Last casts out west?

After the last posts, we decided to ignore common sense and head down the coast. Every river was up, every one off color. We got to where we hoped and those waters were high and while certainly fishable, the sighting would be difficult for tinged water, higher flow, and a forecast of cloud and rain - which keeps fish a little more off the surface but also causes sight fishing difficulties for the glare on the water. So, we changed focus and rather than march up a larger, open river, we again focused smaller, where bankside vegetation cuts glare and allows for sighting. And for an hour, we had a good time catching some nice fish from a mid sized spring creek. And, right on cue, the west coast rains came at the same time as we came into fishless water. We walked another km of the water and watched as it got smaller and hopeless. And that was it for the coast, as we heeded the forecaster's advice. We're back out east, visiting friends and looking to do some wrap up video and a few more days of fishing before heading home in 11 days. Given that the 10 day forecast on the west coast (and central alps) is of rain, heavy rain, showers, heavy rain... each day... could that be that for the beech forests this year?

Content

The last week of photos has to be considered pretty amazing. The factors all conspired to give us a solid bit of fishing. But, the weather is fickle here, giving you a choice of getting soaked and eaten alive by sandflies with warm, muggy, pouring rain on the coast, or heading east and getting blown to hell in 80 to 140kmh winds. Sure, there aren't many sandflies in the wind, but how long do you try to fish in that?
So it is now, with the forecast of rain, showers, heavy rain, rain, and showers for each of the 10 days in the west coast forecast. Or, we head east and endure hot head winds. It's 11am and I still have no idea which direction to head.
I'm not too worried about it.
In nearly 3 months of fighting the elements and trying to make the best decision for our fishing... it has taken its toll mentally and physically, something you can't appreciate unless you spend a full 2 or 3 months... getting past the initial adrenaline of the first few weeks or month and getting into the second month and realizing that the body gets tired. It's not like you fish every day or impose upon the elements that you will fish every day on home waters. The psychology of extended trips, trying to be on the right water at the right time, driving to be ahead of changing variables... and hiking 8 to 30km in a day over some serious terrain or driving the coastal or alps highways. On a shorter trip, like our 6 week trip a few years back, you have adrenaline to carry you through the first weeks followed by a thrust at the mid way point that you only have a couple of weeks left. These longer marathons certainly have a different way about them, and at some point you simply sit back and enjoy the ride.
Obviously, the epic fishing of the last week has me not too worried about catching too many more fish. The 'worst' part of it is that I also find myself struggling to think of new things to photograph and video capture. It's funny - once we leave and regain perspective we'll think of new things to do next year. New things to see, new angles, new camera lenses, etc. But right now, there's just a feeling of enjoying typing on the computer, listening to the cicadas in the bushes outside, enjoying the muggy sun before the rains come, enjoying just being. There is no have to, no drive to conquer or discover. Just a relaxing spirit, enjoying 'this'. 
Perhaps we'll try to head down the coast anyway. There's a third species of penguin we want to see. There's a couple new rivers to check out. A spring creek or two at the end of the road, a place we've not been. Perhaps some deeper perspective will come that I can add to the video that we're working on. Perhaps we'll just continue to enjoy life. Perhaps that is the point.
There comes a point at which I don't long for anything more nor less. To be here or there. Home or away. And that can happen anywhere, any time, as I find out more and more this past year. And nothing confirms this more than the fact I am sitting on a wooden bench by myself, typing to a blog with a few folks back home tuning in.  And I'm really happy.

The benefits of breaking both 4 wt rods.

Earlier in the trip, I mentioned (bemoaned) breaking both of the 4 wt rods that we brought. One was my fault for sure and the other was simply circumstances. So be it. I wound up with a 6wt rod in my hands thanks to borrowing a line from our friend Serge. He had also lent a 4 wt, but it’s a 7 footer and I`m a wee bit too fussy about these things, so I’m back to the 6 wt Helios. Again, 6 wts are not my favorite rods. But, you cast what you have and that’s what I have right now. After breaking her 4 wt, AJ isn’t letting me on the 5wt, it’s hers and fair enough. Keep the 6 wt in mind, on hold a minute as I get through this.

