Too much good weather to be on the internet...

Just got back from spending a week in the far north and although I had a great time, the wicked easterly prevented any salty fly action. Before I left Rotorua stream mouths were firing and at night time holding silly amounts of big fat 2kg fish. I think we landed close to twenty one night, I love it when you lose count. Small doll flies seem to do the trick and keep them well lit up. Anyway, I'm off to make the most of summer and I will report in when I do get to fling some more flies.

And although it's a bit late, here is Hank's holiday message.

Happy New Year!

Well another year has come and gone and the past couple of weeks have seen me spend far too much time eating ham and drinking beer instead of casting bugs and stripping buggers. I have still managed to get out a few times so stay tuned for a few photos.

This reason for this post is merely because it was high time I did something that made me want to get out on the water. There's nothing like trawling through fly fishing videos to get one inspired and seeing as it's summer time I though I would share this awesome video. These guys a quite a few clips scattered about and they are all pretty awesome. Makes me want to head the beach with my new Scott 10wt...

Also best of luck to (and some jealous abuse to) local guide Paul McDonald of Waikato Fly Fishers. Paul has just left for Patagonia for 3 weeks to catch a few fish. He was telling me at the pub the other night how the reports from Jurassic Lake weren't good as in their effort to catch 25lb fish, the local guides were getting pestered by 15lbers. Poor bastard...

Also, stay safe on the roads at this time of year, as they are generally more dangerous than any river.

New FTFF Vid

I have been sitting on this footage for far too long so I decided to pull my finger out and get it online. Only bad thing about editing these videos is that it just makes me want to go fishing more! Enjoy. Remember to watch on Vimeo for full HD, the budget does not include a Plus subscription at the moment!

Stillwater Antics from Cameron Forsman on Vimeo.

Hank with a (serious?) message

The latest episode of the Hank Patterson saga is still hilarious but touches on a serious and important message.

All jokes aside, conversation, I mean conservation is something that all fly fishermen should feel passionate about. Whether it be preserving our wild fish stocks, preserving the environment in which they live or even preserving our legal right to access our fisheries, we are all affected by this. It also happens to be us that make all the difference to these matters. This can be done by fishing responsibly, leaving everything as you found it and also maintaining good relationships with farmers whose land you cross (a 6 pack of beer generally gains you unconditional access for life). 

The fishing has been really good locally. There are plenty of anglers on the water this time of year so remember to be courteous and use the etiquette of the river. To avoid this, search for a piece of undisturbed water and don't tell anyone! 

Good luck out there. 

GEOFISH released!

The boys at Motiv Fishing (formerly of Trout Bum and Fish Bum fame) have released their first DVD in a series that promises to be absolutely awesome. Below is the trailer for the Mexican leg of their journey and is is available on DVD and Blu-Ray here. My copy is on order!

GEOFISH Trailer from MOTIV FISHING on Vimeo.

Hank is back...

Just thought I would take a moment to share this. Hank Patterson has to be the benchmark for all fly fishing guides out there. Wader manufacturers could take note as well!

I can fish again!

Exams are now over and so I can finally get some fishing done and from all accounts, there are fish everywhere right now. I'm hearing great reports from the Waikato small streams as well as the Taupo rivers. I managed to get out locally just once during exams but had plenty of hard fighting little bows on both nymph and dry. The new Hot Butt PT's and Hare and Coppers from Manic Tackle Project have been working a treat early season, particularly if the water is a little high and dirty. 

I'm also keen to get into some summer lake fishing at some stage. Maybe I'll just go live at Lake O for week...

Anyway, best of luck out there and I'll see you on a river (or lake) soon. I'm also sitting on a lot of sweet unedited stillwater footage so expect to see a new vid soon. 

New video!

Here is a cheeky little clip following the rainy adventure that was opening day. Watch on Vimeo for HD.

Opening Day 2012 from Cameron Forsman on Vimeo.

Other than this, I have had a few more sessions on the river. There has been some absolutely awesome fishing if you can find a break in the weather. Reports from Rotorua, Tongariro and Waikato small streams are all fantastic. Even the salty flyboys north of Auckland have been catching snapper from the shore. Had a yarn to Pat Swift at work today said Okataina went well during opening. Another local fisho Mark told me he whipped ten out of the Tongariro and I have been having double figure numbers of fish on our small streams. (Even some dry fly action!)

It's been a cracker start to the season and even though the weather is crap, the fish are hungry so who really cares, just get out there.

Dodgy weather, good fishing

Well, she's been a rough old opening. Nothing like some gale force winds the sort the men from the boys in terms of casting ability. Admittedly I have been in the trees a few times due to that unexpected 50kph gust.  There has been a bit of rain too but not enough to make the rivers too filthy to fish.

