Fly Fishing New Zealand
Experience the World's Best Trout Fishing
New Zealand is widely regarded as one of the world’s premier fly fishing destinations. From crystal clear rivers to sprawling stillwaters, and from sight fishing to euro nymphing, the country offers a quality and variety of trout angling unlike anywhere else on earth. Whether you’re stalking large brown trout in jungle creeks or exploring remote backcountry rivers in search of trophy rainbows, New Zealand provides an experience that belongs on every fly angler’s bucket list.
Three things make New Zealand’s trout fishing truly exceptional: the size of the fish, the diversity of the fisheries, and the incredible landscapes that surround them. For many visiting anglers, the fish are the initial draw. New Zealand’s temperate climate allows trout to feed and grow year-round, while relatively low fish densities mean there is less competition for available food. The result is a fishery where trout commonly reach lengths of 60–70 cm and weights of 8–12 pounds. Even a modest 20 cm trout can approach a pound and provide a surprisingly spirited fight.
Big fish alone only hold an angler’s attention for so long, however. The incredible diversity of fishing opportunities is what keeps many people coming back year after year. In a single day, it’s possible to sight fish to brown trout pushing 15 pounds, strip streamers for hard-fighting rainbow trout in a lake, fool fish on a cicada dry fly, euro nymph your way through dozens of trout, and finish the evening mousing after dark. Whatever your preferred method of trout fishing, New Zealand likely offers an opportunity to pursue it, often within an hour’s drive.
Tying everything together is the scenery. New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries on earth, and just as the fishing is remarkably diverse, so too are the landscapes. The variety of ecosystems packed into a relatively small country is difficult to comprehend until you experience it firsthand. One day you might catch a rainbow trout beneath towering tree ferns, while the next you could be casting to brown trout in a glacial looking water flowing from the slopes of an active volcano. The combination of world class fishing and breathtaking scenery creates an experience that is unlike anywhere else in the world.
Want to learn more about the fly fishing in New Zealand, click here!
Ready to plan your trip? Learn how with our resources.
Fly Fish New Zealand with Innovative Angling
Innovative Angling has the unique opportunity to offer our clients personalized trips around New Zealand’s North Island, with a focus on the Rotorua area. Our owner, Mike Komara, holds a visa that allows us to operate and run both individual guide trips and hosted trips in country. He spends between 4 and 8 months on the island every year learning the waters, the fish, and the techniques to have the most success. If you want to experience some of the best fishing New Zealand has to offer, we’ve got you covered.
Guided Fly Fishing in Rotorua
The Rotorua region of New Zealand offers some of the most unique fishing opportunities in the country. The main draw is a number of lake tributaries that have a near constant flux of lake run brown and rainbow trout coming in and out. Brown trout up to 16 pounds are always a possibility (at least to hook, landing can be a different story!), and fish from 5-10 pounds are common. These tributaries, most less than 15m across, give up more shots at sight fished big fish each day than most of the other famed rivers, even those on the South Island. Within a hour there are also numerous lake fishing opportunities, and rivers set up perfectly to euro nymphing or dry fly fishing. Click here if you want to learn more about our guided fly fishing in Rotorua!
Hosted Fly Fishing Trips to New Zealand
Interested in fishing New Zealand but prefer a hands off approach to planning? Our hosted trips are made just for you. We handle everything- from pick up at the airport to when we drop you off to head home, everything is included. You’ll join 5 other anglers and explore a number of rivers and lakes across two unique ecological zones. Click here to learn more about our New Zealand Hosted Trips.
