Trust the French to find a treasure around a duck's bum. Love CDC feathers, I like them so much (love fades quickly) they end up on a lot of my flies & nymphs. The CDC caddis with or without a sedge hatch is so deadly it should be banned from the flyboxes of true trout fishers. Luckily they haven't been banned and I tried to secure some from a local mallard but it wouldn't stand still for long enough. So apart from sedge flies I also incorporate a pair of feathers on a searun trout flymph. Fanwings are used on flies like a spent spinner, and are tied at right angles to the hook. In my case ..read more

I tend to agree that paying for access to DW may well create a sense of entitlement (with some justification imo) and potentially lead to more conflict on both DW’s and those non designated rivers that will inevitably see more pressure. The proposal definitely won’t stop what Paul Arden (Sexyloops) refers to as Helicunters. It would be bad enough walking into a river and be helicunted, even worse if you have paid for DW. As much as I really like certain parts of NZ (Hanmer Springs /Lewis Pass being one) I think I’m unlikely to bother fishing any DW this year. It’s time to dust off John Kent’s ..read more

Southshore - I would be interested to read your diary for the past summer season. My observations of our CHC spring creeks show a situation of very few small fish (one of 6 in a day), and the fish in general were larger this season. I was smoked by a 4 lb'er the second day of the season, and subsequently didn't use my 4-weight on that spring creek after that date. The spring creeks are a changing scene. 20 years ago, it was the norm to catch 15 fish no larger than 1 lb on opening day, largely fishing blind through likely seams and eyes. Closer to home (south of the Waimak say) fewer fish were ..read more

Guides are not worried. The 5 days each client gets on Designated Waters is plenty for them and they can most easily wear the cost. Designated waters doesn’t stop camping. It certainly doesn’t fix poor etiquette and will probably make that worse as people are literally paying for a day on the river. Even fish and game concede that etiquette is best solved by a clearly defined beat system. Loss of low land options? Therein lies the rub, if Southland is any example this is exactly what we are being left with. Come to NZ, bring money, but don’t expect anything in return. Statistics: Posted by mjl ..read more

Sums it up pretty well Andy. When provider ONE (ex vodafone) set up their satellite coverage with SpaceX there should be no dead spots. I carry a mobile in a ziplok bag for safety purposes fishing locally but it's always turned off, I don't want anyone ringing me when away fishing. Courtesy, manners, consideration for others on the water has gone down the drain very rapidly it seems, although there are still a few holdouts; even around the Twizel canals. Too many fishing waters, too few rangers to cover them. Like bad drivers, bad angler types can slob out because there is little chance of bei ..read more