What this has given us is some weather that is challenging to fish but still fishable. More importantly, the fair weather fishermen have been put off, leaving streams that haven't been fished for months for the most hardcore of fly fishermen.

This has provided some awesome small stream fishing with good sized fish that haven't seen any pressure and are keen to eat most standard flies put in front of them. Small black flies combined with a patterns with a bit of sparkle and flash has worked well especially in coloured water.

This fish made me re enact a scene from a River Runs Through It. Although I wasn't quite as graceful going down the rapids as Brad Pitt and ended up smashing my knee on a rock, I had a bloody good time doing it.

Anyway, get out there and get amongst it. The weather isn't going to too flash for while so its best to just bite the bullet and get out there. The first fish will get rid of any doubts about whether you should be out there or not.

Stay tuned for a new video from FullTimeFlyFisher #openingday

Opening Day

I'm too busy tying flies in preparation for Monday to write a proper post. So if you are lucky enough to fish opening day like me, enjoy it. Weather isn't looking too flash but it rarely is on October 1. Best of luck for the new season!!

If you can't get out on the day because you have a job or something silly, here is something to cheer you up.

HANK PATTERSON  - Vol 2!!

4 or 5 midges.... that's a Morgy. Absolutely brilliant.

Fly Fishing and Music

Fly fishing is something which can put you in different moods and make you see the world in different ways. It can be harmonious when in tune with nature, it can be incredibly frustrating as well as action filled. This is quite often best expressed by music and can really set the mood for whatever fishing your are wanting to do.

If I head out for a dry fly fish one evening, I may choose to listen to something a little quieter or slower paced on the drive there. Alternatively, if I am going to strip some woolly buggers through rainbow infested still water I may listen something faster and heavier to get me geared up. I like all types of music from classic rock and folk music to hip hop and more modern stuff. Similarly, I like all types of fly fishing and as a lover of music I feel that they go hand in hand.

In making fly fishing videos, it is often hard to match a particular video with a song. Fly fishing is something that is currently making the jump into the modern age. While many fly fishing videos still use to good effect slower acoustic music, many video producers are now employing more quicker paced and more modern music in their videos. While the music won't be everybody's cup of tea, they effectively match how the film is edited and presented. A fast paced film would not suit a slow acoustic guitar piece. Having said this, a slow motion dominant dry fly film would not suit a bass heavy hip hop or alternative track.

The modern, younger fly fisherman is influencing this style of film. Ivan, the man behind US based Yukon Goes fishing, is a really good example of this. Ivan clearly has a passion for modern, hip hop music but his videos are filmed and edited to match this music accordingly. Here is a sample of one his productions:

Yukon Goes Headhunting from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.

Alternatively, this a film from Gin Clear Media, soon to be released in full version. The slow acoustic music effectively reflects the mood of the video and the type of fishing.

"Hatch" trailer - by Gin Clear Media | Fly Fishing Movie from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

Next time you go fishing, listen to music in the car that reflects the type of fishing you intend to do as I have found it can put you in the right frame of mind for your fishing which can effect your success and subsequently, enjoyment out on the water.

This weather is getting old.

It may seem like a I spend most of my time on here having a cry about the weather. The fact remains that this has been an absolutely shocking start to the spring in terms of pleasant fishing weather. If you do want to get out and brave the wind and rain, some absolutely stellar report are coming in from the Tongariro. I heard at work today that one gentleman managed to snag fifteen fish in the bridge pool one morning. While the size of fish hasn't been outstanding, the condition and sheer number of fish in the river is very encouraging. Might have to plan a trip soon...

In the meantime, opening is less than a month away so renew those licences and tie those flies because come October 1, it's every fisherman for himself.

I don't think I have shared this video yet but if I have I make no apologies, it's pretty awesome.

Fly Fishing is a Joke from Henry Harrison on Vimeo.

Week Off

Having a week off from Uni and fly fishing so am hoping to get some editing done on the new stillwater themed video that will come out shortly. When I return though I will be fishing up a storm as now is the time to start dusting off the small stream gear and getting some practice in on waters such as the Waihou and even parts of the Waipa and Puniu.

If you can't get out, here is a small clip that I found pretty entertaining. "If it's not snapping, you're doing it wrong!"

Brown Beauties

I had an awesome day on the water last week which was dominated mostly by gorgeous brown trout so I though I would post a few photos of some of the browns I have caught recently and try to shed a little bit of light on the subtle differences we see in these fish.

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) were first introduced in New Zealand waters in the 1860's from British stock that came via those already acclimatised in Tasmania. They are currently the most widespread introduced species of fish in our waters.

Brown from the Mangatutu Stream. Golden brown with red spots.