Last summer, home in Alberta, I wrote about a 30+” brown I caught. I didn’t go looking for it, it just happened in a random blessing. It was the first and only 30+” I've caught in Alberta. I don’t expect to repeat it as I don’t plan to hunt those size of fish using what is typically needed to be successful on those types of Alberta trophy brown trout waters. There are more of them in Alberta than most people realize, but it was a one off for me. It was nice, but it was a fish. In the post, I also spoke of chasing monster browns, like the sea runners in Argentina, or the mouse year monsters here in NZ. I mentioned that the last thing I was going to do is chase big browns just to say I caught one, to pump my tires. I simply don’t care enough to be seen in photos with big fish. In fact, last year we avoided waters in New Zealand where mice were making the browns huge because we didn’t want to run into the trophy hunters. Sure, we caught our share of very nice fish on our trip last year but it was just by circumstances of it being a mouse year and the perpetual rains keeping those fish in the small streams we reverted to in our successful attempts to have water to ourselves daily. It does not matter how big fish are, it’s the moments on the water that are important. It’s the enjoyment of where you are fishing, how you are fishing, who you are with, and whether you are really into what you are doing, among so many other factors. Size is way down the list for us.

But you can’t stop fate.

This week, all has been wonderful for AJ and I. Her desire to fish a beech forest lined water for a nice brown in a clear run led us to a new river. She had an amazing day earlier in the week on the river new to us, and we gave it a rest for several days before returning. This last visit was of very warm, sunny weather with little wind. The cicadas were electric. We had to raise our voices to hear each other talk for the buzzing and clicking of thousands of cicadas. And these were the huge cicadas – the size of your thumb. We walked to the river and emerged from the beech forest beside a run. AJ was behind me and I had to tell her to walk around, through the bush. A large brown held 2 feet off shore. She did as planned and popped the large dry 4 feet above the fish. WHAM! 6 pounds. I’ll cut the epic day story telling by saying we landed 5 browns 6 to 8.5 pounds in the first 50 yards of river. All SMASHING the surface prior to us casting. All smashing cicadas. I spent much of my day casting a 2 dry fly set up... 2 large cicada patterns. Heck, I was using a big 6wt stick, so why not?! We worked our way upstream and had a whale of a day. To say the least.
By 6 pm, we’d had a great day, the shade now creeping onto a few runs. We came up to a large flat where there had to be a nice fish. AJ walked one side and I the other. As fates had it, I spotted a nice fish cruising around on my side. Trouble is that it was unsettled, moving all through the run. It covered 30 yards of my side, hit the center of the run and dropped down, then down and back in, then across and up. Each time, I tried to cast where I thought it was going. They were good casts, just that the fish would turn the opposite direction from what I anticipated. I’d seen this fish from a distance back and it had already been on the cruise, so I knew I hadn’t spooked it. It was just unsettled. AJ kept rolling the video for some reason and caught me as I tried a long up and cross stream cast.
Part of not liking 6 wt rods is the temptation to make long casts rather than move into position to get the ‘right’ cast, which is always the best option. But, it was a long way around and nipple deep crossing, so I tried to get my flies to where the fish had moved to. It stationed at a log at the top of a run for 20 seconds. With a 4 wt rod, there was no chance I was punching two large dries 75 or 80 feet to the fish. Good thing I ‘chose’ to use the 6! Right! So, there I was, casting to a nice fish at 75 or 80 feet with double dries. AJ kept rolling on the vid. I still don’t know why as the odds kept getting worse as the fish kept moving. But where it stationed, I was able to get one cast 4 feet to its left, then I muffed a cast, then my third landed the flies 3 feet to its right, the line well away from the fish. And wouldn’t you know it... the fish turned and came to take. When it took, it looked about 6 pounds. As it ran under the logs across the river, it felt maybe 8. As it came across to me I figured about 8. Then I simply couldn’t move it in slack current and started thinking a touch higher, before it started to go downstream, then across and up, and up, and up...
Again, I have to reiterate... I don't care if I am ever photographed holding a large trout. As I said to AJ after I released this one... I thought one of her fish earlier in the day in an intimate pocket of water was so much more enjoyable, and that almost every other fish of the day was far prettier. All the other fish of the day honestly had far more enjoyable qualities to it. But, this is the one that most people that read this blog... this will leave the biggest impression. Again, it’s just a fish. Albeit, kind of a big one.

My net scale bottoms out at 14 pounds and kind of sticks. This fish took me there. Was it 13 or 15 pounds... I don’t know, nor much care but it was a biggie. Let’s call it 14 and leave it alone.

