Dry Fly Fishing in New Zealand Rivers
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There’s nothing quite like watching a wild brown trout rise to take your fly off the surface. If you’re after genuine dry fly fishing in New Zealand, the Mataura River and surrounding streams offer some of the best fishing you’ll find anywhere in the world.
With prolific mayfly hatches, gin-clear water, and uncrowded rivers, this is where dry fly purists come to test their skills. Book your guided adventure today!
What a Day with a Southland Dry Fishing Guide Includes
When you book with a Southland dry fly fishing guide, I’ll have everything you need for hire, so that you can focus on the fishing. Equipment is available for hire @ $60.00 per person per day, these include:
Rods
Reels
Waders
Boots
When sight fishing with a dry fly in NZ, you’ll be spotting fish before casting to them. That’s what makes fly fishing in the South Island of New Zealand so special—watching a brown trout track your fly, then rise to take it. From beginners to advanced fishers, I adapt the trip to your experience.
What Makes Dry Fly Fishing Guides in NZ Worthwhile?
A good dry fly fishing guide in NZ does more than point you toward the water. The difference is local knowledge: knowing which river is the best based on the weather, reading the hatch, and getting you into position without spooking the fish.
Some days, the Mataura River is perfect; other days, a river 45 minutes away might offer better fishing. An expert guide knows how to navigate the local conditions, and relationships with local landowners give me access to stretches that other visiting anglers will never see.
With decades of experience on these rivers, I know what the trout are feeding on and how to present a fly that looks like the real thing.
Book Your Dry Fly Fishing Adventure
Ready to experience what makes dry fly fishing in New Zealand world-famous? Book your trip to fish uncrowded rivers for wild brown trout with an experienced local guide with more than 25 years of experience on these waters.
If you’re looking to expand your South Island fishing experience, I also offer fly fishing in Otago and am a trusted Queenstown fly fishing guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
The season runs from October to April, with December through March being when dry fly fishing in New Zealand is at its finest—watching fish rise freely to your fly on the surface. In autumn, you’ll see larger fish as they approach spawning season.
Primarily wild brown trout. The Mataura is home to dense populations that typically range from 1-3kg, with larger specimens around during mayfly season. Rainbow trout are also found in nearby rivers. Technical dry fly fishing in NZ rewards patience and precision—these fish are wild, educated, and worth the challenge.
When sight fishing with a dry fly in NZ, you’re spotting the fish before you cast. The clear Southland rivers let you watch a trout sitting in the current, present your fly upstream, and see whether it tracks and rises, or ignores you entirely.
It’s an entirely different experience from blind casting. You need stealth, accurate presentation, and the right fly to match what the fish are feeding on. That’s where having a reliable guide who can read the water makes all the difference.
If conditions aren’t right, I’ll find an alternative spot within an hour’s drive, or we’ll reschedule for a better day. Southland’s changeable weather means I have plenty of practice finding fishable conditions—it’s rare I won’t be able to find somewhere with fish.