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Main Address :
15 Wainui Street
Nelson
,
South Island
New Zealand
Phone :
Fax :
Summer Address :
15 Wainui Street
Nelson
,
South Island
New Zealand
Phone :
Fax :
Toll Free :
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GuideCam
Fishing
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Latitude Guiding
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Professional trout guiding in the Nelson and Marlborough area of New Zealand's South Island. Fly Fishing to suit all abilities and budgets. Use our local knowledge to your advantage.
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General:
Guides
Fishing Available:
Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout
Hunting Available:
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Dates Open :
1 Oct - 30 April
Lake or Area Name :
Nelson, South Island, New Zealand
Main Phone: 64 21 122 8580
The information on this site was provided to us from the lodge or outfitter. Please visit their link to find even more detailed information.
Latitude Guiding consists of guides Mike Kirkpatrick and James English, both passionate fly fisherman and lucky enough to live in New Zealand's foremost trout fishing region.
Why is the Nelson region best? You only have to look at the Locations page to see one reason, the sheer abundance of waterways in our area give you literally hundreds of miles of fly fishing water within a couple of hours drive. The quality of these waterways is also amazing, no two rivers are the same, from the slightly tannin stained West Coast to the gin clear headwaters of Kahurangi National Park you will never tire of the locations available.
Then there are the trout themselves, while some of our waterways are renowned for the numbers of fish available in them (don't think that makes them easy to catch!), others are famous for the sheer size of the trout that hide within.
Let's not forget weather, there's not much point having great rivers if you're casting into a gale with sleet coming down around you! Of course everywhere has it's bad days but Nelson is known within New Zealand as 'Sunny Nelson' and for good reason, we regularly boast the highest annual sunshine hours and calm, cloudless sunny days are what this area is famous for.
It's some combination and we feel very lucky to live here, we do our best to make the most of it! We'd love the chance to share our experience and the countryside with you, we know it's a time you'll never forget.
SPRING (September / October / November) - Weather can be a little unpredictable but this is a time when the action is heating up throughout the region. Spawning trout are returning to the rivers, they're hungry and lack of angling pressure over winter has lowered their alertness levels. Hungry fish who are more relaxed? Now this is a great combination! Even when rivers are high due to heavy rain, opportunity skill abounds for both the spin fisherman and streamer fly fisherman. Whitebait are on the run and the ever alert sea-run trout are there in the river mouths waiting for them. These fish tend to be in superb condition and very aggressive, especially on or after dark.
SUMMER (December / January / February) - Rivers are generally in good condition with mostly settled sunny days. Lots of insect and terrestrial activity with mayfly and caddis hatches. Great time for the dry fly fisherman or dry/nymph combo. Fish can be spotted feeding during the day and will glady accept a well casted dry fly, although they will become more wary as temperatures rise and river levels drop, choosing shady postions under trees and banks. Early morning, twilight and after dark can also be very effective times to fish if conditions are right. Sea-run trout are still around the river mouths hunting smelt and bullies so lowland fishing is still very productive.
Summer is an exciting time for the fly fisherman with long days, warm nights, lots of insect and fish activity. With all rivers open, deciding on just where to fish can be very difficult!
AUTUMN (March / April / May) - A great time for the stalking dry fly angler, especially March and April. Insect numbers are high and trout in superb condition. Fish are wary though due to months of angler pressure and generally low clear water levels. Time to hone stealth and casting skills, with long flurocarbon leaders and fine tippets being the order of the day. With April 30 being the end of the open season this is also the time to go back country and explore the small tributaries with large resident trout and the first early spawners.
WINTER (June / July / August) - For those hardy souls ready to brave the frosts, this time of year can have excellent fly and spin fishing. Angler numbers are very low and trout are still making their way up the rivers to spawn in June, especially rainbows which tend to be more aggressive at this time and will snatch a well placed streamer or lure. Weather can be very settled during this period, so after a cold start you will often be rewarded with a brilliant calm sunny day.
Mike has been hunting and trout fishing this region for most of his life, and there's not many areas he doesn't know about. A passionate and knowledgeable fly fisherman he loves nothing more than taking a client into a wilderness area to hunt large trout. If you really want to get into Nelson's backcountry fishing, whether by car, helicopter or tramp Mike will prepare a trip to suit. Of course if your time is more limited he can also show you some of his favourite local spots where the variety of water will suit both your ability and preferred technique.
