“If I fished only when the weather was good, I would not have caught very many fish. The best time to go fishing is when you can.” — Zane Grey
Greetings fellow fly fishers,
My apologies for missing last week’s report, but I’ll bring you up to speed with this one. The whole country received some horrible weather a week or so ago, and the wind, especially in Turangi, was pretty horrific; indeed, at one stage, State Highway 1 was closed from Hunterville to Waiouru due to fallen trees and slips. I took a trip down to Palmerston North just after the roads were reopened, and the devastation was plain to see. Big gum trees and pines were flattened all over the place, especially around Hunterville and Mangaweka. The slips had been cleared, but it was very obvious where they had been.
I had a large pine tree in my backyard snap about three-quarters of the way up and, fortunately, come down along the fence line of my property, missing the neighbour’s house next door on one side and my garage on the other. My neighbour and I, between the two of us, cut down the rest of the tree carefully in sections and had several large loads of green waste that we took to the tip.
Fortunately, the last few days have seen more settled weather. The fishing has been fairly tough, but the patient angler will be rewarded. Lou, my client from Perth, lost a large Brownie in the Judge’s Pool on a woolly bugger, which unfortunately straightened his hook. That day, it was pouring down with rain, and we were the only people on the river. It was Lou’s last day, and it will give him something to think about for a while.
The future forecast doesn’t look too bad, with some rain on the cards at some point. From this weekend, I am guiding some Australians for about 10 days, so there will be much to talk about next week.
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 Johan, 021-02209719 or johan@iloveflyfishing.kiwi. You will receive your goods in quick order and at a great price.
Until next time,
Tight lines,
Brian – NZPFGA Member,
