New Zealand Fly Patterns - West Coast Region

New Zealand fly patterns differ markedly from those available in the US. Many  - fly fishing often requires accurate selection, and "match the hatch" is the cliché most widely used.  To some, tying and/or collecting is more important than getting out with the fly rod! I confess that I have a lot of flies in my boxes which have only been wet a time or two. They sit unused from season to season, but I will not throw them out. You just never know when they will come in handy..... 

There is an enormous selection of flies available locally, and some may have various local names, tying variations and derivatives etc. Many will be familiar to visiting anglers, if not by name then certainly by appearance. The following illustrations are all of imitations that will catch fish in our area. There are others as well, of course, but these make a good base from which to start collecting. Shown is a selection of dries, nymphs, and streamers. 

New Zealand Fly Patterns - Drys

Adams - Irresistible Carty's General Terrestrial     Coch-y-Bondhu Dad's Favourite Elk Hair Caddis Green Manuka Beetle Twilight Beauty Kakahi Queen

New Zealand Fly Patterns - Nymphs

New Zealand Fly Patterns - Streamers

Muddler Minnow - a good choice for lake and river edges, when the cicadas are busy falling into the water.	Mrs Simpson - a Lake Brunner favourite, imitates the very plentiful cockabully, staple diet for brown trout. We use the red body.
Hairy Dog - late evening & night time choice. Ugly & effective.	Kilwell - very similar to Mrs Simpson, another great day/night time lure.
Craig's Night-time. A good lake or river mouth lure, in early evening. Emulates the freshwater crayfish which are plentiful in the local lakes and rivers.	Hamill's Killer - a good choice on bright days, especially with the yellow or green body variation.

Varying the body colour on streamers is recommend, depending on light levels. On bright days, try variations of standard flies with a yellow or light green body. On dull, rainy or overcast days, try red bodies. The black bodied flies, such as Red Shadow, Hairy Dog, Hart's Creek etc work well in the late evening or at night.

Don't overlook the night fishing, as that is the time that the BIG brown trout come within casting distance of the shore, and their vigilance is relaxed, a little.  

New Zealand Fly Patterns - Books

Guide Books. If you are looking for an excellent little NZ fishing guide, you can't go past this one! Pocket size, covers everything you need to know, including insect species, fly imitations and has charts which illustrate what fly, for what type of water, for each season! the book is pocket sized to fit easily into the average vest, or tackle box. It is well illustrated, and has an excellent index. There are seasonal charts which assist selection of imitations based on location such alpine, hills, meadows, time of year, and type of water. For example, lakes margins, ponds, river, streams. All in all, it is certainly a book worth having.   

Flies that Catch Trout   ***Recommended  

(ISBN 0-908685-75-0)

by Laurence Christie, 

Published by Halcyon Publishing Ltd

C.P.O. Box 360 Auckland New Zealand

Great little pocket-sized NZ book with a useful chart of suggested New Zealand fly patterns by month/location.

Fly fishing success is a product of the combination of many factors. Its an art, mixed with science. Above all, its perhaps the very best of ways to spend a day. The communion with nature, the fresh air, the escape from the gritty realities of modern life - all these things add to the attraction. 

Small wonder, then the choices people make, as in this little story.... 

Two guys, sitting at the river bank. 

First guys says "My wife reckons she's gonna leave me, if I don't stop fishing." 

Second guy, aghast, asks "What are you gonna do?"  

First guy replies, "Not sure, but I'm certainly gonna miss her a lot!" 

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