Top of the Lake & Queenstown

That evening the rain kicked in. Sometimes heavy sometimes none at all but in total it was more than enough to make even the preferred spring creek running high and dirty. I checked it and continued right towards Haast down south on the West Coast. It was the 31^st of December 2014. The plan was to find accommodation in Haast, pack and fly in or out – however you want to term it - the next day. Accommodation was not available and not knowing the river I wanted to chopper to, I considered the risk to high that it was still running high. Besides, as I did not want to lose too much time to head further down towards Te Anau anyway I changed plans and drove up the road over Haast pass, along Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea showing quiet some spectacular views with sun and rain. Over the Crown range – the direct route from Wanaka towards Queenstown – with hot brakes and hot clutch. Using the broken center line of the road as the orientation it is intended for. It is not a solid line. Just mentioning this, as several Kiwis get really excited if you cut turns and use both sides of the road even if the next car is miles away.  But some of the tourists sometimes do mix up the sides of the road to drive on. Beware of that!

At the Crown Range I passed the festival Rhythm & Alps and was briefly thinking to join the festival. But I was here for fishing, the ticket prices for just a couple of hours would have been rather high, availability questionable and it was somewhat cold up there. But it was tempting. Though it might not have been Tomorrowland… 

Friend and guide Bruce Leitch in Queenstown gave me note that he won’t be available before the first. Thus I had an issue in terms of how to spend the night leading over to the new year 2015. Every kind of accommodation in Queenstown was booked. V.Know in Fernhill was about to close the kitchen so my preferred location for a quick dinner was not available. I ended up searching a parking space that I found after a while (QT might be one of the few cities on SI that has a real trafic issue, it was even worth the two days afterwards), packed my backpack, warm jacket and went downtown. It was chilly. Everything was unbelievable busy, at least a couple of ten thousand young party people to welcome the new year came to town. Dinner was junk food from a stand. Walked around and observed the more and the less beautiful young ladies – most of them dressed in nothing and some of them more than drunk (drying to drink from the lake and falling over... such things). Considering the chilly temperature lots of them might spend the first days of the fresh year in bed… Got a good place right at the harbor to watch the huge firework. And the new year was there: 2015. Bizarre feeling to be alone among thousands.

1:30 am that night I arrived at the 12miles delta campground out of town – just finding a corner for my car. Repacked the stuff so I could sleep in the car, which was ok but not overly comfy. New Year started with blue skies! Breakfast in Glenorchy right at the lake. Some girls having fun jumping in the chilly lake.

I was back to ‘Top of the Lake’. An impressive, must be seen, TV-series of 6 / 7 episodes. Check it out - it is worth it and can be mentioned right besides Twin Peaks.

Around noon I arrived on the first flowing water to be fished but without luck and just one fish spotted that was briefly attached to my fly (no pictures of that water as it is absolute secret, only some locals know it). I relocated to another more common stream and fished it for a while. Green beetle cast towards sighted fish (sometimes close sometimes further away) made them turning their head and smashing the fly. The beetle caught two or three, for that piece of water typical browns of around 3lbs. Actually these were the first fish of the new year!

In a blog post before I wrote about friends you eventually make if you travel repeatedly to a country. One of them is Bruce Leitch. He guided us on two overnight trips the years before. The first one was legend (and the second one not bad either). He and his friend Chico (and we) still talk about it after years. Bruce (and Chico) with a background in gastronomy has that special sense that makes trips or days with him outstanding. You might not catch the biggest fish but his way to setup a day is just perfect to have the real good relaxed time and atmosphere. The homemade pie as lunch or the lamb chops at night with a couple of beers and a bottle of red under the central Otago milky way are just what fly fishing is about besides catching the one big fish. In case you are in need of a guide in the Central Otago / Greater Queenstown region: ask him, he might have the one or other day available for you!

This night I met him at his home overlooking the Queenstown area with a not to be missed view of the Remarkables. He took care of the steak, I organized the red. Fish talk, not only, as life is most of the time more complex than the trout that just does not like your crude imitation. As he offered me a bed for the night early that day, I just thought how relaxed and uncomplicated he was. 

