FISHING LOCATIONS

The wide variety of trout waters we have here in Southland ensures we are able to cater for each angler's needs when deciding on fishing locations. Careful consideration is given to the terrain, size of river, accessibility and weather, while taking into account your desires, experience and physical ability. Your safety, comfort and pleasure are of paramount concern to us.

All guides have air-conditioned 4-wheel drive vehicles to pick you up from your accommodation and take you to that wilderness river or peaceful stream in comfort. In addition to the streams and the four main rivers listed below, we have access to a variety of other less commonly known waterways and spring creeks. Helicopter fly-outs are available [subject to weather conditions]. We have some of the best fishing locations in New Zealand on our back doorstep. From most places in Southland you can access 15 to 20 rivers and streams within one hour's drive ...more rivers than you could fish in a lifetime!

The Waiau is the biggest of our rivers and flows out of two of New Zealand's larger lakes, Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri. These lakes are the catchment for the famous World Heritage Park of Fiordland with its magnificent rain forest that forms the western side of Southland and within which many other well-known rivers and alpine streams flow. The Waiau catchment carries both rainbow and brown trout in large numbers.

The Oreti River flows out of the Eyre Mountains wilderness area and is famous for its large brown trout, which are fewer in number, but can weigh over10lbs. This is a specialised fishery, which requires local knowledge and expertise to have a reasonable catch rate. The upper reaches are very strictly regulated with foot access only and helicopters are strictly forbidden to fly over or land.

The Aparima River is the smallest of our main rivers and is made up of several small streams flowing out of the surrounding mountains. Here brown trout around the 3 to 4lbs range are abundant.

The Mataura River is without doubt one of New Zealand's best-known brown trout fisheries and arguably one of the best in the world, with outstanding fishing from the headwaters to the sea and fish size varying from 3lbs to 8lbs. The upper reaches provide the most challenging dry-fly fishing with smaller numbers while in the lower reaches around Gore and Mataura, the fish are more abundant.