Just back from a short, sweet trip to visit Owen River Lodge owner and good mate Felix Borenstein, whose little piece of paradise lies near the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Apparently the weather has been quite wet since the season opened in October, but I struck only a few hours of rain, lots of sun and clear rivers. Mayfly were hatching on and off all day on every river I fished, and the trout were either rising or swooping all over the place for nymphs.
One thing I noticed this trip was the abundance of relatively young trout in excellent condition. It seems the fish must have had a very good winter and early spring, with lots of very chunky 4 to 6 pounders around. At this rate, I can’t imagine how these fish will be going in a couple of months – who needs mice!
Meanwhile, the lodge just goes from strength to strength. It’s never looked better or been more comfortable, and the food’s never been more delicious (thanks Ryan!) This might just be the perfect fishing trip.
