Our upcoming fishing trip

Evening all

Me and my boy Iain (18) are heading off to the S Island in about 3 weeks on a 3-month fishing & hunting trip. For the first month the emphasis is on the fishing, principally freshwater with some surf casting.

We aren't fly fishermen and will be spinning for trout and maybe some redfin. I am a proficient spin fisherman and my son is a relative beginner. We might decide to try some fly fishing training with a mate if we can get that to work.

We are thinking of heading over to the Nelson / Marlborough region first, and start off on easy to access rivers like the Motueka. Then maybe heading over to the Cobb. Something like that. Then we'll work our way down the island in whatever way takes our fancy.

Is there anywhere we absolutely must go? Rivers that will return fish for a reasonable amount of effort, where the boy can get his eye in? We are vehicle based (Hilux) and will be DOC camping, we won't be undertaking days long missions into the back country until later in the trip when we are much further south.

Cheers

Lake Argyle for a bit of casting practice and then up the Branch or Wairau for some back country fish. And for something different an Elephant fish down the coast a bit.

Lake Argyle has a neat wee camp spot and is fun to fish. Some cracker rainbows in there too.

Cobb is cool. Good camping at head of the lake. Its well stocked with small trout, plenty of koura in there too [emoji41] Pretty sure cobb valley floor closed to hunting at this time of year.

Kingfish in abundance around collingwood/ farewell spit (east side) Epic coast fishing westhaven inlet and beaches south. Patarau anatori etc

If there is anyway you could incorporate the Rainbow road on your trip south then I would highly recomend it. Stunning drive, heaps of fishing opportunities. Good camping at lake tennyson [emoji106]

I'm in Tasman so sing out if you need any further info from around here [emoji2937]




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Caught a few fish in the canal at the top of Lake Argyle on spinning gear.

Pack a few 1 inch bubbles and hare and copper / peasant tail nymphs size 10 / 12, the rivers are dropping so sight fishing trout and drifting a nymph over it or running a bubble through the head water of a pool.

The thing to be successful with this method of fishing is getting your nymph deep enough. So bring a box of split shot and then be prepared to change rigs according to the water your fishing,

You can wander a river and chuck lures and be successful, but a couple of $50 polarised glasses and fishing sighted fish is exciting and frustrating at the same time …enjoy your trip

Rainbow road for sure, can't miss that area

Wangapeka is another I hear is a good river, I don't freshwater fish though