The Stuff Memories Are Made Of | Fly Fish New Zealand

I recently spent a day guiding father and son Hugh and William Spalding on the upper Mataura. We encountered a magic day of weather and the usual fussy brown trout that reside in the upper reaches of this beautiful stream. The first few pools we found a couple of fish nymphing in and hooked one fairly early on but unfortunately it popped off. Things were quiet for the next hour or so with limited shots at feeding fish. We stopped for lunch by the riverside and watched a nice fish feeding off the surface while we hurriedly ate our filled rolls hoping the fish would continue as we ate ! A #14 Blow fly pattern was promptly tied on and carefully presented to the fish who eagerly rose and engulfed it , but again it came unstuck ! The day had warmed up nicely and we came across more fish taking off the top so we stuck with the #14 blow fly and ended up landing 4 fish 1 for Will (his first on the fly rod !) and 3 for Dad.

Dad with a nice Mataura river brownie.

Wills first fish on fly rod and also on a dry fly. Well done young fella !

I personally really enjoy these guide days with father and sons( I have a fly fishing obsessed son) as its the things they remember the most about growing up as a kid. I still have great memories of catching my first brown trout with my Dad at a very young age and still try and get out together fly fishing when we both have a free day in our busy lives...its the stuff memories are made off !