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FLOATING FLIES FOR NIGHT FISHING

Lead image: MidCurrent (Hughes) Most rivers still have an evening rise during Spring and Summer where trout rise voraciously to feed on insects concentrated in the surface film. Stretches of river which appeared barren during the day suddenly spring to life as dusk approaches. It is arguably the best time to be on the river if you are a dry fly fisherman. Casting to rising trout … Continue reading FLOATING FLIES FOR NIGHT FISHING

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OUTSMARTING TROUT

Lead image: Kiyoshi Nakagawa When I was young my father, who always seemed to catch something when we went fishing, used to harp on about how I needed to learn how to “think like a trout” in order to consistently outsmart them. Teenage boys rarely listen to their fathers so this advice, which I struggled to understand without some concrete examples, entered one ear and … Continue reading OUTSMARTING TROUT

FISHING SWIRLING EDDIES

Text: Alan Bulmer & Tony Bishop For many years I found swirling eddies amongst the most tricky places to fish. This was probably because the current flows were typically powerful, turbulent and unpredictable. Swirling eddies are often formed where the river changes direction abruptly and are generally deep and difficult to see into. Trout, especially those moving upstream on spawning runs or dropping back downstream … Continue reading FISHING SWIRLING EDDIES

FIGHTING FISH FROM THE SHORE

When I was young and starting out on my shore based fishing journey all of the focus was on hooking the fish. The process of fighting fish once they were hooked was almost an afterthought. My father really only had four pieces of advice and when I did hook up on my first trout he pretty much left me to my own devices which, unfortunately, often … Continue reading FIGHTING FISH FROM THE SHORE

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WHY PREDATORY FISH USE SHADE TO AMBUSH PREY

Predators are very skilled at using shade to ambush prey. Whether it be hiding in wait under a moored boat or wharf, attacking prey in the margins at dawn when the light angle is low and the prey is staring directly into the rising sun or hiding behind a sunken obstruction in a river, predators regularly use shade to improve their chances of success when feeding. … Continue reading WHY PREDATORY FISH USE SHADE TO AMBUSH PREY

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ANALYSING TROUT RISE FORMS – A LOST SKILL?

Words: Alan Bulmer   Images: Tim Angeli When I was young and learning to fly fish I was given a tattered book on trout fishing by a curmudgeonly old friend of my fathers. He took me aside, gruffly told me that I should read the book as it contained a wealth of useful information, attempted a wry smile and shuffled off. The book was “Trout fishing … Continue reading ANALYSING TROUT RISE FORMS – A LOST SKILL?

DO FISH LEARN TO AVOID LURES?

Article by: Alan Bulmer         Photos: Paul Smith Recently I read an excellent article by Neil Wagener in NZ Fisher # 50 entitled “Are we training fish to avoid lures”. Click on the following link to view it:- http://www.nzfisher.co.nz/ The basic premise of the article is that fish become conditioned to lures the more they see them and if they are hooked, landed and released during … Continue reading DO FISH LEARN TO AVOID LURES?

WAITETI STREAM – ROTORUA’S TROUT FISHING GEM

It had taken months to finally arrive but Thursday May 14th was the day Hamish and I had been waiting for since we opened our 2014 Christmas presents. There, in amongst the parcels with the names of others, was a small envelope which contained a voucher telling us that we would be sharing a guided fishing trip with Kiyoshi Nakagawa (Yoshi) in the rivers around … Continue reading WAITETI STREAM – ROTORUA’S TROUT FISHING GEM