What To Bring - Fly Fishing New Zealand

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What To Bring If Your Visiting New Zealand Fly Fishing.

Bringing your own fly-fishing gear into New Zealand is pretty easy on the whole.

MAF Biosecurity staff require any freshwater fishing equipment such as your Simms Waders and Boots (note felt soled boots are not permitted to be worn here in NZ) which is not completely dry (inside and out) to be treated, regardless of whether it has been cleaned before coming to New Zealand. Treatment for some fishing items takes time and will most likely take place outside of the airport. If it is not feasible for the owner to wait for treatment to be completed, they will have to make their own arrangements to collect the item or have it shipped to their New Zealand, or home address.

Rods and Reels

Typically, a 9’, 6wt rod is what we use here in NZ as it loads well and has the ability to cast appropriately on smaller to medium sized water. Its also able to handle the wind and cast the often bigger, heavier flies that we tend to use here over the course of the season. It’s extremely versatile and lends well to both river and lake fishing making it the most popular weight and length to use. Wide arbor reels are preferred with weight forward floating lines that are attached to at least 100m of backing. On the terminal end, tapered 9-to-12 foot leaders, with 2-4 feet of 4X or 5X tippet are typically the norm.

I’d recommend where possible to bring your own rod and reel if you have the space. I can provide you with quality Epic Reference 6wt rods, Lamson reels and Airflo fly lines if you decide not bring gear with you due to limited luggage space.

Fly Tying

Commercially tied flies and packaged fly-tying materials are fine to bring in with you,

Clothing

As for clothing I’d advise you to bring the following as the weather here in NZ can throw all 4 seasons at you at any given time over the course of the fishing season here in NZ due to its geographical nature.

  • Light weight tramping style pants, or shorts with polyprops.

  • Light weight shirt nothing to flashy in colour.

  • Merino base layers both top and bottom

  • Warm merino socks

  • Mid layer fleece top

  • Light weight puffer style jacket

  • Cap and or wide brimmed hat

  • Sun buff

  • Good reliable Gore-Tex raincoat

  • Sun gloves

Polarized Sunglasses

A quality pair of these can make a world of difference when trying to spot trout here in NZ. They also offer you valuable protection against harmful UV rays and sharp hooks and wayward beaded flies! I prefer to wear amber and rose coloured lenses in overcast days and grey or smoked coloured ones on the brighter sunnier days.

Backpack

A small 15-30L day pack may be required to carry your lunch box, water, extra clothing for the day as well as any other accessories you may require for the duration of the days fishing. I can supply one if need be.

Wading Staff

During the course of the day, we may cross the river up to a dozen times in search trout. A wading staff offers more support when doing this and can give the angler more confidence.

Sun-block and Insect Repellent

New Zealand’s sun is fairly harsh so a good 30-50+ sunblock is required, and I would recommend applying sun screens every hour or so.Sandflies can also be a problem sometimes here in the South Island back country, so using a good brand of repellent such as Bushmans or Sawyers Insect repellent is highly advised as they can be very pesky at times !