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| Week One - January 10 -17, 2009 |
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A lot greener than home. The first afternoon is warm up time. The boys clean out the cobwebs on a local stream. |
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Locked and loaded, applying maximum pressure to a solid fish. |
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A healthy brown in tip top condition. This fish is about average for many of the smaller streams and creeks in the area. |
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The release. One of the most rewarding moments in fly fishing, perhaps only second to the dry fly take. |
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Michael displays a chunky brown. A great fish early in the trip takes all the pressure off.
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We fish a heap of different waters down in Southland. This long glide is not typical of postcards you will find from the region; but there are always some great fish rising in it. |
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Another chunky fish from a Mataura tributary. These solid brutes are great fun and for the most part, are out and rising throughout the day. |
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Michael releases the fish from the previous photo.
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Left: Spotting a fish for a mate, or in this case brother, is aided by the high bank on the outside corner of this bend. Right: The rewards for getting it right. |
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The fish vary in colour not only from river to river but also in different sections of each river. Check the colour's on this one and how well they suit the water it lives in. |
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While we know that most fly fishing gear this day is made in China, there is little doubt as to where his hat was manufactured. |
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Lunch by an access point. There are a million places you could be but that one's not bad at all.
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Left: Hard to imagine this is the middle of summer. Right: Trying to raise a fish to the dry fly in mid river. |
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Home, sweet home. Dunrobin on the upper Aparima is our base for these trips. A few minutes walk and you are on the river fishing. |
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Scrambled eggs in the morning? Only one yolk for me, I'm watching my cholesterol. |
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Junior with a beautiful brown taken from another willow lined southland river. There are literally dozens of them. |
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It's wonderful to guide on these trips and see what even Attenborough has yet to capture. Grown men, CEO's, captains of industry, all reduced to groveling and crawling for one more fish! |
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James takes a pic for the boys. We really try to keep the fish out of the water for the shortest period. Even so, careful handling and cold water mean the fish swim off in very good condition. |
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A weed choked creek that has good numbers of healthy fish. Back at home in Australia, we would spend all day chasing a fish like this, in NZ its a quick photo and off looking for its big brother. |
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Same fish, different angle. The brothers enjoying a moment together. |
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Leo and a chunky brown from small water. These boys come each year and have the place reasonably well sussed now. |
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Yet another great fish from small water. The fish in this river, really are peas in a pod. Lots of solid 3-4.5lb and they eat dry flies. |
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