Field Report – Day 3 – Haast Trip – Mystic River
As we flew 300 feet above the tree line, a thick canopy of Beech Trees sprawled out beneath us for as far as the eye could see. The “wap wap wap” of the helicopter blades slicing through the air temporality silencing the chorus of the millions of Cicadas who inhabit this forest, where the males of the species vibrate their tymbals, a noise-producing organ on the side of their abdomen, in the hope of attracting females to mate.
Field Report – Chopper fishing out of Haast
After the bizarre first day where the Haast Heli Service wouldn’t take us out due to “bad weather”, even though conditions were perfect, we managed to fly the next two days without any trouble or drama.
Field Report – Haast and the Cicada Symphony
When you drive from Wanaka and take Highway 6 over to Haast, it’s one of the great drives found within the country. The scenery is awe inspiring and so completely varied. One minute you’re driving past some of the best vineyards in Central Otageo, the next you are driving through a spectacular canyon gorge with views that are as gorgeous as they are frightening (heights).
Field Report – Queenstown Pain
Over a year ago when I was planning this trip, I wanted a few days in the mountain/lake town of Queenstown. The town is so beautiful and had such a great feel to it, that when I booked three nights there, I seriously considered adding a couple of extra night to my stay. I’m so glad that I did not!
New Zealand – Trout Fishing in Christchurch
After five days of rain on the north island I decided to fly south to visit my friend Chris Bell who guides out of the Christchurch area. Felt very fortunate that Chris had an open day and was able to guide us. Christchurch is a really nice town with a great vibe to it and with Chris available for a day, the prospect of a couple of rain free nights in Christchurch, or so I thought, was all I needed to jump on a plane south.
Back in New Zealand
Thanks to a wretched Covid imposed hiatus of 2 + years, I am finally back in my beloved New Zealand. After a 14-hour flight from Vancouver, arriving in Auckland was one of the great joys I’ve experienced in a long time...
Field Report : NEW ZEALAND TROUT
The weather on the North Island has been dreadful the last few weeks with lots of rain and cooler temps. January is traditionally the peak of summer on the north island but summer just has not shown up yet.
Big Trip Precautions and Unexpected Availability
Instead of finishing up my second week at Cosmoledo with a bunch of friends, I am at home just getting over a nasty respiratory virus that I caught the week before I was scheduled to fly out to the Seychelles. I had been looking forward to Cosmoledo for three years and not being able to do the trip was….
Fall 2022
If you are like me, you are wondering where the summer went and how it could have possibly gone by so fast? I feel like I blinked and it was over and I can’t ever recall a summer that went by so quickly. I think that may be a symptom of a post covid hangover where time has taken on a surreal quality that I am still having trouble processing.
Discovering a real gem in Northern British Columbia
Every so often, I am absolutely floored by a new property I’ve come across and decided to check out. I just got back from such an experience in Northern British Columbia, where I visited the Northern Lights Lodge, in the Cariboo Mountain range watershed. A big part of what got me on a 5-hour plane ride west and then another hour north was the lodge’s heavy emphasis on dry fly fishing in their pitch to get me out to visit them.