There are
many different fly patterns used in New Zealand. Described below are
several of the most common including several well known international
patterns that we have included tying instructions for so that you have a
one stop spot hopefully to find all the details needed to fill your fly
box up ready to tangle with New Zealand's large wild Rainbow and Brown
Trout. Some of these we might tie differently to other people but we
don't really care - they work. We have also included here a few
patterns of our own as well as in the video demonstrations you may find a
few tying tricks that make fly tying a little quicker - particularly if
you are tying 100's or 1000's.
Nymphs
Hare & Copper
If you were allowed to choose only one fly to fish with in New Zealand then this would be it. It's main use is as a generic nymph pattern fished upstream nymphing in pretty much any waterway in the country. It also works static nymphed in lakes. It works being retrieved in lakes. It works being swung on the surface during an evening rise taken as a caddis. It works being swung retrieved on a wet line or swung on a wet line streamer fishing. It works using the Lessering Lift to induce a take out of stubborn brown trout in the lower Tongariro River during summer! The Hare & Copper is a generic pattern that basically roughly resembles a range of New Zealand nymphs. Click the following link to find tying instructions including video demonstration for tying the Hare & Copper fly.
Kauffman's Pheasant Tail
Teamed up as the point fly of a two fly rig normally trailing behind a weighted Hare & Copper this fly takes more trout for me during summer than any other fly in my box. Roughly resembles many New Zealand mayflies. Click the following link to find tying instructions including video demonstration for tying the Kauffman's Pheasant Tail fly.
Glow-Bug
Known in other places as egg patterns, glow-bugs predominantly imitate trout eggs being washed down river during spawning season but I suspect given the size and color of some patterns that these may also be stimulating an aggressive strike more than a feeding strike for some trout. Click the following link to find tying instructions including video demonstration for tying the Glowbug fly.
Dry Flies
Parachute Adams
One of the worlds best dry fly patterns. These work very well all over New Zealand during the summer and is one of my favorite patterns for smooth to lightly riffled waters. Click the following link to find tying instructions including video demonstration for tying the Parachute Adams dry fly.