NZ Deadly Dry fly Month, Hi Viz Dry flies , The new improved Deadly Ninja Nymph, Stonefly , may fly nymph, Fly fishing fun clip

THE WEATHER


In the last week the weather has been up and down .
A few of the days i was out guiding i had 5 layers of thermals on and a gortex jacket on top. The wind was bitterly cold. 
Then about 2pm the sun came out and all the layers had to come off again. Its been the worst no constant weather for a February that i have known. Yesterday it rained for 18 hours!!

Stu's  Deadly NZ Blow fly - Nails another monster!

THE RIVERS

18hrs of Rain- Matarua river Athol!

 Today all the rivers are high and dirty- ok- dirty means high and chocolate brown- a few tail waters coming out of dams will be clear and the odd wee spring creek. But for most systems it will be a couple of days at least before they become fishable again. So the flows will soon be back to normal in a few days and all will be gin clear again  and the fish will be looking for small and giant cheese burgers on the surface.

 Stu's Deadly Barred Smelt Booby Flies

NEW DEADLY FLIES THAT YOU WILL LOVE USING!


The Superior range is gradually growing and getting better and better! The designs are getting more durable and realistic. The New Deadly Hi- Viz range focuses allot on white easy to see  white calf hair sight posts. 

NEW Heavy Durable- HOT ORANGE KILLER NYMPHS!

The Hooks - slight changes have been gradually made to the nymph range with even stronger wire TMC hooks being used and all chosen to give each fly the best hook up rate- just look at the clearance you have on Stu's Superior fly range compared to any others on the market- This can only be achieved by Stu being a pro fly tier and in charge of the Quality of his own Superior designs! 

You will not find a better quality designed pulsating Bait fish design- Stu's deadly Minnow!! a must for every fly box.

THE CONDITION OF TROUT!


Nearly all the trout have been fat and healthy looking on all the Southland river systems that i guide on. 
As usual many of the trout on the Oreti in the upper reaches are hot and exhausted looking especially the long skinny snake type ones found in the shallows along riffles! They are the old worn out trout of previous years. 
 Fish not sitting in the shallows are are healthy and fat looking and full of fight, although i have seen a few more marks on many of them where bad handling practice by some fishermen it could have only been. 
Plus the Oreti in Feb is under allot of fishing pressure as everybody is looking for a big fish on a dry fly!
The rainbow trout that up to now have been in not so good condition are all back on form and are jumping out the water like crazy when hooked.

One of my clients trouts, a great condition southland willow grub feeding trout
Notice the way i,m holding it so that it looks like its 15lb!! :)

ORETI ! Pressure!


The other day i had a lovely client who always wishes me to guide him on his favourite river the Oreti. 
Nowadays i hardly ever go there  when guiding as it is getting allot of pressure.  Sure enough i picked a great sunny no windy day for him and off we went. We went to 12 different access points before we found one that gave us only 1 klm of river to fish but it was better than nothing . we only managed to  fish two riffles when some other fishermen came down on top of us. So we had to leave and go to another river. 
OH! Bugger! i thought! well nobody owns the river- that can only be a good thing!
There seems to be some overseas guiding operation dropping clients off and not leaving any other fishermen any way of knowing  that there are others in front of them, until they catch up with them - like poor Silvio (from the source dvd) got the other day which he was not too happy about!

Check out the Deadly Daddy(crane fly)

 Which unless there is some system on the access for warning anglers ,it will always be that way! Maybe that's something for F&g to help with maybe a white board at each access- or better still a beat system extension would be the best option- especially if the cycle trail goes ahead down the banks of the river! Food for thought!


Thanks for your great support everyone and if you are not a supporter of Stu's fly shop-  if you are reading  this blog, my work! its about time you supported me and at least buy a little as i do need your support ! :) or tell a friend about my wee shop and work , get them to buy you something ! :) that's only if you are too miserable to spend your own money with me :)


I hope that made you all smile !! :)


Thanks for the comments and photos everybody! Remember and sign up for the Stu's News!  Fun news letter out next week
Cheers
Stu

NZ & Australia Willow Grub trout feeding Frenzy- Stu's Deadly Blow fly- NZ river report, Southland fly fishing fishing report

Hello !
As you all know by now, Its the busiest time in the year for me and this month i,m booked out with guiding , NZ fly fishing schools and casting lessons.
But i have some great friends helping me for the past few weeks and keeping everybody coming in to the shop happy and entertained.
 As well as answering all the phone calls and some of the emails from all my great customers.
Nothing has stopped every-order going out that day thanks to me getting up very early and into the office and more so  my awesome little helpers- More about the dream team later- AKA- Dad , Ela and Mum !!