Brown trout are an extremely pleasant fish to look at. Some fish are golden brown with black and orange spots and some are shiny silver bullets. The colouration of these fish has to do not only with their environment but also their lineage. Traditional wisdom and research says that lake fish tend to be the silver in colour and more closely resemble their cousins the Salmon. However think the only bearing that habitat has on a brown trout's appearance is the amount of spots and the pattern of those spots. What is more important is the where these fish originally came from and where what their migratory and spawning behaviour is.

Big brown from Lake Rotorua. Note that they are all black spots.

Many of our bigger lake fish such as the Rotorua trout were stocked from bloodlines that came from the Scottish Lochs an so they naturally adapted well there. Our small stream browns which do not grow to the same sizes are usually descended from fish found in the small streams of Germany. These fish can be identified by their small red spots that tend to be placed closer to their belly. However, both strains of fish were stocked, so one may find a smaller 'German' brown in a stillwater, while there are many bigger 'Scottish' browns in our rivers. Also, the migratory patterns of these fish have an effect on appearance however this normally determines the number of spots on a fish. This can be useful for finding out if fish are remiaining in  particular fishery or choosing to migrate up or downstream. More spots usually means an upstream fish which is in clear water and less spots means downstream and murky although this is not always the case.

Brown from the Whakapapa River. No red spots on this guy.

One exception to this is the sea run brown trout which will take on a silvery appearance. This is also true of the browns that come out of Lake Taupo. For example, I have seen a 5lb brown caught on the Tongariro that resembled a sea run trout, so it would appear that these fish think that they are going to sea when they are in fact migrating from a big lake. This said, lake Rotorua is obviously not big enough to trick the fish into thinking this as I have never come across one of those silvery browns there.

Another Mangatutu fish. All black spots here though. Two different strains in the river?

From the fish that I have caught, the fighting ability and characteristics differ greatly from fish to fish. The general rule that I have developed is that any brown trout under 4lb that is in good condition will fight like an absolute demon. They will jump as much as any rainbow as well as bury their head in a clump of weed. However once they get a bit bigger, they tend to fight like a rock. They will usually have one or two good runs and then pick a spot in the river and stay there.

Little brown from a small stillwater. Fought extremely hard and jumped about 5 times! Note the red spots.

Brown trout are undoubtedly one of my favourite fish to catch. In the North Island we tend to be rainbow dominated so it is quite often a nice surprise to catch one of these amazing fish. Even with all my theories on browns listed above, there will always be something different. One persons experience with brown trout may be different to the next but I think we can all agree that they are fish that we love to catch and that they have a touch of mysticism about them.

Miserable, just miserable.

To the people who managed to go fishing on the one fine day we had in two weeks, congratulations. The rest of us have been braving the elements to go fishing. I did this a couple of times but my efforts were rather unsuccessful however it sorted out the fishing withdrawals I was getting. (Random movements of the casting arm, hearing fish tailing in a quiet room, etc) The one positive that can be taken from this atrocious weather is that when the rain stops the spawning fisheries should be firing, or so I'm told.

Being miserable and staying inside has never been so good though. Plenty of sport on the TV with the Olympics, the Chiefs winning and I'm actually getting a fair bit of Uni work done. And we are getting ever closer to October!

To supplement your already packed TV schedule, here is a little treat. The full DVD can be purchased from Fish City for $39.99. Enjoy.

a BACKYARD in NOWHERE official HD trailer from Sellfish Media & Smatis Film on Vimeo.

I haven't been fishing.

One of the best things about starting this blog is that it forces me to get outside and go fishing in order to keep what I say fairly relevant. I am therefore not so happy to report that this will be the first week since the creation of this blog that I have NOT been fishing. In a week marred by high flows, illness and other such factors, I have not been able to get out at all.

The Tongariro area reports good fish but hard fishing after the rain we had which put a 600 cumec flood through Turangi. This surprises me although I think the lower river would be the best place to go right now.

For the Rotorua region, you had to get in quick. The fishing in the rain and immediately after was great but is slowing down again. A buddy of mine fished amongst the heave and leavers at Rotoiti and although they claimed the fishing was hard, these reports need to be taken with a ten kilo bag of salt! These old boys are expert wool pullers.

So I have been watching internet fishing videos, tying flies and reading articles. I have even been doing the odd bit of uni study. Yesterday I was officially grumpy that I could not get to the water. Even as I sit at my computer and write this while drinking a cold beer, I sit and wonder what could have been in the past week.

However, it has dawned on me that it is these frustrating moments of real life that make the fly fishing all the more appealing. Too often I have blurred the line between fishing and real life. For me and I'm sure plenty of others, fishing is a chance to escape real life and just get outside and not think about anything but yourself, your cast and that fish that keeps following your bloody fly but won't eat it (week before last) Not having fished for well over a week, the next time I go fishing will be amazing, regardless of the result. I will just be pleased to get out there and do something which I enjoy.

