When many people are packing away there fishing gear for the winter months to concentrate on other winter activities ,others are just getting amped for the wintertime fly fishing oppurtunities available here in the Southern Lakes area.
We are lucky in the Wanaka region in that we have several very good river fishing options availble to us ,one of which is classed as a back country fishery and can fish very well through the winter months, as well as having a good population of resident brown and rainbow trout it also experiences good runs of migrating fish moving upstream to spawn, all of which provide great sport.
With Lakes Wanaka, Hawea and Dunstan all being within an hours drive of each, still water oppurtunities are also plentiful.Whether it be stalking the weed beds and flats of the lake deltas with small lightly weighted woolly buggers and nymphs, stripping large streamers on sink tip lines through the rip and drop off zone of an in flowing river mouth ,fishing a weighted bomb with an egg pattern dropper under an indicator or even the odd time throwing a dry to a fish feeding off the top ,the fly fishing options for winter fishing around the Wanaka region are plentiful ! New Zealand trout fishing adventures over the winter months are usually around 6-8 hours in duration dependent on location chosen on the day.
The Clutha river which is open all year round from the marker post just below the famous Deans Bank section provides some excellent fishing, again large streamers fished on sink tips and high density sinking lines , weighted bomb style nymphs with an egg/glo bug, hare and copper or a pheasant tail tied off the bottom will all produce fish.Fly fishing New Zealand over the winter time around the Southern lakes region can be very productive,contact me if your here in Wanaka and looking for a days guided fly fishing.
New Zealand trout fishing at it's best !
