Hello to anyone that reads this. A while ago an American client gave me a couple of suggestions that he thought would benefit my site and its readers/users and inherently my potential customers. It was not by any means a lack of fish or fish size that prompted this, just that they would have liked to have seen this on sites before they chose to come over and it would have made their decision making process easier. He suggested that keeping an online diary of fishing events particularly catch numbers and sizes would give people a useful idea of what to expect. As we all know – fishing is fishing, and results are never predetermined before the start of a day but at least people should be able to get a good indication of what the Central North Island of New Zealand particulary the Lake Taupo region has to offer in terms of fly fishing. Not having fished the entire rest of the world I can’t say beyond any shadow of doubt that we have the best trout fly fishing here, particulary with places around like Patagonia and the South Island of New Zealand, but having fished here a fair reasonable amount now and having talked with people who have fished everywhere else on the planet – I have a strong suspicion that we do have the best Trout Fly Fishing in the world here.

Myself when fishing have had days ranging from 0 hookups of course to 60 – 70 trout in the 3 to 6 pound range (it was an exceptional day). My client hookup rates over the past season have been from 0 to 41 which was 3 capable fishermen and 2 of us guiding the group 3. Blanks or skunkings as we call them seem to occur about 1 day in 20 – fairly rare I should think and have occurred with clients twice in the past year due to bad weather, and once due to bad luck i.e. 15 sighted, 10 cast to, 4 takes 2 hookup and bust-offs.

Obviously their are numerous factors other than fish numbers and size which determine a good days fly fishing. Myself I am just happy to be out there on a windless sunny day with clear water and nobody else in sight. To me that is better than catching fish, but to most trout are a necassary component of course! In my guiding I try to offer people not only trout, but an opportunity to enjoy New Zealands fantastic scenery and I try to avoid crowds whenever possible – which means that about half the time you will not see another fisherman all day during the summer, in the winter you will likely see several.

I exclusively practise catch and release in the back-coutry and have only knowingly contributed to the demise of 3 back-coutry trout in my entire life, none of which I am proud of although the first one was my first on a live cricket with sea fishing gear at the back of my grandparents farm when I was just a wee lad so I guess it was sort of understandable.

Anyway this diary begins today and I will attempt to update it everyday I have been out fishing or guiding which is pretty much every day. This intended to be a real and accurate account and I encourage clients and friends that I fish with to correct it or debate size estimations if you want – but to all my friends please watch your language or I will have to edit it out.

Obviously I will not name back-coutry rivers but will number them 1 onwards but will use the name of the Taupo tributaries and lakes of course as there are no secrets here.

Tight Lines

Andrew Blake

Anglers Anonymous Ltd

www.newzealandfishing.com