Te Anau – another stream or two - finally heading up North.

Another day (Sunday) in Te Anau, doing pretty much nothing besides shopping, drinking coffee and doing some blogging and relaxing in the summer sun. We still stayed in the Rustlein cottage described before, but description does not compare to pictures. As mentioned the cottage was well equipped with a special original touch. We pretty much extended the stay in the cottage day by day, calling or meeting the owner to repeatedly tell him that we would stay one or two nights longer. Besides that we made arrangements with Karen and Rob, that came over to our cottage for a chat, to go to a river on the next day. I always wanted to fish that distant river on the other side of the lake, so I was looking very forward to Monday.

After doing some search pattern driving in Te Anau, as we did not see their boat at the boat ramp, we meet them exactly at the boat ramp. Loading gear and bringing the boat to water. Leaving the harbor the fog was so dense that you could only see around 50 meters. Luckily nobody besides we could see the course we went. As the boats GPS was a big one but without a map of the lake, we had to rely on my small Garmin with a detailed map of the lake. That was funny in some way, but I was little afraid of the headline “Four persons and a baby missed after boat crash in dense fog at Lake Te Anau” – it was pretty much total white out. After a while the fog cleared and we headed towards our destination - a very special part of the lake - over a calm lake.

The river was totally low but this provided rather good wading and casting to that normally less accessible river. A beautiful river that hosted less trout than I expected. Most likely due to the low water. I caught a couple with one brown of around 4 lbs. doing a jump close to 1,3 meters high and a second one close to 1meter that I filmed (this fish puzzled me so much, that I “placed” my net close to its landing, just to find it again on the way back). Before that Rob landed a nice one right opposite of me so I could take some pictures. In the meantime the ladies with Tobias were following on the track on the bank. We did not fish long so our partners would not have to wait too long. The way back provided a section of good waves and wet deck.

A very nice excursion and a good day, thank you for that!

Tuesday I tried to get some – as I found out after some research – black drawing salve to treat an infected big toe nailbed that badly hurt while walking, caused by excessive walking and wading in waders. The pharmacist in Te Anau did not even have the faintest idea what I was talking about. I strongly doubt its competence. Black drawing salve is good to treat deep infections and to draw spines/thorns out. I knew about that and how it is called in German “Ichthyol”, found out that the active part is called Ammoniumbituminosulfonate. It did not help.

As the weather was sunny and even hot - unusual for Te Anau - Tobias had again a bath outside in one of our storage boxes. Covered in his swim suit to avoid to much sun exposition he enjoyed the water -  even without fish. The alternative was the sink in the washing-room. Besides water, he loves NZ avocados! Buying them here for around 2-3 NZ$ a piece, you start to think about our sub 1Euro never tasting avocados.

In the afternoon I fished some secret water. Severe bush bashing and delicate spotting and fishing. No pictures of that in the media. Two broke off and one to the net.

Some further research on the toe-thing. Finally I found out that the NZ product “comparable” is called Egoderm cream and available at the pharmacy. But the dose of the active ingredient is 1%, whereas I was used to 20% as the original Ichtholan, that is used actually for exactly what I needed it. Why do I describe this in such detail? I was wondering that a rather common and well known German medicine is pretty much unknown here. Not really surprisingly considering e.g. our knowledge about native South American rainforest cures. Besides that, I will – besides some anti-inflammation wound healing cream, hay fever medicine and Neutrogena Lipstick – put Ichtholan on the future NZ-fishing-medicine-list. 

Knowing the product it was easy to get it the next day – hope the pharmacist learned his lesson (I doubt it) – applied it three times and the toe was ok.

Wednesday was the day of leaving Te Anau after eight days. Ines an Tobias enjoyed this time of continuity and summer sun. We packed and left Karen and Rob a small present: a framed and mounted picture of Rob catching the fish on the river we went together.

After groceries in Frankton we continued our way over the Crown Range directly to Wanaka and further on to the nice campground “Kidds Bush Reserve Campground” 25km north of Wanaka. 

There we had a really nice tuna steak. Save the endangered tuna! I prefer to have it on the fly or Jigg. The tuna had to be prepared in our mobile camp kitchen: two flame gas cooker with large 5kg gas bottle, chilly bin, 40l Warehouse storage box for the food and another storage box for the cooking tools and dishes. If the fixed camping table would not be there we would use our portable camping table. We can do everything in that kitchen besides freedom fries. Setup takes just a couple of minutes. The only bad thing is: we cannot store more fresh salad, milk, cheese, salami, lamb, meat and bread for more than three days: just not enough storage space. Ready-made meals are not a real option if not needed. For wine I defined one rule: not more than six bottles in the car. Our maximum up to now was five. So extended with one day beer that would be good for close to one week.

