was in Gore. I also saw a few fellow fly fishers on the river and on the road, and we went to fish together and exchanged some thoughts. These things are an important part of fly fishing trip to me, I think.

It has been over ten years since I went to NZ last time, and although there were some changes like those ugly fast food restaurants have popped up everywhere, NZ was still a place of good fishing and good people.

I had a great time guys. Thank you. Kia ora.

Goreの人たちは、『南に行けば行く程、人が良くなる」と言っていましたが、Goreでは、キャラバンパークや農家の夫婦や、川から歩いて帰える途中に町まで送ってくれたマオリの青年など、色々な人に親切にしてもらいました。それとフライフィッシャーにも数人会いました。情報交換をしたり、アドバイスをもらったり、中には、一緒に釣りが出来た人もいました。今回の旅では良い出会いが沢山ありました。

十年ぶりのNZ旅行でしたが、人も釣りも相変わらず良い感じで、本当に楽しかったです。


















Canon D10