Our trip to South Island NZ

Dotty and I caught a 1.30 am flight to Sydney had a dental appointment with our friend Craig at 9.am and got back on a plane to Christchurch at 9.pm putting us in there at 2 am. that all adds up to no sleep and seeing there was no accommodation due to the World cup and Chinese year we grabbed our car finally getting to Omarama lunch time next day.

                                                                    Ahiri river

Omarama is on the Ahiri River which flows in to lake Benmore both famous destinations.

                                      This nice Brownie got off because I didn't have a net

Next morning a friend dropped Dotty and I where the River runs into lake Benmore and we preceded to walk upstream to where we left the car,after 5 hours later we had caught a number of varying size fish and realised that the car location wasn't anywhere in sight,to cut a long walk short we finally got back about 6.30 pm that night.

I thought I had done my self some damage especially the way my legs felt as I hadn't had shoes on for 6 months,10 kms over rocks and tussocks.Anyway dinner a bottle of American Honey, 2 Ibuprofen, 2 zinc, 2 magnesium tablets and  we both woke up the next day feeling great.Dotty and I suspect our friend gave us a 10 km walk to take the sting out of our tales and he could then go to the sheep sales.
We went as well anyhow.

                                               Our accommodation in Omarama

                                                Great for relaxing and drying gear

                                          Do it yourself kitchen and two double bedrooms

Peter and Gloria says that its available for $50.00 per person per/night and cater yourself with hotels restaurants fishing shops etc all within 5 mins walk,Peter is a very switched on fisherman and whilst not a guide will do everything to point you in the right direction.

                                              NZ Sheep, the smell is absent from the photo

                  The sort of water and fish around lake Benmore both Brown and Rainbows

The next 2 days we floated around on the end of lake Benmore and caught some nice Browns and Rainbows,there were a lot of fish and when you get it right enough ate the fly to give us plenty of fun.

Peter our friend hot smoked a couple for us after we basted them in honey and sugar,one fish was missing half the fillet and on enquiry were told the cat took of with it and had to be rescued and trimmed off !!! Good on you ?

 We left Omarama and headed up through Twizal to lake Heron near the Mt Hutt snow fields,this is a private grazing property with cattle and about 10,000 sheep,and for the next 4 days fished the lake edges and River

The lake River drains Lake heron and flows into the Rakia River,The rainbow were good size but most browns were a bit slim,this was dream river fishing until snow melt and wind locked us out of it

                      Lake Heron cottage which is a converted shepherds quarters very comfortable.

                                                                  My selfie attempt

Some days were what dreams are made  of

Atlantic Salmon were also about 

A lot of lonely sheep

That was it in a nutshell fishing was not easy I think because they are in a 2 month drought, having said that if you were sneaky and astute enough you caught fish which we did I certainly will go back somewhere next year.

Cheers Graeme