Multi-day trips have the following accommodation types available. Camping, private hut with gas/electricity, Department of Conservation public hut or Luxury log cabin style lodge located in a private isolated valley.
Much of the same scenery seen on the world famous “Trans-Alpine Train” journey can be seen on our journey from Canterbury to the west coast.
East Coast fishing destination: Typical beautiful High Country tussock and native beech forest vistas will surround you at most east coast fishing locations.
Abundant native bird wildlife can be encountered if fishing a Western location. A highlight would have to be a likely encounter with the cheeky and highly intelligent Kea, New Zealand’s largest and very beautiful flying parrot. Other favorite birds to also encounter would be the native Bush Robin or the Fantail which are usually quite inquisitive of anglers and will venture very close and sometimes land on your fly rod. A rare glimpse of the New Zealand Falcon may be possible in eastern regions but generally abundant sheep, cattle, deer and dairy farms are the norm to be seen.
We take safety seriously when out on the water. Your guide holds a New Zealand Coastguard Boat Masters Certificate and all safety precautions are taken while using the boat. Lifejackets, a cell phone, and an Emergency Locater Beacon (E.P.I.R.B.)/P.L.B. are always carried.
Packages
If you are a river/stream purist, don’t be distracted by the thought of fishing a lake; all the fishing we do is visual. In some ways the dinghy can provide a more exciting and strategic vehicle for the chase as you paddle around shallow lake margins sneaking up on cruising 2-6lb browns as they swim amongst submerged native forest, or across weed and sand flats.
-Chris Bell
Prices are current for the 2024/2025 fishing season. The prices are listed in New Zealand (NZ) dollars.
Max capacity in the dinghy at any one time is 2 persons plus your guide, and up to a maximum of 3 people are allowed with the guide on certain lakes located on Department of Conservation land. A third angler can join the half or one day trip for an additional $55NZ. When three anglers are present at least one angler will be required to shore fish at any one time. See Pricing page for full list of what is included.
Like what you see and want to book or simply want more information? Just contact us via phone or email we are here to help!
Logistics
On booking your trip if your guide thinks there may be a better option based on time of day, year, weather or any other factor you will have the option of altering your choice either at the time of booking or in some cases even on the day if you so choose. For example if you are very interested in ecology and local scenery the trip duration and time of year may mean that the West Coast or high country lakes will provide you with a more "kiwi nature" focused experience. Just tell us what you want from the trip and we can tailor standard packages or when desired make it totally custom.
In some locations it is possible to spend part of a day fishing a river/stream and the rest of the day stalking cruising trout in the dinghy. Duration/extent of dinghy utilization can be varied based on your preferred fishing method throughout the day(s).
Pricing
Package Details
Choices
Designed for those anglers who want to add another extremely exciting visual dimension to their kiwi fly fishing adventure, or simply for those whose main objective is to catch large numbers of fish. Here the “sight fishing” occurs in the still-water environment of shallow lake margins accessed via a "stand-up" dinghy.
adventure
fly fishing
This package utilises a 3.8 metre "stand-up" inflatable dinghy that allows access to remote and less fished sections of water providing a unique experience amongst spectacular scenic surroundings.
Although outstanding shore based trout fishing can be found in Canterbury and Westland lakes, having a boat to access less pressured areas or locations where better trout habitat is often present is a great advantage to the fly angler. A boat can often allow more sheltered water to be accessed, and be positioned in such a way as to best spot an area of lake bottom.
While your guide maneuvers the dinghy around shallow lake margins you will see cruising 2-6lb (1-2.7kg) browns as they swim among submerged native forest. Vegetated cover can be used to conceal the dinghy while ambushing the fish, which often cruise in water so shallow that their backs and dorsal and caudal (tail) fins break the water’s surface. In our experience on exceptional days using this method we have found that it is possible to have had takes from upward of 30 trout landing between 10 and 25 fish, with some taking the fly within 2 metres of the boat.
The Still-water Stalking Package
Packages
adventure
fly fishing
Full Package Details
Depending on whether we will be fishing in Canterbury or on the West Coast, the day could start as early as 5:30am where you will be collected from the arranged collection point. If you are visiting the region and are staying in Christchurch or the wider Canterbury area we would be happy to collect you as part of our service. Travel time to the fishing location would be between 1.5 – 2.5 hours when departing from Christchurch city.
On a day with good weather conditions you can expect to get in about 7-10 hours of fishing.
Drop-off on single day trips would generally be around 8:00pm but this may vary depending on the location that was fished. It could also be later if an evening rise is on the cards and you wish to stay on or if any food stops are requested on the way home.Please note that we consistently practice "Catch and Release" (refer "Key Fishing Information")