After a good night at the Lake Hawea we headed back to the road. Close by was a lodge that I figured out for our very first visit to NZ but ended up not to book it as the fishing in the closer area without the need of chopper access is limited. This time we went up the gravel road to that remote place called Silverpine Lodge. An oncoming vehicles driver asked for our plans. It turned out that the friendly lady was the owner of the lodge. She turned around and showed us this terrific place. We considered spending there one or two days after our planed chopper excursion to a river in the Haast area, as the place was really special.

PS:
Bonus 3F or "Florian's first footage" about a pretty average rainbow trout caught and released during the trip described in the post before. It came at the second cast to an Adams. GoPro Hero 3 & some post production... VERY first try. But one of the few takes where everything from presentation to release is available. The Rainbow in Fjordland

Distant Fjordland River revisited – two days for the diary!

Following these two days of enjoyable and outstanding fishing, we were Te Anau bound for some washing, relaxing, shopping. As mentioned before Te Anau - might be around a couple of thousand inhabitants - is based on the summer tourism. So it sometimes is a challenge to get a suitable accommodation. Unfortunately the coolest house right on the lake in a an acre of ground with +300sqm was just hours before booked, so went for the cheap and less fancy option and found a simple bach. It turned out to be one of the very early houses of Te Anau. Built in 1947 bin the middle of bushes. In the meantime it is in the middle of a housing area. We were guessing how large this house would be and ended up with something of around 50qm. With neither cellar nor any other space to store stuff. The basic bachs' condition is left (besides some renovation) more or less somewhere in the last century. Funny. We were glad to have two large beds, a shower and a kitchen, it was clean and good for up to five people. It turned out that it would later become our home for over a week. Pictures to follow in the next post.

Next day (for Ines: Wednesday) was a day of sleeping long, organizing, shopping and planning. The plan was: the old boy heads back to the distant Fjordland River (some research at DOC and the fly shop led to the conclusion that I might be alone on that river) and the girl with the small boy would stay in Te Anau to get some relaxation from the old boy. This meant some preparation in terms of DOC clean gear certificate, transfer and food for two nights at the river. 

Ines figured out to do a guided tour to the subsurface Manapouri Hydro-Powerplant and the Doubtful Sound which is actually a Fjord - the longest of NZ. (Some lines on that might follow later, if Ines finds the time to do some writing)

The weather for both plans looked perfect, just some light rain for the start and then clearing skies.

The Boat Taxi picked me in Te Anau. The transfer over the lake was done with reduced speed due to significant swell from the strong southerly winds. Arriving at the hut: yeah - no body there, the hut and the river just for me! It could not get better. Oh, yes might be some fish added.

The lake was on the lowest level I have seen it, thus the river might be very low too. And that it was, it was easy to cross the lowest part and get access to a small tributary. Even going there I spotted and spooked many trout, it seemed most of them browns resting close to the banks. They were absolutely passive. No reaction to fly and only spooked when I would have touched them with the rod tip. It must have been related to the river level/temperature/algae growth (no NOT didymo!). Fishing upstream started slow till I figured out to ignore the sleeping browns and to search for active feeding rainbows. That plan worked out. In the known holding areas and currents I found willing rainbows. First with the nymph and as the day progressed and I wandered more upstream with the dry. Especially some fancy Cicada pattern that did absolutely not look like the natural ones. Fishing was like cheating. Amongst other typical fascinating and cicada takes, I caught two by just making a long cast to the other bank without any clear target and caught one as my fly was dangling downstream in the water or made a fast swing. I did not see it, but a nice rainbow came to the net. All of them around 4 to 5,5lbs. I lost count of the total caught. Seven or eight? One fish was specifically impressing, the rainbow fought like hell and turned out to be a feisty 5,75lbs fish that made me to cross the river to land it. It had very few spots, small head, high body and a tail that was not made as a handle for fisherman. I could barely hold it.

Turning around after 7pm tramping down to the hut, that I found as I left it, so I had it for myself. Lightening a fire to get it nice and warm, cooking (ready-made meals from the supermarket "Butter Chicken" - no freeze dried stuff). After two glasses Church Road I was nearly too tired to tie a few nymphs, sleepy I made four of the magic nymphs to fall from the vice and I fell to bed.

Today (as of the time of writing!) I started to tramp upstream for around 45 minutes to start of a pool full of fish. Crossing down below and starting to fish most of them where gone. No worries, most of them where browns. Those fish, that seemed not to react to a fly these days. I continued upstream, tried to do some filming from the tripod, but this additional stream of thought seemed to distract me too much, so success was low while trying to film. What I love about fly fishing: if you think of something else, you are not fly fishing. At least that is valid for me. It distracts you totally from anything else and draws you in a separate reality. 