The next day we had breakfast and later he had a client. For me it was a peaceful day in Queenstown. Some shopping intention, did not found anything I needed following the rule “think three times before you buy”, lunch right          at the lake (WTF - why do people cue for 30 minutes for a burger? Guess where in QT… Would never do that myself), some flat whites… average vacation stuff. The Remarkables shopping mall provided little more success and ended with a new ultralite gas cooker and some flies.

Driving southerly from Queenstown you will pass a river after around 40 Minutes that is so famous that a brief stop over there cannot be avoided. On the most frequented access an other couple just left but they mentioned they fished just close to the car, thus I went up as they mentioned nobody would be there. A misinformation as I walked upstream the river was barren. Not a single fish and the answer was simple: two bricks coming down IN the river walking back to their car parked a little bit off site. There was not a single reason to walk in the river. If they fished the river before in the same manner they walked back in the river, no wonder that no fish would show up. Some are just idiots. I relocated to section further downstream, found some fish spooky as hell or aware of every movement on the bank. No fish to the fly there either.

Before those last casts to the spooky fish I briefly drove to a cottage that we rented twice two years ago. Naylor’s house close to Garston. A very nicely renovated old house, sleeps six with large kitchen and living room. Perfect for the fly fishing traveler fishing around the south corner of lake Wakatipu. I made contact to the owner to hear the sad fact that his wife had died just recently. It was good to hear his intention to keep the accommodation business up for the years to come if all works out.

After the last unsuccessful casts at the river, I packed my gear and drove south west towards Fiordland and Te Anau heading to some big adventures…

The Stream of Dreams that got infected

Arriving around dawn on the stream of dreams, finding a camp a few miles from the paved road, setting up camp. It was the evening of the third beef filet course. This time we had to take care of the tail end. After two days cut in slices, I cut it in now in one inch pieces and setup a simple goulash with onions, paprika, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, separately fried beef added later, Huntaway red and heat for not even an hour plus real rice. Wow that was good even at 10:30pm – might be, due to the circumstances, the fine and soft texture of the meat without cooking it for hours, one of the best goulashes’ I had up to date.

The night was cold with some clouds and stars. We started fishing – after placing Tobias in the car seat – right from the camp, so we repacked and started without moving the car. At the river, the first impression was disappointing, as this once pristine river (we fished it three years ago and took great care to enter it with clean gear) was infected more or less severe by didymo. Nevertheless, the water was low, clear, cold – just perfect. Typical dry Otago landscape, far from any civilization except the few fencelines on the hills around us. 

It was good to be here again. Three years ago we fished that river with Bruce as a guide and Chico (friend of Bruce) as the driver of the 4WD, thus there was no need to walk back at night. We had a nice camp-dinner together (the legendary lamb chops), tried to toss some mouse streamers at pitch dark more or less drunk (at least I was) and crawled over exposed cliffs (at least at night they were).

This morning we followed the water upstream, in a known pool I spooked the first good sized fish after a few casts. It took some time till I got a chance for a fish to the net. Most of them nice Rainbows around 4lbs. There was one fish that took my fly and immediately was on full speed up the large pool only 5meters of my flyline on the reel were left, I was already expecting to hear the backing knot going through the rodrings (a familiar sound for every saltwater fly fisher), but I could stop and turn the trout. Over the course of the day I caught my fair share of fish, lost some, most caught on dries such as Cicada, Blow or Royal Wulff. We had lunch in the sun that came out after an overcast morning. Ines tried a few casts on some promising pools but nobody was at home. I fished a little longer than Ines and Tobias followed, they turned around late afternoon. The way back of an hour was boring and inevitable as no bike was on hand.

 

Next day we addressed the part upstream from the last days end. We drove the 4WD-track up the valley some more or less easy stream crossings. The day went much slower than the first. I could very well understand that Ines was board by this day compared to the more active day before. Thanks to her patience!

