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 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.
I have been a professional fly fishing guide in the Taupo / Central North Island of New Zealand
for the past 10 years, with my love for the great outdoors and life time of fishing experience
I further pursued this as my occupation that I am very passionate about, my humble nature accompanies
my vast knowledge and experience to take you to to the Central plateau's
pristine rivers' streams
and lakes. I am a member of the New Zealand Professional fishing Guides Association and have also
been one of Tongariro Lodges main guides for the last 8 years. As a guide I have met
a lot of great
people along the way in which I have made some very good friends who have made it possible to take
my love for fly fishing to other parts of the world, like America, Alaska and several places
in Mexico.
Testimonial
Hi Bryce, nice job on posting our trip. I will forward the link to Terry, I think he will be pleased. If you need any input from us or more pictures, please let me know. We had a great time and can't wait to get back down for some more.
Don Shiver
I was born in Napier, New Zealand and learnt to fish at a young
age on Hawkes Bay rivers at a young age by my best mate-my
father Colin Christmas.
I have lived and fished all over the world including England,
Ireland , Scotland, Spain and Australia and have always been
dragged back to New Zealand and the Taupo region to because of
the great outdoors and world class trout fishing.
Past jobs include Scuba Diving Instructor and offshore
Commercial Diving (welding, cutting etc) never had a inside job.
I love trout fishing because of the serenity, the un known
factor, the skill involved, the scenery that I encounter on a
daily basis and of course the people that I meet on the way.
I have become a fly fishing guide because of the love I have for
the outdoors and the knowledge that I have picked up in the
Taupo region while pursuing a sport that I love.
I love my job because I love to meet new people and find all
people interesting from all walks of life, I find you must be
very personable to become successful and taking an interest in
someone else's life is a important part of any guiding day.
Most of all it gives me pleasure teaching the fine art of fly
fishing and introducing someone to a new sport and past time
that may then be with them for the rest of their lives.
This is my dream job and wouldn't change it for anything.
My name is
John Somervell. I am 60 years young and have been fly fishing
for nearly 30 years. I have been a professional fly fishing
guide for the last 12 years and am based on the Central Plateau
of the North Island of New Zealand. My specialty is back
country fishing during the summer months. I also specialize in
tuition for the novice fisherman.
Testimonial
Dear Andrew
I would like to thank you for the excellent organization of my
fishing and
the accommodation and meal. John Somervell was an excellent
guide and we had
a fantastic day.
Best regards
Dr. Peter Hufschmied
CEO
ExTechNa GmbH
Hohle Gasse 3
CH-3095 Spiegel bei Bern
Schweiz
Tel: +41 31 974 36 30
Fax: + 41 31 974 36 32
Mobil: +41 79 300 50 33
peter dot hufschmied at extechna dot com
www dot extechna dot com www dot extechna dot com