Start of the season in McKenzie Country

[Wildfisher]

That's NZ Mckenzie of course

Makes me wonder why we bother.  :lol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqJ-NTs6RCw

[Laxdale]

Pulling the fish off the redds!

[arawa]

I am not saying I don't want to catch huge trout but for me much of the pleasure is being out on the hills and watching the wildlife. I enjoy stalking a small rising trout with a dry on a little hill loch perhaps more than I did a guided trip in NZ where the guide was more desperate than me to catch big fish - probably because that is how his performance and skill was judged.

[Wildfisher]

Yeah, a guide that puts you onto half pounders won't get a lot of work outside of Scotland.  :lol:

I know that river, The Ohau, but only fished it in summer and didn't get anything over 2lb and they were browns. I think the monster rainbows are only there in winter / early spring. They live in the lakes and canals the rest of the time. The canals are like a soup of protein with vast  numbers of bait fish like bullheads.