Hard efforts to get two fish to the net. I found only few fish and several good pools where without any movement. Point of return was the same spot we turned three years ago. A good pool where one fish gave me even two chances but I could not score. Overall I had severe problems to get the hook set with these big cicada patterns right – either too late or to early and some fish seemed to even do some magic tricks to avoid the hook. Besides my disability, the impression remained that there were even fewer fish than before, this might have been caused by didymo.

We spend another night at the camp spot to break camp in the morning. Tobias again had great fun as we packed the tent. 

After a traditional stopover in a nearby old Hotel/Bar, we were on the road to a not too far away stream in Otago. But that story will follow later as I still have to do some preparation for a solo-trip in Fjordland...

QT, rain, meeting friends or the change of a green to a blue shirt

We are still in that hut of the post before and I am still on the same red as it is the same night.

Arrival in QT (Queenstown) coming from Glenorchy. We got a room in the Scenic Hotel in which you could really hear the air con, thus we friendly complained and after a while we got a upgrade to one of the suites with full sized kitchen two rooms and view on the Remarkables. Lucky! Cool, as I even thought about booking this kind of room / suite. QT meant for us some kind of program: The first night at one of the best restaurants of NZ. The Gantleys. We booked a table and got one for the same evening. Wondering but exactly that week seemed to be some kind of slow shoulder season.

At the Gantleys we went for the six course degustation menu with a bottle of my absolute favorite NZ reds: Pegasus Bay Merlot/Cabernet. This gets 4,5 of 5 flies. The menu was good, but I was not over excited, the two entrees were really good but a little too skinny, the bread was a joke the 3g of butter should have been interesting spreads instead, the main of duck was ok, the second main (rack of lamb) of the same kind. Sorry, but mine rack the night before was on par or even better. But nevertheless the Gantleys is a recommendation (and this is not self-serving bias, the value for money is good, do not miss it and evening at the Gantleys is a must and very decent way to spend an evening! I get back to this on a later blog post). We had two friendly young nice ladies taking care of us that evening at the restaurant. Lauren and Jessica. Lauren could even remember us from three years ago! 

 

One good and one sad thing about that evening. First I received my fresh 10-22 Canon lens. That made me really happy. All worked out flawlessly and at a really good price. And second. The beloved cat of the restaurant, which even became part of our annual calendar for friends and family, was killed by one of the cars on the road nearby. Fingers crossed for our two beloved cats at home Pinja and Livi. Take care, we love and miss you! You two listen, please be all right when we come back!

We had a real good evening at the restaurant. Tobias did sleep the first hour and then was very cooperative and lovely later on during the progress of the dinner.

(I did not yet write about fishing, but I am sitting in a hut in Fjordland - Ines and Tobias sleeping since an hour - where there was a roll of toilet paper two years ago that had printed the label 'Livi' on it!)

The bottle of Pinot gave its last drop to my glass, fuel is going to an end. I have to go to bed.

…

Several days later I try to pick the threat again and continue. We arrived in QT on Saturday, having dinner at the Gantleys. Sunday I thought again of the stream on the north end of the lake, so I went there again – you should really not do that. I got up pretty early, having a quick brekki. As the streets were empty it just took me 40 minutes from door to the stream. Walking down the stream to fish it back up, changing sites, falling in swamp holes, getting a sever electric-massage by one of these electric fences (they are much stronger charged than in Europe, around 3.000 V here), but finally managed to catch a decent Bow on a dark self-tied size 14 nymph. 

I was back in QT around late noon. We went to the usual QT procedure: Outdoorsport-shops to shop for things you urgently need or do not need at all. Best example: a large Diamond Back camp light. Icebreaker stuff. But this time we really limited our self to only socks and one top. And a nice warm softshell jacket at Kathmandu for Ines as birthday present. But no real fancy stuff like titanium cutlery for camping. Or was it the next day when Ines bought the top? With me as consultant she went to the shop twice more to reconsider the color and finally change it from bright green to a vivid blue. The blue looks and fits better. That evening we went to the VKnow restaurant out of town in Fernhill. A nice place, the locals go there and only some tourists. Unfortunately my Pizza was more on the ‘special’ to poor side, Ines dish with venison was good. I had eaten there better before. The crumble for desert is a must. We saved the extra 40 minutes for that as we were full and Tobias announced his preference to go to the suite again.

