Fly Fishing with Chris Dore

It is shaping up to be the best snow season here in the Queenstown area in a long time they say, and whilst many are getting down upon the slopes, I’m getting down to where the fish are in the Wakatipu.

It’s that time of year where the browns are mostly up the tributaries getting busy and the rainbows are still remaining deep prior to gathering at the rivermouths. They can still be caught however wherever an inflow enters the lake, and hi density lines are the name of the game to present your fly to where they sit.

The main lake is still holding colour after the monstrous floods of April and so bigger and brighter flies are required to attract attention. Red Setters and bright coloured Glo Bugs seem to be doing the job, and I’m finding a very slow retrieve allows more time for the fish to detect ones lure.

DI 5 lines and short traces are my usual tactic at this time of year, and all the major rivermouths will produce rainbows. My usual tactic is to begin by hanging a glo bug static across the lip, and this will often hit any fish that are hanging about the drop offs. If this fails to attract attention then the Red Setter or similar streamer is cast out along the edge of the rip and slowly retrieved. As mentioned, it is important to get deep here, and these drop offs are often deeper than expected.

Over the next few weeks the numbers of bows should increase around the Rees, Greenstone, Von and Lochy and the fish will move into shallower waters, more accessible to the fly angler.

Locally, lakes Johnson, Moke and Kirkpatrick are close – to - home ‘lunchtime’ options for those adept at stripping wee wets and woolly buggars in intermediate lines, and on the brighter days sight fishing with chironomids can be a blast.

And as for the rivers, whilst many browns are already well and truly up the tribs of the Upper Clutha, there are still a few good fish to be found around the confluences with the main river. Rainbows are following and the riffles are still producing well with traditional ‘Tongariro style’ nymphing techniques.

Quick run-down – a 3m level leader of 8lb fluorocarbon, a hi-viz indi and either a pair of weighted nymphs, or a double tungsten and a Glo Bug. Toss this rig upstream and dead drift through the riffles and along the drop offs. Couldn’t be simpler.

Some of the bigger fish can be found deeper in the pools and for these, double handers sporting heavy tips and skagit lines are the way to go. Focus on maintaining a controlled swing around any object which will break the current; trees, gravel bars, larger rocks etc.

My opinion is that the Clutha is stepping up as a winter rainbow fishery, and many days last season outshone some of the famed North Island fisheries in both fish numbers and size.

The Southern Lakes fishing scene is just starting to heat up as the temperatures cool down. So if you are coming through for a day or two up the slopes it may just be worth packing a rod or giving me a call.

Check out my winter options here

Chris