Where We Fish, South Island NZ
Fly Fishing South Westland
South Westland is the most remote water we guide, and the least fished. Rivers run out of the Southern Alps through temperate rainforest to the West Coast, and many of them see a handful of anglers a season. We operate throughout the region, based around Haast, for anglers who would rather work harder for fish that have never seen a fly than share easy water with everyone else.
- Nearest airport
- Queenstown (ZQN), via the Haast Pass
- Species
- Wild brown trout
- Season
- 1 October to 30 April
- Style
- Sight fishing bush-lined rivers, dry fly and nymph
- Suits
- Fit anglers on 3 to 5 day trips
What makes it different
West Coast rivers are bush-lined, tannin-tinged in places and gin-clear in others, and they run through country that feels genuinely untouched. The casting is tighter than on the open Canterbury braids and the fish are correspondingly less forgiving of a bad first cast.
Fish numbers per kilometre are lower than the eastern rivers, but the average size is good and the fish are naive. A trout that has never been cast to behaves nothing like one on a popular river.
Weather is the real variable
The West Coast gets serious rainfall, and these rivers rise and clear fast. That is exactly why they fish so well, and also why a South Westland trip needs flexibility built into it.
We plan these trips with alternatives in every direction, and the jet boat lets us move to whichever catchment is running clear rather than sitting out a blown river.
Who it suits
This is the region for anglers on their second or third New Zealand trip, or first-timers who are fit, patient and here for the wilderness as much as the fishing. If you want the highest fish count of your life, Canterbury is the better call.
It pairs naturally with The Hardcore package, where we camp or use DOC huts and backcountry cabins, though we run it on the Premium and Luxury tiers as well with lodge accommodation on the coast.
Other Regions We Fish
Fly Fishing Canterbury High Country
Braided rivers and gin-clear spring creeks in the shadow of the Southern Alps. Reached from Christchurch, taking in the waters around Methven, Fairlie and Hanmer Springs. The heart of our 3-day expeditions.
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.
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.