It’s funny how things and perspectives change. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll use the 6 wt a little more often. Anyone ever notice how a 6wt tosses 2 big cicadas better than a 4wt and lands the fish that eat huge bugs just a little easier?

;)

Oh, and I didn’t turn to AJ and ask her to hold my fish so I could get a photo of her with a big fish (see previous post for sarcasm reference).

 :)

E P I C

This day was stunning. The sun shone. The wind was non existent. The cicadas were hitting the water and fish were smashing the surface like someone was throwing body parts into the piranha pool. Speaking of body parts, I know a lot of people that would have given one or two to have been with us on this day. Speak no more, just the photos, Ralph.

Hold my fish

“Sweetie, would you hold my fish? I want to get a photo of you with a nice fish today, it’s been so nice.”

Stirring words, hers.
She had just released her 6th or 7th brown trout of at least 5.5 pounds on the day. Yes, all on big cicadas on top. I’d taken a back seat to her fishing, spotted a few good ones. Apparently I hadn’t bothered to take the lead on a few fish and didn’t catch enough fish to satisfy her photography itch. Sure, she can catch all the big fish, but does she have to photograph them all too?
:)
Fate got her back as she wound up landing the smallest fish we’ve hooked in New Zealand to date.
It was the first day of several in a row that blew our minds. It poured rain on us to start the day. We were soaked and missed the camera on several fish for fear of killing it with only 2 weeks remaining in our trip. So, we simply watched each other fish for a change. What a concept. Eventually the rain stopped and the clouds rose up the hillsides. A pretty valley, this one. And fishing to match it. I even managed to get a nice fish or two as well. Thanks for leaving one unchecked. ;)

Hidden treasures

We try to find out of the way little spots that nobody would ever find. Let’s not live in denial. We like to find places that look to be so miserable and out of the way that nobody else wants to fish them. Or other spots that are too hard to get to for the majority of people. Or spots that are spots that appear to lead to dead ends but lead to gems. We looked hard for this one, but when we found it, we knew we had a really special spot once again. We scouted access on Google. We figured out how to access what appeared to be a beech forest spring creek, bubbling up from toe of the slope springs and easing its way under a beech canopy. We arrived and were blown away by its beauty. Mats of deep green woven into the gravel. Toi toi hung over its edges. Flax popping up here and there. Beech tree limbs arching like knobbed fingers of an old wizard. Pongas and other ferns held the humidity under the canopy. Cicadas again deafening. As we waded the stream, other springs babbled in. In fact, it went from being a larger stream to a small spring creek in the matter of a few hundred yards. It was one of the hilights of our trip this year.
Would there be any fish?
That rarely seems to be any issue in NZ.
The best part of the exploring is that there are a few more in the valley just like it. Now, if the forecast will allow us to get back there, maybe we’ll find out!