James is originally from the North Island but has been living in Nelson for almost a decade now and is absolutely loving it! Being born in another region means he can really appreciate what Nelson has over the rest of New Zealand, and what makes this lifestyle so special. Fishing for just about as long as he can remember he loves hunting trout around their favorite hides, under willows and around obstacles. Getting a client to cast, and hook up on one of these sighted trout is what guiding to him is all about. Whether your preferred technique is spinning, dry fly, nymph or streamer he can take you to the location that suits. We pride ourselves on a friendly and professional service that caters for all budgets, skill levels and techniques. Whether you're an experienced fly fisherman or a first time angler looking to land his first trout we can tailor an excursion to suit.
NELSON / TASMAN - The Nelson region is renowned for it's warm dry summers and is said to be the California of the South Island. The city of Nelson is centrally located between other fishing bases such as Motueka and Ngatimoti to the west, St Arnaud and Murchison to the south and Bleheim to the east. The area has a wide range of rivers, being snow and rain fed and flowing through farmland, orchards, rugged mountains and sheltered valleys. Other attractions such as beaches, vineyards, beautiful National Parks and Marine Reserves make this a very popular area for both anglers and visitors alike. The Motueka river has been called one of the South Island's best trout fisheries, a reputation earned by it's high stock of brown trout. Drift dives have recorded fish numbers from 200-450 fish per kilometre in some of the lower reaches. Does this make it easy to fish? No. The fish here are very wary and particular feeders who know what they like and will steadfastly refuse other offerings. Still, it consistently produces fish over the 8lb mark as well as a good number of large sea-run trout that inhabit the lower reaches and also re-populate the upper reaches and tributaries. The Wangapeka drains from the eastern slopes of Northwest Nelson, it has less numbers than the Motueka but the trout are generally larger, especially the remote upper reaches accessed by the Wangapeka track. Both these rivers have interesting tributaries such as the Motupiko, Pearse & Baton as well as other separate smaller streams in the area which contain picturesque scenery and fine angling.
MARLBOROUGH - To the east of Nelson lies the Pelorus River, this contains a good number of both brown and rainbow trout, it also contains noteworthy tributaries such as the Rai and Wakamarina. Further east are the Wairau, Awatere and Clarence. The Wairau is a large river with excellent scenery and good fish in varying quantities, it's major tributaries such as the Rainbow, Goulter, Leatham, Branch and Waihopai also offer good fly fishing with splendid surroundings. The Clarence drains from Lake Tennyson and holds some nice browns especially in the upper regions. The Clarence's main tributary the Acheron is also worth a spin or fly fish with some good sized browns.
WEST COAST - This is a rugged area of the South Island which receives a great deal of rainfall as it's mountains are first to receive the cloud masses moving eastward over the Tasman Sea. It has many rivers, some of which are prone to flooding and thus have only sparse populations of trout. However, others that clear quickly, or are unaffected by heavy runoff sustain a good population of sometimes very large trout. Noteable rivers are the Karamea and it's tributaries, the Ugly, Beautiful, Leslie, Crow and Roaring Lion. This is the largest river system in the Kahurangi National Park. The Karamea is a wilderness river renowned for it's large trout which average 4-5lbs, this river combined with the Kahurangi's scenery provide fly fishing at it's best for the adventerous angler. Further south is the Lower Buller and its tributaries, which provide another huge area of rugged angling, the terrain and trout can be difficult but this only adds to the challenge. Another river system is the Grey River, with it's upper tributaries the Blue Grey, Robinson, Little Grey, Rough, Slatey and Moonlight Creeks. The Arnold is a major tributary of the lower Grey with it's source being Lake Brunner and is a fine fly or spin fishery. The West Coast is renowned for its characters and friendly people, this area is very special and is widely thought of as New Zealand's last frontier. Please note this is just a basic overview of the trout fishing available in the area, there are literally hundreds of other small tributaries, streams, ponds, tarns and other waterways that have splendid fishing and receive little pressure. These little known 'jewels' often contain excellent trout in breathtaking scenery and are the highlight of any fly fishing trip.
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Visit:
Nelson, South Island, New Zealand
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