I've been fishing forever ― and writing about it
Aged 14 I became a fervent trout fisherman and I've remained one ever since, until not renewing my licence at the beginning of the 2022-23 season. Whether or not that resignation from fishing is permanent I'm not yet sure.
Since entering my 80s, I've fished in the Hutt River which runs through Hutt City, part of Greater Wellington. For many years I concentrated my fishing in the upper Manawatu watershed around the southern central North Island town, Pahiatua.
Since entering my 80s, I've fished in the Hutt River which runs through Hutt City, part of Greater Wellington. For many years I concentrated my fishing in the upper Manawatu watershed around the southern central North Island town, Pahiatua.
On the Makuri
The Makuri is one of the smaller waters of this region and that's the river I mostly fished in the last 20 years. This picture was taken just below our bach mentioned on the homepage.
The white-grey cliffs ahead of me are 'papa' a rock-like blue mudstone which crumbles and slips. But further upstream the stream comes out of limestone and bushed country and so the water is clear, cold, and life sustaining. Both brown and rainbow trout are now present.
The stream sustains a healthy supply of benthic insects, especially mayflies and caddis.
The white-grey cliffs ahead of me are 'papa' a rock-like blue mudstone which crumbles and slips. But further upstream the stream comes out of limestone and bushed country and so the water is clear, cold, and life sustaining. Both brown and rainbow trout are now present.
The stream sustains a healthy supply of benthic insects, especially mayflies and caddis.
On the Manawatu itself
Here I am fishing the fly upstream and across in the Manawatu River itself. It's a lowland river in these parts, running through gentle pastoral country. It's flanked, but not over-run, by willows, an English tree now rampant on many New Zealand rivers.
The Manwatu here is a pool and riffle river though some of the pools stretch out to become large flats. Benthic insects abound so there is good nymph fishing, as I'm doing here, with mayfly and caddis imitations.
Listen to:
a Manawatu River story
Over the years I've written a trilogy of fishing books drawing heavily on my experience in these Manawatu waters. The books are listed on the page titled Books & other writing. If you click on the arrow below you'll hear me reading the first chapter from Cast Lightly, the third book.
The story is called 'Dawn' and it takes just over 11 minutes to run.
The Manwatu here is a pool and riffle river though some of the pools stretch out to become large flats. Benthic insects abound so there is good nymph fishing, as I'm doing here, with mayfly and caddis imitations.
Listen to:
a Manawatu River story
Over the years I've written a trilogy of fishing books drawing heavily on my experience in these Manawatu waters. The books are listed on the page titled Books & other writing. If you click on the arrow below you'll hear me reading the first chapter from Cast Lightly, the third book.
The story is called 'Dawn' and it takes just over 11 minutes to run.
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