I went back to that reality and again a fish found my fly. Some situations were ridiculous, as I was literally catching fish by fish. Three fish are worth to be described in more detail. 

First: I caught the one 5,75lbs rainbow with the small tail and the few spots again. It was again in good condition, might be it fought little less than the day before.

Second: again a rainbow, but this was fighting like hell, going up and down and across, always heading for stones to rub of the line. I had to follow as the fish was in a maze of stones on the distant shore. Close to netting it, I still had to follow, the river was not so low on one point and I got water in my waders - as usual I wear them belt high - but managed to net the trout. I was just over 5lbs but made action like a much bigger bow. 

Third: on the pool of return (a huge around 3-4meter deep pool) I was tossing the cicada pattern and already close to the downstream recast got a close-to-take from a huge looking rainbow, that by this action told me her lay. As the fish looked around 8lbs something, I waited a while, did a fresh leader tippet (this time 0,20/8lbs Fluor due to the stones not so much because of visibility. I hate its knot behavior so I avoid it most of the time in freshwater) and prepared to recast. Cast- fish came, took the fly and the hook was set and got a good hold (I just about yesterday started to fish barbless in NZ - till now I did not do it as none of the guides fished barbless. I was lucky to fish barbless, as the big cicada patterns are frequently finding a hold behind the lip, making the fly removal without barb much easier - I can only recommend that. I did not lose a single fish today due to the missing barb). I was fishing that bow from a huge rock and in front of me the pool that immediately had around 1,3m depth and holes between the boulder that where much deeper. I really wanted that fish. Totally persuaded it must be around +7lbs or even close to 10lbs. So when the fish made its run I did not hesitate to follow him in the water (remember: my waders were already wet, it was the last fish of the day and I could not say no to a bath after a hot sweaty day in the bush). First five steps - then, where was the ground - oops I had to swim. Thanks to the patagonia absolute water tight back pack I could swim relaxed and the Canon would be save - if you call it swimming holding a rod with one arm and managing the reel with the other. I had to swim a couple of meters, happy to get solid ground under my feet and getting back to the beach. The tuck went on for a while but I finally managed to get the beast to the net. On the scale came the surprise: just a little over 6lbs! Wow what a fight for that size of fish, imagine if it would have had towards 10lbs - it would have dragged me all the way to the hut!

That again was one of those red letter days! Thank you River and Fish, thank you nature, thank you Ines to let me go! (BTW: lovely surprise in the cookie box! : ) ) 

The way back went with the turbo of motivation.

At the hut, a last "listen carefully" thing: chopping wood with a piece of metal (it was said to be and axe but and axe should be sharp), I was saying to myself 'take care of pieces jumping back from the impact'. Just seconds later a massive trunk airborne from the full force impact with the long handle "axe" impact hit me with full force in the right knee. I just went to the ground and could not even scream. That was not the kind of pain I prefer (side note, I am talking about endurance biking). The already swollen right knee has now a reason to be swollen. I had to treat it internally with half a bottle Church Road red.

(Text continued several days later) In the morning of the third day I have been woken by the sound of a chopper. Here? Rather unusual. I more or less jumped out of the bed (rather slowly with the funny knee) and had a look. The early guests were rangers taking care of the trap line (in control of small mammals), exchanging the traps and the baits. The low lake beach provided a perfect non dusty chopper spot to land. When you ever wanted to know how a chopper is filled with fuel - look at the picture.

This day I wanted to fish a distant upstream section of the river, starting around an hours walk upstream about where I ended the day before. A nice walk but it went ok with the knee. My legs found the well-known track nearly by themselves. Fishing was supposed to be of the same quality as the two days before. But who knows why, the fish just did not stick to that rule. It was hard for me to get them to the fly (still the same as yesterday) even as some of them were actively feeding. I had a hard time. They were spooky or fuzzy about my offering. To at least catch three fish I wandered all the way up to the camp spot I used some weeks ago, only to catch the third and thus the last fish of the day in the "camp pool". The two hours back to the hut with the knee were special.

Nevertheless even less good days on that river are terrific.

The boat taxi came a head of time and we went back over a calm lake.

What a blast these two first days! Wow!

PS: 

Bonus 3F or "Florian's first footage" about a pretty average rainbow trout caught and released during the trip. It came at the second cast to an Adams. GoPro Hero 3 & some post production... VERY first try. But one of the few takes were everything from presentation to release is available. The compression n the blog is awful, so please use the Vimeo Link and comeback:

The Rainbow in Fjordland

Fjordland continued and back to the Mataura – or the search for accommodation that ended up with a whole filet in Garston

The next day was turn of the tributary. Shortly after the camp it has a gorgey section than can be circumnavigated by following the track on its true right side. That means, in case you find the track and don’t lose it too often. Which is quiet impossible if you are there for the first time and don’t know the track as most of the markings can only be seen from the other direction and the track by itself is most of the time absolutely not obvious. That is tramping about.

