Hamish McLeod — NZ Backcountry Fly Fishing

“What an incredible experience, Roy and his team were accessible, keen to provide results, provided us with all the necessary equipment and guides that made the three days we spent with the team in the North and South Island an absolute pleasure. some words of customer caution however: 1. the guides are often more enthusiastic than you are about your results and as such need a certain level of competence from you the angler. let the team know how proficient you are, can you drop a fly on a 30cm rock from 15m or not? they need to know because they have beats they can adjust to ensure your success. 2. the north island is easier fishing, period. The South Island has bigger fish but fewer and need more skill to catch. 3. listen to your guide, he knows what to do. I found the fishing we did at home similar but it's the subtle nuances provided by the guides that delivered success. 4. lastly, be prepared to debrief are every day. Roy runs a very professional setup and wants to know exactly how you did. My son and I highly recommend roy and his team and will definitely use them again. what an incredible team, bucket list stuff.”

“I wanted the trip of a lifetime, fly fishing in New Zealand, and I got it. Read this before you book your fly fishing trip. I scheduled a New Zealand trip with my family on short notice (the airfare was right). This has been a bucket list item since I was 12. I reached out to The New Zealand Fly Fishing Company with my itinerary, and here’s how it went. Roy replied fast and didn’t just answer my inquiry. He clearly read my itinerary, found workable days despite a packed schedule, and built a plan around exactly what I wanted. He sent nearly two pages of helpful detail: travel advice, gear notes, river options, expectations, and more. Because I had my family with me, I wanted an easy day on forgiving water. What I cared about most was my wife and son getting the chance to net fish in New Zealand. I also wanted one day on my own, and I told Roy I wanted a grinder day that would test me to my limits. For my solo day, I didn’t want a typical guided experience. I don’t like being catered to on the water. I wanted to fish alongside someone who could teach by example, even if that meant the guide cast and caught while I walked away empty-handed (This is not typical, so I had to confirm this is what I wanted). Watching an expert read new water teaches me more than anything, and I wanted to learn from the best. Roy’s plan worked to perfection. My first day was North Island fly fishing with my family, and everyone caught fish with our guide, Hamish. My wife and I netted fish quickly, but it was a challenge for my 12-year-old son. Big fish, young kid. Hamish spent the afternoon focused on my son, patiently teaching him and even casting his own rod to increase our chances. I’ve been fly fishing for 30 years and found myself sitting back just to learn. My son hooked nearly a dozen fish and finally landed one. We worked for hours, and the excitement was through the roof after all the hookups. My solo day will probably go down as the best fly fishing day of my life when I finally hang up my waders. I met Henare on the South Island. I knew I’d asked for a beast of a day, so I didn’t know what to expect. Henare mostly refused to fish, but his son was with us and was all in. Jazz is going to be one of the finest New Zealand fly fishing guides very soon. I did manage to get a rod into Henare’s hands at one point, and it was like going to fly fishing college; I was able to adjust my tactics on the spot. Watching Jazz hook and land a fish was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The kid is good. We fished all day, hiked miles, hooked huge browns, and took breaks to take in the unreal scenery. Henare and Jazz taught me how to spot fish from a surprising distance, and it changed how I read water. It was exactly the New Zealand fly fishing trip I’d hoped for. I wasn’t a guided tourist being coddled along a river. It felt like fishing with old friends, working every inch of water through miles of backcountry. My favorite moments weren’t even on the water. They were the backcountry-cooked meals and the stories, with only the mountains to hear us. Notes: This wasn’t a cookie-cutter experience because I asked for something specific. These folks can tailor a New Zealand fly fishing trip to anything you want. If you want delicious meals and an easy day, they’ll do it. If you want the New Zealand brush to punish you while you put everything you have into a perfect cast, they’ll do that too. Remember your gear. I was prepared and had my bag, but I accidentally left it in our rental car. Practice your casting. Just a reminder: fly fishing in New Zealand often means long leaders. You don’t know everything. Go in humbly, ready to listen and learn. New Zealand is different, and even if you’re experienced, every river is its own puzzle. Take in the scenery. This might be the most beautiful place on the planet.”

“Had a spectacular guided fishing trip with Graham and Hamish, organized through Roy at Fly Fishing NZ. We caught lots of big fish! The guides brought us to some nice spots but were also very knowledgeable and a pleasure to fish with. I highly recommend these guides and this organization.”