Guide Profile

Anglers Anonymous guides are themselves fish-a-holics and the two main guides Andrew and Mike are fishing buddies who spend their time between guiding jobs, going fishing, talking fishing, tying flies and planning their next fishing trip!

Andrew Blake

Hi! My name's Andrew and I'm a fish-a-holic.  If you have the same addiction then maybe I can help ...  to guide you to some of the best wild trout fly fishing around! I am a full time independent professional New Zealand Fly Fishing guide specializing in fly fishing  New Zealands Central North Islands Lake Taupo Region.

I now live in Turangi the self proclaimed "trout fishing capital of the world" though I was born in Whangarei near the Bay Of Islands in 1973.  Fishing has been my passion since I was old enough to go out in the boat with my father.  With the first knock on the door at 5 in the morning I would leap out of bed, fly into my clothes and run out to help get the boat ready - forgetting about breakfast and all other non fishing essential trivialities.

After initially helping my father building, I worked for the local power supply company for a number of years in the engineering office and due to terrible handwriting ended up being guided into computing where I became a full time programmer and eventually did contract work in the UK.  With limited fishing options in the UK, I returned.  A little financially better off, I was able to fish a lot more, intermingled with being a part time real-estate sales person.

After seeing my father work until he was 65, saving for his retirement and looking forward to going fishing with his family a lot, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer at 66 and died at 67.  Having been in the rat race and chasing money for all those years this was a lesson for me that life is short and you don't know what's around the corner so you must enjoy it while you can.  Hence I went fishing.  And fishing.  And fishing!

In one of those years the Tongariro river alone was graced with my presence on around 200 separate days.

Eventually the opportunity to guide came my way, adding a whole new element to the fishing that I had never realised was there - taking others fly fishing and helping them to enjoy the fishing and the surrounds of the beautiful New Zealand countryside is actually hugely enjoyable and rewarding.  Whether it is taking similar minded experienced fish-a-holics out to help them indulge their passion or whether it is taking beginners out and helping guide them on their first New Zealand fly fishing experience to their first trout, this job is fantastic!

The money from guiding certainly helps to support my habit - allowing me to purchase new gear (I am a gear freak) and to go on fishing and hunting trips myself when I'm not working, but the best thing about being a fishing guide is meeting and making new friends from all around the globe.  People that go fishing all have something in common and there is never a shortage of conversation on the river.

From time to time when things are busy I do sub-contract with other experienced local guides - that is they work for me some times and visa-versa.

Although I haven't fished the entire rest of the world, I find it hard to believe that Fly Fishing in New Zealand wouldn't be the best.  The Central North Island in particular is fantastic not only for its steroided up ballistic, insane trout but also for the surrounding scenery.  Taupo is also one of the few areas that you can go fly fishing for trout in New Zealand all year round.  As a full time professional New Zealand fly fishing guide, the safety and comfort of clients is of high importance to me and I apply a lot of thought in choosing the best location not only for the conditions and time of year but also to match peoples ability and fitness levels to the fishing water.