Pure Fly NZ Series 5

Kicking off a new season of Pure Fly New Zealand, Mike Kirkpatrick and Andrew Harding fly deep into the backcountry to the Karamea River to sight fish for massive Brown Trout. Accessible only by helicopter, the wilderness of the Kahurangi national park is just the place for wild fish to grown to enormous sizes. Arriving to a November hatch of large mayfly, Mike and Andrew have a chance at some exhilarating dry fly fishing, but dark waters are hiding the fish from sight. As they push further into the wilderness, the blue waters run clear and both men square up with some very big trout.

Fly fishing guides Jeff Forsee and Ronan Creane sight fish for big Rainbow Trout in the Otago District in this episode of Pure Fly New Zealand. It’s a cold late autumn day on the south island, but it’s an exciting time of year for these anglers. Jeff and Ronan boat upriver to the tributaries of the mountain lakes, where giant fish have moved to spawn. These well fed, feisty rainbows are moving in large pods, but they’re proving spooky in the clear blue lagoons. Adjusting their approach, our anglers employ stealthy nymphing tactics, and end their session with a dream catch.

In this episode, the Pure Fly crew try the impossible, catching a big southern Bluefin Tuna on the Fly from coastal Fiordland, New Zealand. As the largest national park in New Zealand, the primordial forests and mountain wilderness of Fiordland are home to world class Trout fishing, but it’s the Tuna that have eluded these anglers for 5 years straight. It’s extremely rare to land one of these monsters on a fly rod, but Jeff, Nick and skipper Craig get word of a group pushing bait fish into the fjords, and they finally get their chance.

In this instalment of Pure Fly New Zealand, Andrew Harding and Kyle Adams are on a mission for big wild Brown Trout off the beaten track in the Tararua mountains of the North Island. These pristine forests and river systems are a beautiful but harsh environment where most don’t dare to venture, but the reward is a haven of large wild fish and untapped angling potential. With a summer hatch of terrestrial Cicada and water spiders, there’s a chance of a trophy, but these brownies are wiley and smart…

Andrew Harding and Rob Vaz endure tough conditions in this episode of Pure Fly New Zealand, hiking the north island bush in the Southland region for big Trout on the fly. Terrential rain and flooding have written off most of the island on opening week, but as the boys arrive to their backup destination, they’re ambushed by the biggest snowstorm of the year. The water is cold and the fishing difficult, but the few fish that do live here are very large, so when the storm clears, Andrew gets a chance at redemption.

In this episode of Pure Fly, Jake Berry and Erica Gilchrist go hunting trophy Brown and Rainbow Trout in the big Valleys of New Zealand. This wide-open landscape of blue water and glacial mountains is quintessential New Zealand fishing. Jake is one of the best guides in the country, and his student Erica is looking for a PB. In the summer months the big fish that usually hide in the depths come out to feed on terrestrials like Cicada, but these fussy fish will require a change of tactics if erica wants to get on the scoreboard.

In this special episode of Pure Fly New Zealand, producer Nick Reygaert ventures across the world to Patagonia looking for big Brook and Brown Trout. This wild and windy country is another world-renowned destination for fly fishers, but the tiny spring creeks in the deep country are largely unexplored. The fertile, weedy waters are home to aggressive fish, but it's no easy task. Unusual streamer tactics do the trick, and the first fish Nick hooks happens to be the biggest guides Juan-Manuel and Tomas have ever seen. Over on a different river, he joins Diego on a stream where the Brownies feed on the surface. Their aggressive nature and feeding habits allow for surface mouse patterns, resulting in some of the most exhilarating fishing ever seen on film.

Pure Fly New Zealand regulars Mike Kirkpatrick and Hannah Clement venture to the Waitaki region of the South Island in this episode, stalking powerful Brown and Rainbow Trout in small water. The gigantic Waitiki watershed is wild country unlike anywhere in New Zealand, but the fish here are experienced and highly intelligent. As they push up the valley the duo become frustrated. They need to fish from difficult vantage points if they’re going to tempt a monster.