Fly Fishing with Chris Dore

 Bringing Fishing Gear into New Zealand

General equipment

To slow the spread of invasive species being brought into New Zealand, Biosecurity NZ and MAF requires all fishing / wading gear being brought into the country to be clean and dry.

All freshwater fishing equipment including rods, reels, clothing, waders, boots and flies must be clean and free of organic matter. Please read the reccomended cleaning protocol as detailed on the MAF Biosecurity NZ website.

Upon arrival you must declare all freshwater fishing equipment to the quarantine inspector. Customs will inspect your fishing equipment, and if not satisfied that your gear is clean and dry, they will arrange for the equipment to be treated prior to awarding biosecurity clearance. This takes time and may cause delays in your travel plans. Please dont try and hide your equipment, or intentionally fail to declare in order to save the hassle. If they find it, you may lose it, as we take the protection of our rivers against invasive species seriously. Follow correct cleaning protocol as detailed in the above link, allow sufficient time for your gear to dry completely before travelling, and you should be fine.

Please visit the MAF Biosecurity NZ website for more information on bringing items into NZ.

Flies

You may bring fishing flies into New Zealand as per the above, as long as all natural materials comply with the Import Health Standards for Feathers and Furs

Preventing the Spread of Didymo Between Waterways

Didymo is an invasive algae introduced to New Zealand waters from North America by accident in 2004. It is an undesirable diatom which can form thick mats of weed across the streambed in the worst affected waters, and is aestheticaly unappealing in our otherwsie pristine river environment. Didymo may foul up on fly lines, flies, boot laces etc and in general, take away from the overall enjoyment of your angling day. Luckily, not all Didymo affected waters are inundated to this extreme, and in many, you would have to be looking for this algae in order to find it. However, it is an undesireable invader which we hope to contain as much as possible to the waters where it already exists.

Didymo cells can survive in as little as one drop of moisture, and so it is imperitive we remain vigilint when moving between rivers.

You can help prevent the spread of Didymo out of the back of your car by simply soaking all items which have come into contact with water in a tub containing a 5% solution of dishwashing liquid or nappy cleaner (2 large cups mixed with 10 litres of water), or a 2% solution of either bleach, or a specialist Didymo cleaning formula. I reccomend Uncle Jacks Didymo Cleaner  to ensure a 100% clean kill of all didymo cells.

Please note, all non absorbant items such as rods should be soaked for at least 1 minute in said solution, whilst absorbant items such as boots, nets, flies, clothing etc should be soaked for at least 5 minutes or preferrably, as long as possible.

Drying will also kill didymo, but slightly moist didymo cells can survive for months. To ensure didymo cells are dead by drying, the item must be completely dry to the touch, inside and out, then left dry for at least another 48 hours before use.

Please refer to the aforementioned MAF Biosecurity website for further instructions on preventing the spread of this aquatic pest.

Footnote: A portable Didymo Cleaning Kit consists of simply a plastic bucket, or tub, a scrubbing brush, a container of fresh water, and a bottle of detergent, or other suitable cleaning agent as approved by Biosecurity NZ.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 What To Bring

Whilst quality rods, reels, flies, tippet and associated equipment is provided, the following is a list of items you may wish to consider.

• Footwear

You will need to bring your own wading gear.

With the advent of felt soles being banned here in New Zealand, studded, rubberised soles now provide the best traction in our southern waters. I prefer studded auqastealth, or vibram rubber soles, although there are a number of good products on the market today. Specialist wading boots are lightweight, and specifically designed to be used in-stream, but many kiwis use tramping, or lightweight hiking boots with good results. Lightweight, sturdy footwear is a must for the backcountry, and for ankle protection I favour boots over shoes. However, at a pinch, lightweight gym shoes or 'sneakers' are fine for the Mataura, and many of our gentler, lowland streams. A pair of gravel guards can also make your walk more comfortable, as can a good pair of hiking socks.

• Clothing

Lightweight, quick drying shorts or trousers are the norm on our southern waters throughout the summer months. I personally find these more comfortable and versitile than waders in the rivers we tend to fish. Over summer, the temperatures are warm, and the distances we walk are often great, and even modern lightweight, breathable waders can become rather cumbersome by the days end. If you choose to bring waders then lightweight goretex, or similar chest waders are advisable over neoprene and other heavier materials. And whilst the majority of our river crossings are but knee deep, I have seen more than the odd pair of thigh waders over flow.

