Many of the South Island’s premier trout streams have suffered badly from floods this spring. Whilst many have finally begun to settle down many fly fishers have been frustrated by the sheer lack of clear, fishable water.

Not so in South Canterbury. The first couple of months of the season have seen steady flows of crystal clear water, good hatches and free rising trout. I have been staggered by the quality of the fishing in a couple of local streams. Just a week ago I landed and released the best conditioned brown I have ever personally landed (and believe me there have been a few over the years). It weighed in at a tad under 6lb but was only just over 20 inches long! My only regret was that I didn’t have the camera on me to record the event. On one local water I have not caught a trout weighing under 3lb.

They are hogs.