So the next time you are at work or can't go fishing for whatever reason, just tell yourself you are racking up enjoyment points. The more of these points you get, the more you will appreciate and enjoy the time you do get to spend on the water. I find it makes things just a bit more bearable.

During my internet travels I have found this. Enjoy!

Summer can't come fast enough...

I was flicking through some photos of my trip down to National Park in February and although I do appreciate the winter version, fly fishing is certainly a summer sport. I can't wait for the long days and the bright sun which causes all sorts of bugs to hatch. This then gives you what is without a doubt the purest form of fly fishing, dry fly. Nothing in our game even comes close to watching a fish come up and gently sip your offering from the surface. Still a few months away yet though....

As it's my last week of uni holidays I have put a bit of effort in. The Waikato river was attacked with the switch rod and a couple of small bows were a nice surprise. I was also snapped off by some bohemoth fish that may well have been a Taniwha. My mate Josh and I also fished the same little stillwater I've been trying to work out and managed to land quite a few. One more day of filming and I will be able to start production on a new video.

Until then, here is an entertaining clip which shows just how unpredictable fishing really is... Enjoy. Classic reactions too.

Winter Bugs (not the kind that make you sick)

It is cold. It is very cold. It is the kind of cold that makes you want to go all grizzly bear and crawl into a hole and sleep until it gets warm again. Unfortunately, we are not as awesome as bears so we have to spend the winter actually doing stuff.

On the plus side, winter is a great time to fly fish. Fish hang around the colder edges of lakes and they head back down the bigger rivers. Fish do feed less often in the winter however they still feed and with more food in the water right now that one would think, the idea of having to endure another winter becomes a little more bearable. (<PUN)

Anyway, the smaller lakes have been fishing very well and throwing nymphs around if your standard baitfish patterns aren't working can be very productive especially if the fish are visibly feeding. I recently read an interesting article (can't remember for the life of me where) which suggested that winter is a time when our waterways are perhaps most rich with aquatic insect life. We just don't see anything resembling surface hatches due to the insects life cycle stages at this time. Makes sense and was interesting reading for sure.

As far as my activities go I have been checking out a little stillwater from time to time and getting a good fish or two out of it. Compiling more and more video footage so hopefully a new production can go in the works soon. 

Also, I got myself a new Scott 8wt so I am dead keen to go give that a thrashing somewhere. Have only given it a little bit of a cast so far but I was really impressed with that. However, it is not until that you land a fish with a rod you can truly say you have tested it so it shall be 'put to the test' in a couple of days time!

I'll leave you with an all time favourite Fly Fishing film trailer of mine. The 'trout bum' lifestyle is one of the coolest things ever and through fly fishing people are able to experience culture, nature and generally different stuff than the average person would experience. And they have a bloody awesome time doing it! 

MOTIV Fishing - GEOFISH Drake Fest Submission from MOTIV FISHING on Vimeo.

Late Season Stillwater

As you have probably gathered by now I really enjoy my stillwater fishing. There is something about actually feeling the fish on the other end grab your fly and make mad dash for it without the help of the current.

I have been doing a lot of work on rivers lately and felt it was about time to hit up a small and grossly underfished stillwater that had been in the back of my mind for ages. All it takes is a big brown to follow your first cast right to the bank to get you motivated for the rest of the day. While the bigger ones eluded me I managed to get onto a few smaller browns which fought really well for their size. I enjoyed the mornings fishing so much that I am going back this weekend. Hopefully it all comes together and I get enough footage to warrant a new stillwater themed video.

Here is a sample of one of the little critters from the lake.

I will have another report and update very shortly. Get out and fish over the weekend. The weather is looking awesome and spawning run fisheries should be red hot after all that rain and tomorrows frosts. The season is nearly over!! It's a long, long four months...

Back with a Vengeance .... and an 8wt.

I'm back from my week long hiatus. Going that long without catching a fish is no good for the psychological state of a human being. That said, this week I plan to throw myself at whatever water I come across.

I hear the lakes are still fishing well and are a good choice if your local rivers are coloured up. Target the spawning areas and liberation points, they will go well after any rain we get. Later in the week when the weather clears up it will definitely be worth checking out those streams for the chance of a stonker late season fish.

Do not, I repeat DO NOT, ever in a million years let the weather stop you from going fishing. Especially this time of year. Some of the best fishing you will have is in terrible weather or immediately before the bad weather hits. Dropping barometers an all of that stuff fishermen like to use as an excuse to go fishing in appalling conditions should come into play here. The fish are there, go catch them, regardless of the climate.

Also, here is a video for your pleasure, motivation, torture, whatever. Whatever it is, this is an absolutely brilliant clip. And a horse fish!

Silver Creek Gong Show from Silver Creek Outfitters on Vimeo.