Spring Fly Fishing: Why it is the best time to fish NZ

The early bird catches the fish- why you should fish during Spring in NZ.

There is a lot of excitement around the start of the fly fishing season in New Zealand. The waters haven’t been accessed in over five months and fishing guides, New Zealand trout and aspiring fisherman are itching to get out into rivers. We asked one of the Poronui’s long-standing guides, Dave Wood, why he loves Spring fishing…

“One of the best reoccurring moments that I am lucky enough to experience in my job is on the first morning of a fishing trip when the helicopter drops me off at a secluded, rain-fed river and the silence takes hold. I love to just take a moment here and let the anticipation of the day ahead wash over me.

At the start of the New Zealand fly fishing season, on that very first trip, this thrill is amplified even more. Have the trout been feeding well? What has the winter done to the river? Where are the new holding lie spots? What type of fly will elicit that murderous intent from the trout? These added challenges set you up for an epic fly fishing holiday.

However, it is easy to let the excitement of your first trip out overwhelm you, my advice to anyone on their initial fishing expedition is to relax your expectations. When I take my clients out for the first time (whether they are experienced anglers or just learning how to fly fish), we always start with the aim of one great fish for the day. And if that guidance doesn’t help them to relax, the Poronui kitchen’s magic lunch will do the trick!

First-time fishermen and women can benefit from a spring getaway. The Rainbow and Brown trout have lived undisturbed over the winter so are less cautious around October/November time. Poronui’s rivers are not fed by snow-melt but they are still full early in the season so the cunning trout tend to hide around the edges. Spotting them can be tricky down low, but take a short helicopter flight into the Poronui backcountry and the smaller streams will present ample sight-fishing opportunities. October in NZ offers cool mornings but chasing the sunshine around the banks of the Taharua River adds an extra element to the day.

It’s so rewarding at the start of the fly fishing season when I look at my schedule and see all of the returning clients who I get to guide again, a lot of them become like family to me. I hope to extend my family at Poronui again this year and look forward to welcoming returning guests with open arms and another year’s worth of great fish!”

Discover the excitement of pre-season fishing for yourself, Poronui’s spring fishing packages start from October, take a look here.