A Gift From Hubbie

Every day we pretty much decide who takes the first sighted fish by doing rock, paper scissors and then we rotate from there, but today was different. As it turned out, Dave had a gift for me. He was only interested in seeing me try to catch every fish we spotted. His interest was only the camera and what he could capture of the day and watching me have a whale of a time. A pretty cool gift and I was totally obliging to his wishes:)
We happened to be on our new favourite piece of water and it was a little ridiculous how amazing the fishing really was. Being completely spoilt is a total understatement. We started the day with 10 browns in a space of about 40 yards smashing on the first cast of our cicada patterns. Then we moved on to another section of the river and it was fish after fish in these gorgeous runs. I was trying my best to nail every cast I put out, but even the ones I missed accuracy on, the fish would leave its lie and come over to suck in my fly.
Being on this river was like being in a piece of paradise, everything about it makes you smile.
The other part I haven’t as yet mentioned was that our day turned into a 30 km hike. We were not quite expecting to put on this many miles, but we did because we kept being lured by the look of the river and what we had seen on Google earth. Needless to say, not all the river was fishable due to some major white water sections, but Google earth has a way of really sucking one in to exploring further and further. I don't think Dave and I have ever sweat quite as hard as we did on this hike. The humidity and hot sun is a killer here at times. Bathing in the river while trying to kill thousands of sand flies trying to bite you is also quite the sight...good thing we were the only ones around.
We actually only fished a total of 1 km in the end, but between the challenge of the 29 we hiked and the pure fun of the 1, I have some memories to hold onto for a lifetime.
Many thanks Dave. You always come up with some cool gifts.
******
That's AJ's version. DJ has something a little different. We'd had a whale of a couple of days fishing. In fact, having caught amazing fish and many of them, we opted to take a flyer on another river, as the sun was out, the cicadas filling the air. Being the west coast, you can't waste any such days as you never know when the next big rains, winds, etc are to roll through and chase you off the coastal rivers (we're on the internet now... guess what the weather is?). So, we thought that we'd try this other bit of water that we'd been told about by a local that wanted us to keep things on the hush as few get in, and even fewer fish. And so we went. And we went. The track we were on was hideous, a mud slick on rock. The river was so far away you couldn't hear it. The humidity was high - I sweat my ass off at 20C and 25% RH. This was +28C and 95%RH. I really enjoyed the rain forest but had a feeling of 'get me to the river' as I dripped. You know the conundrum... enjoy the moment or get to the water. I was wanting the water as I knew the forecast was for a weather change the next day. We got to the first bit of the river in an hour. The river spilled into a couple of monster pools. Sure there were fish, but this wasn't going to happen. We marched on for another hour. We got to a nice set of runs and rising fish stopped our marching. AJ slid out onto some rocks in quite a stunning scene below a beautiful beech canopy and got a 3 pound brown. Dave followed suit with a 15" brown. It was fun but a look ahead showed more BIG boulders, white water, and no hope of continuity for the day. We hopped back out, onto the 'track' that was more goat trail mixed with moss and mud water slide. It was a really cool hike for sure... but get me to the river. :)   We marched another hour. We came to the end of our patience and took a gamble on what looked to be an opening. It was. We slipped over the river where it opened to long, sandy glides amongst large timber. I was dripping wet with sweat and simply put my rod together to feign fishing as I soaked in the water. I threw a cast on the water - anywhere - and drooped to cool myself, look at the scenery. I looked back over at the fly. Instead, I saw a nice brown tailing back downwards, obviously having eaten something on the surface. I didn't see my fly and raised the rod. He was on. I let it go as I saw another shape nearby and flipped to it. It too took and as I fought it saw another, larger trout. I called AJ over and pointed. She cast out and hooked up. I saw another coming near and flipped to it and caught it. Our plan had been to cool off, have some lunch, and then get fishing. We hadn't had lunch but landed 5 trout below our feet, all 3 to 5 pounds. We sat to have lunch and another trout swam to us. I put my rod down, flipped my rod  out and as soon as my fly landed the fish casually sipped it. As I landed it, sat down, and looked again, another trout swam into view. AJ got her rod and it was hooked. We packed up lunch and 3 more trout swam into view. A pretty good 50m in life! It was then I decided to put the rod down and just shoot video. AJ was simply in heaven, loving the beauty of the location, the slow and care free feeds of the trout, and enjoying the fantails and other birds along the river. I simply wanted AJ to love life and have the freedom of such a river to herself.
Here's what most wouldn't understand about us though. It wasn't the type of water we wanted so we decided to keep hiking up. Picky, eh? 10 fish in 45 minutes or less and we were on the move. It turned out to be a mistake with blessings. The track never came back to the river. We marched for another hour... dumb. We knew what we were missing and took another gamble on a grassy clearing. It led to a spectacular run and that's where we fished for 4 hours. We slid into the run and immediately 2 fish swam at the flies. The next 1.2 km we fished had about 25 fish and AJ landed all but 1 or 2 in 4 hrs. It was a system of AJ casting the fly and while hooked up, Dave had one eye on the camera and the other scouting the next fish. Pretty good life!
By 6pm, we arrived at a choke point in the river - massive boulders and a waterfall. We knew that the trail was sketchy, we had a llloooonnng way to hike, and the last thing we wanted to do was miss the track markers and bush bash completely, or get hurt. So, by 6:30 we were on our way. The pace was fast and we made the 15 - 16 km in 3 hrs. By the time we arrived, I was drenched in sweat. It had been a long time since we'd done that much in a day. It was the kind of hike that by the end of the day you looked up and the world was still on angle, spinning and distorted. A little delirium to say the least. But, we timed it well as we got out with still enough time to drive to our camp spot and have a bathe before sunset.