Mackenzie Rivers & Fishing Seasons

Rivers of the Mackenzie District (Tekapo, Mt Cook and surrounding areas) are renowned for their crystal clear waters, which are typical of the pristineness and uniqueness of the Mackenzie Basin.

The rivers are shallow, open and braided and aptly suited to the dryfly and nymping techniques of flyfishing which is Grant's speciality. Flyfishing is an art, it requires attention to the New Zealand style of dry flyfishing, Sight fishing requires patience, and quietness of approach to a trout that has been sighted, observing what it may be feeding on, and then the technique required to cast, careful not to spook a wily brown, but to watch it rise and take the fly is the essence of the enjoyment and skill of flyfishing. Grant practices catch and release.

If you are looking for quality sized fish, which can easily be seen in crystal clear rivers, then the Tekapo-Mackenzie region is the flyfishing spot for you. The fish are not easy to catch, but the breathtaking surroundings make every fish caught a well-earned trophy.

The flyfishing season opens in the Mackenzie District on the first Saturday of November each year and closes on the 31 April each year. Weather at this time of the year can be windy, but generally dry, changeable because of the alpine location but generally settles towards December and stabilises for January, February, March and April.

The prevailing wind is a north westerly or westerly but the area can be affected by a southerly, which comes through as a cold front. This usually passes through in a few hours and out overnight, but can adversely affect the hatches for flyfishing. Day/week licences etc can be purchased locally.