On Monday slight rain was announced and exactly that happened – unusual sight for the last weeks: rain. The idea of the day on my side was to drive down beyond the south end of the lake to fish a spring creek there. But with the slight rain I started to fish Mataura on one of the most visited access points on the upper part, surprised to find fresh water and cooperative fish. Several went for my fly, several spooked or not hooked log enough for the net. Still this bad ratio … The last times I got the strike timing quiet well, this time it is a mystery to me. The rain eased and the clouds became less. Close to ending the day around early afternoon, as the water was starting to get slight murky, I had a look towards the creek I originally intended to fish: two groups of three persons each on 300m of water, one of them was the local guide. The guide with that shop, in which the lady said “never without a guide”. What is the reason of a guide if he brings you to hammered waters? Might be he was not guiding but showing the aquarium of the creek (as I call one specific section there). Nice day in light rain. Back to QT. Monday evening we had a date with friend Bruce Leitch and Chico for a rainy BBQ. He prepared a BBQ beef filet that was definitely five plus out of five stars with a nice sauce and sides prepared by Chico and Bruce. We just had the job to bring some red (Church Road Cab/Merlot and some beer unfortunately the brand Bruce might not like …). It was a very nice evening with friends. Thank you for these hours! Those make a journey like ours outstanding!

Tuesday was the day we figured out to head over to Lake Te Anau to spend a few days at the beloved Fjordland Lodge. No just kidding, as they indicate some kind of dislike for small kids and the current exchange rate make a stay there not suitable for traveling for such a long time. But we stayed there more than a couple of nights. And based on that experience: if you want to afford it, go there. Enjoy the setting, food, view and relax after a good day's fishing. The last time I spend there, it was the end of the vacation two years ago. Just coming back from one of the rivers on the west side of the lake, totally excited, as I had a terrific day fishing there. An American party in the lodge thought I would be the guide for the next day: suntanned and fishy looking. No I was not. And I did not tell them to excited from the days I just had. Nevertheless of the four days there, two were pretty much non fish days due to flood. That is Fjordland - terrific or horrible.

Exactly that river was the place to go on Tuesday. The days before we made arrangements with a boat Taxi we knew that would bring us over there. Now it was time to get the timing more precise “afternoon”. We still had to do some communication, shopping for three nights in a hut, one camp-out from the hut and do the packing. Besides that we had to go to the DOC (Department of Conservation) to get our clean gear certificate. This is needed to confirm that everything that gets in contact with the river is clean, dry and free of potential didymo algae parts. This algae is a pest, it spreads from river to river and covers the river bottom with an ugly and aquatic life threatening mass. Actually this algae is quiet common in Europe but does not do any sever harm at home. Several of the NZ Rivers are already infected. To keep the remaining rivers clear it is HIGHLY IMPORTANT to check, clean, dry your gear before changing according rivers (Please refer to the DOC page on that issue! And follow it!). At the boat ramp in Te Anau Downs I wanted to call the boat man to make appointment for 5pm – no cell connection. Back in the car, up around the next corner. Nothing. No. There is a simple lodge close by so I used their landline.

An hour later we were finally in the boat. Pretty much with all what we had except two boxes, the large tent and the table. Pretty much close to anything else went with us. The boat did not drown and went over the lake. Tobias was wrapped in a live belt that was for adults. It looked so funny. And he felt strange as he was pretty much tied up, unable to move. But the motor made him fall asleep after ten minutes. It felt really good to go back over the lake to that specific river!

We did arrive at the hut and as it seemed, we would be the only guests at least for the night! And the weather was supposed to be good and the river in perfect condition. Cool! It could not get better.