After the gorge there should be a pool with big big trout. But before that there was sweat and severe bush bashing. Coming out of the bush after the gorge the river flows through a lovely valley with low gradient. The pool is right on the end or start, however you wana term it, of the valley. And the pool is like an aquarium in which the huge fish chase the big fish of around 5lbs. The big ones looked dwarfed. The huge ones must have been considerably more than 10lbs - all of them Rainbows. And on a no-wind bright day with the structure of that pool more or less uncatchable. I was watching and filming them for half an hour. Preparing for a few unsuccessful casts, as the fish were altogether ignoring my flies but chasing each other around.

I headed upstream trough the really nice valley. Just seeing to more fish of which one briefly inhaled my fly but did not stick to it. Unfortunately I had to turn around 2pm, to be leaving the camp around 3pm to be at the hut at 5pm where the boat taxi would arrive at 6pm. Too bad. On the right day with more time this could be fun up there.

The way back went considerably quicker than expected, because as mentioned before, the trap line track was much better visible going downriver than upriver. Still it needed very close attention not to lose it. Turning around to see the track in the other direction without the markings, there were some sections which were absolutely not visible. For the next time, I now have the GPS track.

Oh by the way, the only fish this day where from the camp pool. Or did I get none to the net – cannot remember. At the camp, packing, getting ready for the way out. The track / trap line out has the same structure, better marked on the way out. Some sever detours with danger of losing the track due to fallen trees. But I think I now have in 98% correct in my GPS for the next time. In a forest where you sometimes can only see 10 meters and there are no obvious marks it is good to have this digital line.

Arriving after exactly two hours at the hut, I was happy to end the five hours walking of the day and to get rid of the backpack. Ines did pack everything and swiped the hut, so I was ready after twenty minutes, just about in time for the a head of time arriving boat taxi

Bye bye to the hut, with more good memories and nice fishing. Again we had the luck to fish fresh water and did not get in interference with other fishermen.

The way back went smoothly, some more waves and wind than on the way in. Ines picked me from the boat ramp at around 7pm and we headed towards the Motel she had found a room the day before. Coincidentally exact that Motel I spend a night two years before. Everything else in Te Anau was pretty much booked, prices where high. 

The day before the plan for Ines and Tobias with the boat taxi went pretty smooth. Except that the Milford Track boat taxi is not used to transport guests by short notice that do not have a ticket. But they nevertheless took care of Ines and Tobias. And the captain did this in a special way, looking like a real pirate, Tobias was so afraid of him, that he started to cry seeing him. Very unusual for him as he is always excited seeing new people. Reunited we spend another night in the Motel. A Motel Ines fixed for the two nights at some kind of “last minute Te Anau is booked price”. Traveler’s advice: Te Anau can get busy and prices change by demand. 

The idea for the next days, was not yet determined as the weather looked unclear and some rain was likely. For the next day nevertheless the idea was to relocate to a shearer’s quarter 15minutes outside of town that I found in the net (accommodation for sheep-coiffeurs). But we were unable to get in touch with the lady in charge. Too sad as it seemed to be available for the days we planned. Hanging undecided around in Te Anau. Doing some internet/Café-stuff, groceries we did not know what was going on. At the afternoon we gave Karen and Rob a knock, as announced. We had a nice Saturday afternoon with them at their second-home in Te Anau. Fishtalk. Did you fish that? How is access there? How was this stream? Tea. Fly swap. Tobias playing with the toys of the grandchildren. A real nice afternoon!

Still not knowing how to continue, we drove to the station to find it deserted. The shearer’s accommodation had the nice typical stile of the 50ies of the last century. After considering plans and weather (rain for Fjordland) we decided to go back towards QT / Garston and called Naylor House close to Garston (see post before on this fabulous vacation home near Garston!). And it was available again – lucky 3F! Within in shorter than usual time for that stretch, we were again close to Garston in the Naylor House – welcome home! Fishing the Mataura the next day was not a too bad option.

This night we had our traditional dish again: beef filet. But this time in a special form as at the supermarket in Te Anau, the ready cut filet steaks were pretty much sold, but there were whole filets still available. For a price per kg we are normally used to pay for good diced meat at home. But one filet pretty much meant either inviting people from the street or having beef filet three days in a row. We went for the last option. Starting with steaks for the first two days and a very special dish for the third day I will mention later. 

Doctor’s advice: do not eat so much meat, it is not good for you and not good on the environment (but it tastes good)!

Plan for the next day (Sunday) was to fish Mataura River on an access close by. Wondering, if we would have the stretch of the river for ourselves, or if a coach full of fishing tourists would be on the water before us.