The Move Is Complete

Today we made the 2 1/2 hour drive from Murchison to just outside of Hamner Springs, NZ on the South Island.  It was a spectacular drive along 2-lane highways through the mountains with lots of 1 lane bridges to navigate.  The scenery was terrific except that we soon ran into rain that continued all the way to Hamner Springs.  

For Gene and I both, everything below our waists hurts from exertion.  Gene has an additional few aches and pain above the waist, but nothing that ibuprofen is not handling.

More fishing tomorrow.  The break today was welcome.

  

Some Catch Up Photos from Owen River Lodge

Charlie with another brown trout.  

Gene & Don Relaxing - Gene with his iPad (He is a confirmed member of the Apple Cult).  Don is working hard on his conventional MS based Netbook trying to keep up with demands for new posts on the blog.

This photo gives you an idea of the high banks along the river from which the guides spot the fish and then angler must climb down to the river to cast to the fish.  After spooking or catching the fish then the angler has to climb back up the river bank to search for the next fish.

Some Local Scenery Along One of the Many Rivers that We Fished

This photo is from Gene's softer side - He really liked this flower, but he doesn't know what it is called.  He is offering a free dinner with him in Christchurch, NZ any time when he is in Christchurch.  Winner is responsible for getting him/herself to Christchurch.

Tomorrow (Tuesday in NZ, Monday in the US) is Moving Day

Tomorrow the only goal that we have is pack up our stuff and move about 125 miles SE of here.  We will travel in our rental cars for about 2 1/2 hours and hope that we can remember which side of the road to be on for the entire trip. 

I have to say that this is the most physically demanding fishing and technical fishing that I have ever had to deal with.  I have enjoyed it immensely, although I wasn't always able to realize how much I was enjoying it.  The long hikes carrying a back pack trying desperately to keep up with a Kiwi guide who just lopes across this country are strenuous to say the least.  River crossings are a trip in themselves as guide and angler hang on to one another and off you go.  

Other than the one exception today a single bad cast often badly spooks a fish that you worked so hard to find and then get into position to make the cast.  I found myself wishing that I had my grandson, Keegan, here to help me scramble up and down the steep riverbanks.  I think that I might have worn the butt out of my brand new waders sliding down the steep banks.  Today's banks were the steepest of all - often 25' to 30' high.  Arghh, it hurts to even think about that tonight.

Tomorrow is travel and rest and then back to the fishing wars for 3 more days.  I am expecting more of the same in our new lodge, Riverview Lodge, near Hamner Springs.  We'll see what the reality is.

Lots More Fish Porn

Today it finally all came together for me.  Greg, my guide, and I went to the Weirau River.  It was gorgeous country.  When the first fish that we spotted ate, I began to think that this was going to be a good day.   Soon the weather cleared after yesterday's light rain all day and evening.  Then I caught my first NZ fish on a dry fly.  Later I made my only terrible cast of the day.  The fly (a size 10 black cicada) landed right next to the shoreline about 6 feet from the fish.  He ran the 6' to get the fly, climbing over a rock in the process, and took off downstream with the fly.  I did a beautiful hook set and the race was on.  It is amazing to me how quickly you can run over the same slippery rocks that you carefully picked your way over to get into position to cast, while holding your rod high and reeling like hell, then figure out which hand to hang on to your walking stick.  What, no third hand!!

Chip and Charlie also had a good day, while things were a little slower for Gene..

Chip with a beautiful brown trout.  Chip made an amazing recovery from his short-term illness yesterday.  When he got to the river finally some time after noon, he immediately landed this fish as makeup for the lost morning.

These fish are incredibly difficult to catch.  They tend to lie is places that they are difficult to spot, difficult to cast to, and spook at the slightest indication of an intruder in their world.  Many times I have heard my guide say, "Perfect cast!!  Oh, that bugger!!  He buggered off!"  "Bugger" seems to have many uses here in NZ.  It can be used a noun, adjective, or adverb, much like "F" bomb back home.  But when it all comes together, it is truly sweet.  But you have to remember that merely hooking the fish does not complete the task.  Once hooked these fish seem to like to run downstream.  You have to chase them, often long distances, running over the same rocks that a short time before you were very carefully picking your way over.  Then the fish goes into a pile of "rubbish" or behind a rock.  Using 5X or 6X tippet, it is a challenge to get them out.  I lost a really nice 6lb'er yesterday when it bolted from the net and broke a badly frayed tippet.  Argghh!!  So close, but so far.

New Zealand Whitebait

Last night, Saturday night, we were treated to a New Zealand delicacy as an appetizer - Whitebait.  Whitebait is a tiny (1 1/2 inch), transparent fish that anadramous, i.e. it lives in freshwater but goes to the sea to spawn.  On its way back to freshwater the young fry are netted.  It takes 1700 fish to make one kilo (800/lb) and they cost $125/lb to buy in the stores here.  One of the guides here at Owen River Lodge nets these tiny fish and provided them for our dinner.  

The Whitebait are cooked whole (head & guts included) in a pancake-like batter, perhaps 3-4 fish to the "pancake" and served with a flavored butter to add to the pancake.  

Unusual, but very good!!

Felix Borenstein - Our Host at Owen River Lodge