NEW IN STOCK CHARTREUSE FLOATING GRUBS!

THE SHOP- 


The shop has just started to tick again with passionate fishermen from all over the world. Some of the old faces have returned again with reports of great fishing throughout NZ.
A few fishing club groups have been staying around the area and using the Garston pub as a base- Good food, beer,wine and trout!! what more could the guys ask for!


THE WEATHER-


AH! It was for the past few weeks its been up and down a bit- long fine hot Feb,spells have still not arrived. Every other day we have had low cloud and no wind!
At least once or twice a week- we have also had sunny days and as soon as we do usually on the second sunny hot day the bugs start to fly and fall on the water and the fishing gets easier.
The forecast for the next week after a few sunny days looks like no real sun overcast with some rain, Normally Feb, its long hot fine spells!


THE RIVERS


All the rivers are clear and sexy.
Some of the smaller streams are running but after the 2 month drought earlier in the year, the trout population in these has been severely knocked around, best to stick to the main river systems for the chance of success.


WHATS HATCHING!
Pretty much , due to the slightly crazy weather and temperatures- Everything seems to be hatching and happening at once. Yesterday guiding on the waters surface in the space of one hour- i watched - Blowflies,willow grubs, spent spinners and mayfly duns going past me.
On the odd hot day the grass and river banks are load with the shrill of cicadas, but i still have to see them on the water, the fish down this way are still not regularly recognising them as a good food source- they seem to be later than normal hatching down this way.


 64 WILLOW GRUB TROUT- FRENZY!


Over the past few weeks i have had the usual awesome fun passionate clients , We have been having a ball on willow grubbing trout with 64 trout fooled into eating grub imitations.!


 Its been so much fun to introduce my clients to this amazing hatch in In NZ. This year the willow trees are covered more than normal with the  brown small homes of these little grubs and boy have they been hatching.

Black nz deadly blowfly, with various  Stu's  Superior grubs!

For many of my clients its all about the challenge of fooling willow grubbing  trout with very fine tippet , fine strong size 18 tiemco fly hooks and very accurate casting. Some of my clients have caught many huge trout, but when they fool a willow grubbing trout with a willow grub imitation - its worth 10 big trout they tell me.
Most of the trout that i see feeding and that get caught on grubs are in the 1-3lb class and for me 3-5lb brown on a grub is a real trophy- On saying that- any trout on a grub for most is a trophy!! and the ultimate!


Everyday i will loose about 20 flies when willow grubbing with clients as even with the best casters they will be casting into gaps in the willow tree branches and with some many branches in the path of the flies , flies will end up being lost- but at the end of the day that is where the trout are , and  sacrifices of flies to the branches  have to be made! or my clients will not be in the grub zone!
So if your reading this and want to experience the willow grubbing addiction get in amongst the willows.


WILLOW GRUB FLIES & WILLOW GRUB RIGS

Some of the secrets!

MY first choice is my foam one on a 10 inch length of 3.5 Rio fluroflex plus attached to the bend of the hook on a NZ  hi-viz deadly blowfly -black-size 12- The deadly blowfly acts as an indicator as to where your wee foam grub is.  I always put float-ant on both flies to help repel any water and keep them sitting as they should in the surface film.
Then the cdc design floated in the surface, then the cdc willow with the cdc cut off  ,so that it sinks beneath my deadly blow fly.
Other times if the water is fast or the fish down deeper who i think have been feeding on drowned grubs in the water column. i will use the brighter heavier HOT killer nymphs in yellow, chartreuse and green.
Or the standard killer nymph in yellow or insect green always suspend bellow a   NZ hi hiz  deadly blowfly.


Happy Grubbing!  CLIENT COMMENT!

Thanks again for a great day out fishing!  Your willow grub flies are working well on the browns down here in the lower Mataura when I can find any of them.  Now if I could just figure out how to get them to bite during that evening 'mad Mataura rise' I'd be in business!

Thanks.

LARS - NZ

The New awesome strike indicator pack

Oh i forgot to mention the new strike indicator tool that has been selling very well - comes in a small pack with spare tubing and two different samples of the indicator wool i would say enough for about a months of fishing. The packs of spare tubing and indicator wool can be bought separately as well on my site. 




Thanks you all for supporting Stu's fly shop - Without your support and comments it would never happen! 
Cheers
Stu