In cooler temperatures we employ polypropylene  longjohns, or thermals beneath our trousers for added warmth, and these provide comfort whilst still maintaining mobility.

I tend to layer my top half with a lightweight, thermal or merino bottom layer, a quick drying long sleeved shirt, and a warm, wind resistent fleece top.

This may all seem rather intricate just for a days fishing, but as an island nation New Zealand is subject to abrupt climatic changes, and it is not uncommon to experience all four seasons in one day.

A good peaked cap, or wide brimmed hat will not only shade your polarized lenses, but provide much needed sun protection, and many like to wear modern 'Buff' style headwear for added sun protection. Sungloves too protect your hands from UV rays and insect bites.

Finally, a good quality rain jacket is a must. We fish in all conditions and the fish dont care if they're wet. As humans we do, and quality rainwear can make all the difference to our enjoyment, comfort and ultimatly success in inclement weather.

• Polarized sunglasses

A must for UV eye protection, protection from wayward flies, and essential for cutting through surface glare and allowing us to spot trout. I prefer lenses of a yellow, or amber hue, as they allow better vision in a wider variety of conditions. Grey, or smoke coloured lenses are preferred by many on those brighter days, but can be a hindrance in low light conditions. Polaroid sunglasses can be supplied if required.

• Day pack

A small, comfortable day pack may be desired to carry spare clothing and personal items on the day. Whilst I do carry a pack myself, after lunches etc are packed space becomes limited, and anything more than a lightweight jacket may not fit.

• Sunscreen, insect repellant, lip balm

And any medications you may require. Please inform your guide prior to your trip if you suffer any alergies from plants, insect bites or bee stings.

• Wading staff

Although water saftey instruction and assistance is provided whilst wading, some people feel more confident with a wading stick, or staff of sorts. Wading is all about feeling confident, so pack a staff if you wish.

• Rods, reel and line

Medium to fast actioned rods of 5 or 6 weight designation are the norm with a matching weight forward, or double taper line to match. Much has been written about the need for dull coloured lines when fishing NZ. Bring them if you wish, but personally I use lines of a brighter hue: If I can see my line easily I know both where it is, and how its drifting. Besides - your line shouldnt be near the trout anyway so what does colour matter?

A reel with the capacity to hold 50 yds of backing and possessing a good quality, smooth drag system is a must.

• Flies

I prefer the minimalist approach when it comes to trout flies: Choose a few select patterns you have the utmost confidence in, and fish them well.

Any small, dark nymph such as the Phesant tail or Hare and Copper will do the job under most circumstances. The trick is selecting both the right size, and weight for the situation. I fish a pattern I call the Glister nymph almost exclusively in sizes 12 through 18, and these range from unweighted, through to those loaded with two tungstan beads for getting mega deep. 

A larger green caddis, creeper, or stonefly nymph adds a little variety to my selection, and comes into its own when fishing deeper, bouldery runs and riffles, where a little more size and weight is required.

Stillwater favourites such as an olive damsel nymph, Black and Peacock and midge pupa round off the selection and are used in swamps, ponds and backwaters, along with those slower river channels.

On top I employ a range of flush floating CDC or Deer Hair Emerger patterns along with Parachute Adams and a good spent spinner imitation, all in sizes 12 through 18. Tie them sparse - our mayflies are slim and dainty, and both size and silouhette is everything.

Umpquas Blowfly Humpy makes for a great indicator pattern and general terrestrial dry, whilst Clarks Cicada cannot be beaten in the high country come summer.

No fly box is complete without a big streamer, and one cannot, in my opinion go past the Woolly Buggar. Carried in a variety of sizes between 2 and 10, I find black and olive to be the most versitile colours for our local waters.

In my opinion its not the imitation, but the presentation which prevails: choose a select few flies you have confidence in, and present them well!

                         Glister Nymph                                                                                                Mataura Emerger

Glister Streamer

<< Back to Fly Fishing page