SHAMUS FLY FISHING SEASONS

At Lake Taupo you fly fish every day of the year. In autumn and winter anglers catch thousands of wild rainbow trout and brown trout completing their annual spawning migration through the Tongariro River and surrounding streams. In contrast, in summer and spring you fish in local lakes and remote backcountry rivers for hungry resident trout.

Summer (December to March) An uncrowded Tongariro River provides nymph or dry fly fishing for 'recovering' rainbows (3-5 lbs), resident 'pocket-rockets' (1-3 lbs), and wily trophy brown trout (6-12 lbs). Excellent dry fly evening rise. Lake Taupo's exciting lake fishing is available with trout feeding frantically on small baitfish (smelt). Late-summer night fishers catch big browns (6-12 lbs).

Backcountry Rivers and Streams: A real New Zealand adventure! Drive or helicopter into the mountains. Fishing crystal-clear secluded backcountry rivers among pristine scenery. Fantastic birdlife. Challenging sight or blind fishing with dry fly or nymph for large rainbows and wily browns. Alpine/Back Country Lakes: A phenomenal cicada dry fly or damsel fly hatch provides the opportunity to catch a lifetime trophy brown trout or trophy rainbow trout (up to 12 lbs). See Summer Fishing

Autumn (April to May) Nymph and streamer fishing large rivers and small streams for early-run rainbows (3-6 lbs) and browns (6-10 lbs). Also classical New Zealand fly fishing for large trout with dry fly or nymph in crystal clear backcountry streams. Streamer fishing starts for pre-migrating rainbows holding at rivermouths. The 'Big Boys' are moving - its trophy trout time.

Winter (June to September) Winter mayhem. Cold weather sees rivers and streams loaded with migrating rainbow and brown trout (80,000 fish run the Tongariro River). Superb nymph and streamer fishing in both rivers and river mouths. See Winter Fishing

Spring (October to November) Uncrowded rivers provide relaxed fishing for late-run rainbows. Warmer weather brings great nymph or dry fly (mayfly, caddis, and beetles) fishing for recovering fish. Re-opening of wilderness streams allows anglers to stalk backcountry trout with nymph and dry fly. Nymphing alpine lakes for large trophy trout. On Lake Taupo the smelt (baitfish) migration and green beetle hatch provides exciting sight fishing for fast feeding trout.