Where We Fish, South Island NZ
Fly Fishing Canterbury High Country
The Canterbury high country is the heart of our guided fly fishing, and the region most first-time visitors to New Zealand should fish. Braided rivers and gin-clear spring creeks run out of the Southern Alps across open tussock flats, which makes it some of the best sight-fishing water in the country. We reach it from Christchurch, taking in the waters around Methven, Fairlie and Hanmer Springs, and it forms the core of our 3-day expeditions.
- Nearest airport
- Christchurch (CHC), 1 to 2 hours' drive
- Species
- Wild brown trout, some rainbows
- Season
- 1 October to 30 April
- Style
- Walk-and-stalk sight fishing, dry fly and nymph
- Access
- 4WD and jet boat
The water
Two very different river types sit side by side here. The braided rivers are wide, shifting, shingle-bedded systems that carry glacial melt out of the Alps; the trout hold in the seams and side braids, and finding them is half the day's work. The spring creeks are the opposite: small, stable, spring-fed and so clear you can watch a fish decide whether to eat.
Both reward sight fishing. You spot the fish first, then choose the cast. It is slower and more deliberate than blind-fishing a run, and it is why anglers travel to New Zealand in the first place.
Why jet boat access matters here
Braided rivers are hard to walk. Channels split, shift and cut off access, and the productive water is often a long way from the nearest road bridge. Most guided days on these rivers are spent within an hour's walk of a car park, which means everyone fishes the same water.
Our jet boat runs those braids and gorges directly, so we start where a walking angler would turn around. The fish up there are pressured by nature, not by anglers, and they behave accordingly. It costs roughly half of what helicopter access to comparable water costs.
When to come
The river season runs 1 October to 30 April. November through April is prime for backcountry sight fishing in Canterbury, and the shoulder months of December and March often give the most consistent hatches and the clearest water.
February is cicada month and the most requested; book that one early. If you are travelling from the northern hemisphere, remember the seasons are flipped, so our best fishing lands squarely in your winter.
How a Canterbury trip runs
Fly into Christchurch and we meet you there or at your accommodation. From that base we move between the Methven, Fairlie and Hanmer Springs waters day by day, picking the river that suits the conditions rather than sticking to a fixed itinerary.
Rods, reels, waders, boots, tackle, flies and lunch are all included, and we hold the permits and DOC concessions the access requires. Three days is the minimum that does the region justice; five gives us room to chase weather and water clarity instead of fighting it.
Other Regions We Fish
Fly Fishing Mackenzie Country
High-country lakes, glacial rivers and the Twizel and Tekapo canals, home to some of the largest trout on the planet. A short run from Queenstown on our 3-day trips.
Fly Fishing Central Otago
Clutha, Dunstan and the gold-country rivers. World-class winter fishing barely an hour from Queenstown, when the rest of the country has packed the rods away.
Fly Fishing South Westland
Wild West Coast rainforest rivers, remote, rarely fished and dramatic. We operate throughout South Westland for anglers chasing water few others ever see.
Spaces Are Limited Each Season
Your Backcountry
Adventure Awaits
Every trip is personally guided by Scott with small group sizes to keep things exclusive. Get in touch to check availability, tailor your itinerary, and lock in your dates on the water.