Dean Bell Fly Fishing

" I think that's a fish between those two white rocks just on the other side of the main current. It hasn't moved but it's the right shape. If it is a trout it's bloody big… was that just a flash of white as it opened its mouth? I think it was.
Because of the depth, jeez it must be 7 or 8 feet deep down there, we'll extend the indicator out to around 8 feet and get you to cast perhaps 20 feet above to get the fly to sink down to the right depth. And at that depth we won't need to worry about lining the fish , the priority is to just get the fly well above … You'll need to cast from the lower bank but beware of the Matagouri behind in your backcast. Not easy but there is a lot of room vertically above all that brush" ….

….." That's about 3 feet to the left and you'll want about another 10 feet upstream. Be aware of drag setting in when getting away from the main current so try and err back to the right. Let it drift well past and try again. "
" That's a better cast but you're still short. Add another 5 feet next time."
" Good cast. Watch this one, stripping… stripping ….. keep stripping , he's coming off the bottom . HE ATE IT ! "

Why should you hire a guide in NZ?

I've been asked by a few who don't see the value in paying for the services of a New Zealand professional fly fishing guide why they should actually use a fishing guide.
Personally I see there are two types of anglers who should hire a guide. Firstly there are those who are limited by time and wish to maximize their angling opportunity and secondly those who have a desire to improve their angling skills. Most anglers I guide get both at the same time.
Guided anglers quickly get to learn that it's more often that not an attention to detail that is often the difference between success and failure.
One quick example I'll offer, would be if there's a willingness to change flies after every refusal or thinking because the trout showed interest in the fly the first time they'll eat it on the next presentation. I'll always opt for the former.
It's akin to putting a steamed Brussel Sprout in front of a two year old. If he ain't gonna eat it the first time he sure as hell ain't gonna eat it the second , third, fourth or fifth time you put it in front of him. But he might eat it in a stir fry, creatively disguised in a medley of other vegetables.
These two scenarios nearly always have different outcomes. It's the little things, like the willingness to change flies multiple times for one trout, that do make the difference when fishing for New Zealand trout and it sets anglers apart.
Many anglers only ever fish alone or with the same mate for many years and I do see limited skill sets as such . I'll always advocate that to learn something new you need to be exposed to something different to what you've always done and that should be one of the key aspects to fishing with a guide.
So think of hiring a fly fishing guide as an investment in yourself. An investment in a pursuit you are passionate about , that will help you to develop and improve so as to explore beyond the current boundaries you are limited by.