South Island, New Zealand

When heading to fish the South Island of New Zealand you can fly into Christchurch, the main city of the South Island, or into Auckland, then take a connecting flight through to Christchurch. From Christchurch you will need a rental vehicle to get to the best fishing spots. Remember drivers need to stay on the left-hand side of the road. In the rural areas sometimes there is little traffic about to remind you of this. The best parts of the season are November to December and February to March.

The main fish caught in the South Island of New Zealand are the brown and rainbow trout. You will also find king/chinook/quinnat salmon and some sockeye salmon . You will need 5-6 weight for trout in the smaller waters and 7-8 weight for salmon and trout in lakes and rivers.

You will need a basic trout fly selection. North American patterns generally work well in New Zealand. It pays to call in to the local fishing shop in the area you are fishing to find out their favourites. Use a basic anadromous fish selection for the quinnat salmon.