Chasing Southern Dreams (Pt. 2)
Hey friends my trip has finally come to end here in New Zealand. Im sitting in my hotel in Christchurch, getting packed, eating chinese food and cleaning my wading gear to make sure I can get it back on the plane. Reflecting on this whole experience, I feel so grateful to have tasted the truly remarkable waters, culture, people and ever changing landscape of Aotearoa. There are few times in life where it feels as if the world stands still, and I’m blessed to have experienced multiple time stopping paradigms. Fly fishing and traveling go hand in hand, like making coffee by the stream or catching the last rays of light at sunset over the hills. In many ways it is romantic by nature, humbling and beautiful like any deep relationship. We come and we go but the memories get embedded within our hearts and minds. Being present has been the theme of this month, a gift in life that we can give to ourselves and others.
Sunset on a Southland River. The dry fly fishing picked up and things got epic.
After working the top of the South Island I made my way down the west coast towards Wanaka. I am apart of an awesome faith community in Mammoth Lakes called Lighthouse. Years ago some of our congregation planted a sister church on the South Island in Wanaka. It was a pleasure to meet with them for their final meeting before there yearly break. Everyone this time of year in New Zealand goes on a break, which either involves travelling or taking time to rest from their daily grind. I think that attitude is amazing and we could use a little more of that back in the states. Wanaka has a charm very similar to Mammoth, small ski town with a beautiful lake view and plenty of incredible outdoor recreation from hiking, mountain biking to fishing. I highly recommend a visit if you plan on heading to the South Island.
The Wanaka skatepark is LEGIT, and we had some incredible sessions over a couple days. One of the evenings a BMX meetup went down and things got wild. Shout out to all the rad crew I met at the Wanaka Park!
Some of the Wanaka Lighthouse Squad!
New friends in new places! I had a great time worshipping and partying with these guys. Thanks for sharing the stoke. Check them out if you find yourself in Wanaka.
Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.”
After taking a few days to rest and meet new friends I got the itch to get back on my hunt for New Zealand Brown. I started my way down towards the Southland which is considered the promise land for big brown trout and technical fly fishing. After spending the first part of the month dialing in my presentation and techniques my sessions on the river started making more sense. I started to gain a feeling for how to approach these trout. Fly fishing in New Zealand is quite different then in the States, you are hunting for these fish. Having someone else to fish with (spotter) will absolutely help you get into more fish and opportunities. The challenge of solo fly fishing in New Zealand requires true tactics, sighting the fish from above, moving quickly to a position to cast, and hoping the fish hasn’t moved haha! Sometimes you can see the fish in the water as you cast when the lighting is right and your position to the fish is correct.
The take on this brown was insane. As I walked the bank I spotted about 3 rising browns in a slow run. It was something out of a dream to just watch them sip and know if I landed my fly in the right place without drag I was gonna get an eat… the rest is history.
New Zealand host both trophy rainbow and brown trout. I have a slight obsession with Brown Trout, especially with the opportunity to catch large browns on the surface. There is no other place in the world that host such incredible top water fishing then New Zealand. That being said, it requires skill and patience. As a guide in California we get often get stuck in a quantity mindset, New Zealand is quality. Each angler I’ve met here has a deep level of patience and style, moving slow, making each cast count and moving with intention. Most of the time when you are sight fishing for these browns your first cast is EVERYTHING. As local guide legend Simon Chu puts it “You need to fish for every fish like its your last”. You might find yourself walking for a while, watching the water, finally find a fish feeding and completely blow it with bad presentation. That being said having confidence in your cast and knowing how to double haul is key.
Although not my biggest fish of the trip, this was by far the prettiest! This trout came out for a blowfly (14) out of the depths.
The progression when targeting a fish in New Zealand usually goes like this… start with a dry, if it refuses, Immediately change the fly. If it refuses the second fly take a 10 minute cloud watching/coffee break. Next up run a dry dropper, making sure you get both flies at least two feet above the fish and in its face making it easy to feed. If it refuses then, well.. your most likely not getting an eat. Fishing streamers in New Zealand can be very effective but its a one and done. If the fish doesn’t eat your streamer, it most likely knows somethings up and you just woke up the whole zone if any other fish were present. Walking away from a fish can be brutal, but it’s a numbers game and if your willing to go the distance you will learn from your past mistakes and have another shot as you move upstream. Listening to your intuition as you work the stream will make or break you. You have to be willing to re-rig for every fish, so being lazy about it will lead you to SKUNK.
Hanging with local guides Simon and Charles in the Southland. The knowledge between the two of these guys is deep. I had a killer time learning from Simon and Charles, as well as an incredible home cooked Asian inspired meal by Sir Charles. This cabin owned by Simon has so much fly fishing history and by all means is a museum and sacred fishy place. I will be hosting a trip to New Zealand for my clients in December 2026 guided by Simon and Charles. It’s going to be EPIC, standby for more details. Thanks for the kindness yall, solid dudes!
Japanese Fly fishing guide and New Zealand backcountry enthusiast Go tying up some flies for the boys. Go is a remarkable angler and fly tyer. Im hoping to link up with Go next december in New Zealand to get in the backcountry together!
There are some rivers on the South Island known for extra large browns getting over 10lbs. I spent the last three days trying to hunt down a true monster and although I didn’t get anywhere close to a double digit fish I still caught some of the best brown trout of my life. Navigating some of the weather windows is tricky, I was lucky to score this particular river with near perfect conditions for the first day. On the first stretch I reached in the morning I saw three big browns in the center of the run, actively feeding. I moved behind them from around 20 ft away with a dry dropper… Blowfly (12) to a non weighted pheasant tail (14). I cast above all three fish that were close together and as it passed over them I watched the dry fly dip quickly. I set the hook and watched this 6lb brown take flight and immediately start downstream in lightning speed. I ran across the waist deep water chasing the fish and keeping the pressure on him giving and taking what I felt appropriate. It was one of the best fights I’ve ever experienced. Knowing the quality of fish in the river, I came prepared running 6lb Maxima, allowing me to lean into the fish with more confidence. Watching this brown move through the water with such exponential force was worth every sunburn, sandfly bite, and top ramen meal. I eventually got him to the net and admired a truly beautiful brown, got a quick pic, and put him safely back in the water to grow even larger!
Slight madness and stoke in my eyes! What a fish and what an experience.
Reflecting on this trip, my time alone with creation, the slow days and the productive days, the people I met, and the way God brings us together, my cup is FULL. I feel like I learned an exponential amount more about fly fishing and myself, that’s all one can ask for. I am humbled by this place… and I know my time here was well spent. I will most definitely be coming back for more. We all sacrifice things in life in pursuit of our dreams and passions, for better or worse the choices we make circle round and round. These days I just want to leave a positive wake of love and compassion for this short time on this wild planet. That being said, I encourage you to step out into adventure and say yes. Get in the car, put on your favorite song, and let the road take you somewhere new. The magic happens when we step outside of our comfort zone and reach further!
I realize that we all have different beliefs and paths in life, and I love everyone for their own journey. In my journey my walk with Jesus took me from a prisoner to a pioneer and he can do the same for you. My purpose is not defined but what I do but by who HE calls me to be. I am excited to see where he leads me, and wherever that is I will not fear, for there is no fear in love.
John 7:37 “Rivers of living water will flow from his heart”
-Luke
Beach wood and the tasman sea.
