Brian with a Trophy Rainbow from the Twizel Canals.
Brian Willson, NZPFGA member, is a professional guide and I Love Fly Fishing close friend and Ambassador, brings us his weekly fly fishing report from Turangi for the Central North Island lakes and rivers. For up to date info, for what flies are working call Brian, 021667867. Euro/Czech, Dry Fly, Trout Spey, Nymph and Wet Fly.
Greetings fellow fly fishers.
Link for Cleardrift Eggs: https://iloveflyfishing.kiwi/product-category/fly-tying-materials/eyes-tungsten-beads-bodies-jarvies-cones/soft-eggs-cleardrift/
Well, I have just got back to Turangi after a week down at The Twizel Canals. I go down there every year just for something a bit different. I try to mix up a bit of canal fishing with some excellent fly fishing that can be had in some of the excellent wilderness rivers in the area. The South Island had been hit by very heavy rains the week before I got there and unfortunately the rivers were running too high for my liking. The Ahuriri River is probably my favourite down here but unfortunately the upper river was closed until December 1 so I couldn’t really get to fish clear water. Being a relatively large river, I knew it would take at least a week to come down to a fishable level so my efforts would have to be on the canals which, because there flows rate is controlled, never flood. The Twizel Canals are the most fished fishery in NZ, yes even more so than the Tongariro and associated rivers in the central plateau. All sorts of fishing methods are available to the fisher here, namely spinning, egg rolling, fly fishing, soft baiting and bait such as shrimp.
I try all methods (except bait) and have reasonable success with all methods but the one that I have most success with is probably the rolling egg only because I probably spend more time doing this method. It is not unlike Czech Nymphing when an egg (or two) is cast about 3/4 of the way out in the canal. The casting line is braid (doesn’t stretch so you can feel the hits). Added to this I attach about 2 metres of fluorocarbon of about 12 lb with a triple knot. At the end of this I attach a 3-way swivel. On the bottom eye of the swivel, I attach a cylindrical sinker about 200-300 mm on 3X fluorocarbon. The key here is to match the sinker to the flow rate of the canal. If the flow is slow or hardly going at all, you may use split shot but as the flow speeds up then your sinkers have to get heavier. You have to get the eggs down ( the eggs are tied onto the middle eye with 3X flurocarbon) and then they must be able to drift at the same speed as the flow and you have to hold your rod high and walk down the canal just keeping in front of your eggs.
Hits can be subtle but obvious enough and that is why using braid instead of nylon/ fluorocarbon is important. There will be many variations to this, but this is what works for me. I had a hard luck morning when I hooked a huge brownie that almost spooled me. I managed to get it back into the shallows after a long battle and had him on his side and just when I was about to net him, he gave one massive swoosh with his tail and broke my leader as if it was dental floss. It really hurts when you can’t even swear but I just managed to restrain myself by not throwing my rod into the centre of the canal. Still, I figured tomorrow would be another day and I did manage to catch a trophy rainbow the next morning. Another fisherman was egg rolling in conjunction with me and we had got into a beat where we were not getting in each other’s road. Nothing had happened for about an hour and a half and then suddenly we had a double hit, and they were both big fish. Now he was downstream from me, and his fish was holding firm in the middle of the current. My fish in the other hand was bolting down towards him at a great rate of knots. Fortunately, I lifted my rod over top of him and carried on downstream. This is when you wish you had heavier breaking strain but then you may not have got the strike.
I heard a loud expletive and knew the other fisherman had lost his fish. I wasn’t about to lose mine after what had happened with the brownie. (Who said canal fish can’t fight). Eventually after a long battle I got the fish near the edge of the canal and the other fisherman netted her for me. He then took the photo. It was a great adrenalin rush and for something different, I recommend it. So not much to say in the local scene only that there have been some good little freshes through the week in the Turangi area. Down in Twizel I had fine weather right through. I suspect with cooler temperatures, but reasonable weather predicted for the coming weekend, the fishing should be pretty good. I am guiding all weekend so hopefully this is the case.
Well, that’s it from me this week so until next time, tight lines. For all I Love Fly Fishing gear check it all out out on-line at www.iloveflyfishing.kiwi and order what you need. Feel free to call Barrie, 021-925006 or barrie@iloveflyfishing.kiwi. You will receive your goods in quick order and at a great price.
Brian – NZPFGA Member,
