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NEWSLETTER #34 -
MARCH 2005
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Leland Fly Fishing Travel Newsletter - March, 2005
TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE:
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LELAND NEW ZEALAND SHOP DAY - WED, MARCH 23
-
2006 NEW ZEALAND PROGRAM INFORMATION
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TRIP REPORTS - THE TRINITY AND PATAGONIA
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TRIP REPORTS - INCREDIBLE FANTASY STUFF FROM NEW
ZEALAND
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'05 OPENINGS FOR ALASKA, BELIZE, AND THE
AMERICAN WEST
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QUIPS AND QUOTES
This is the thirty-fourth edition of our monthly
newsletter with updates on great fly fishing venues
and insights for our traveling fly fishers. We want
to help you match the right location with your fly
fishing goals and objectives and properly prepare
you to fully enjoy the experience. We’ve been to
most locations and pride ourselves on our ability to
research new sites. One of our services is to
compare and contrast different lodges/outfitters.
Whatever unbiased information on timing and
locations we can provide comes at the same cost to
you as booking direct – i.e., no extra cost.
NEW ZEALAND DAY AT THE BUSH STREET SHOP, WED., MARCH
23
Our many sojourns to New Zealand in the last five
years have spawned a passion for the country and the
fishing. We have developed a "Tour of New Zealand"
slide presentation that covers a wide array of the
options available on a New Zealand visit. The
presentation visits great streams and rivers on both
islands while fishing with the outstanding Kiwi
guides. Also, depicted are the many accommodation
options ranging from "world class" fly fishing
lodges and luxury country inns to economical farm
stays. New Zealand can be visited as a "couples
experience" or "hard core fishing adventure" - the
slide show will cover both approaches. The
presentations will be at 12:30 and 5:00 on the 23rd
at the shop.
This same New Zealand presentation is available for
groups and clubs by appointment. Additionally on
Wednesday, I'll be available by appointment for
discussion/slide presentation on other destinations.
LELAND NZ 2006 PROGRAM INFORMATION
I was going to post my personal trip report on our
recent NZ visit in this edition; however, the
reports below are more exciting so I opted out.
However, we have a piece available via regular mail
that has our personal report plus explains in
general terms our New Zealand programs for '06
including a hosted program. Hit "reply" and send me
your snail mail address if you'd like a copy.
TRIP REPORTS - PATAGONIA AND THE TRINITY RIVER
It's exciting to get real trophy fishing reports
from Northern California - heck, they never even got
on a plane. Glenn Prichett and friend had a great
trip on the Trinity in February. Glenn commented,
"it didn't feel like we were in the lower 48." They
took 3 to 5 browns a day between two and six pounds
and landed steelhead from 3 to 9#. Lots of the fish
taken on the surface on callibaetis - the rest on
small wet flies.
Our favorite spot in rural Patagonia, a real Andes
hideaway, continues to get rave reviews from every
visitor we send. It’s the quality of the operation,
the location, and the varied fishing opportunities
and programs offered that make it special. The
location is key because it's in an area of the
Chilean Andes that still hasn’t seen the pressure of
some many of the "popular spots." Most recently,
John Gans and friend were there and comments:
"Great trip. Lots of fish, beautiful scenery, broad
range of fishing opportunities (streams, rivers,
lakes, wading, floating, outpost cabin, overnight
float trips, etc). The lodge is VERY comfortable
and the food good. The owner is cutting no
corners. When talking to other fishermen at the
airport on the way home who had fished the region
from another lodge, we found we had 4X as many fish
as they did. Thanks for the recommendation. We had
a great time." Note: John's greatest prize was a
26 inch brown taken on a dry fly during an overnight
float trip in the Andes.
TRIP REPORTS - FANTASY STUFF FROM NEW ZEALAND
Some of the numbers stated below will seem hard to
believe, even for New Zealand, especially when you
consider these fish were all taken stalking and
sight-casting to individual fish. However, given
the character of the "reporters" and the fact that I
also heard from the lodge manager in New Zealand
(who was equally astonished by the numbers), there
is no doubt of the accuracy.
We have two different kinds of reports in this NZ
section. The first is from Rich and Janette Hosley
who were on a "couples itinerary" mixing the sights
and joys of both islands of NZ with its fabulous
sight-fishing. The second is from a couple of young
fly fishers who were on a "fish til you drop"
schedule.
On the "couples itinerary" -
"Our trip to New Zealand was the finest thing we
have done. With book-end lodges, Poronui Ranch and
Blanket Bay; quality hand-picked guides; big,
strong, heavy-shouldered fish; world-class river
valleys and mountain peaks; and the delightful Kiwi
people, it couldn't have been better. The fishing
highlights were a 9# brown and one day where we
netted seven fish - 8# brown, 7# rainbow, three 6#,
and nothing smaller than 5#. Seventy five percent
of the fish taken on dry flies. Thank you."
RECORD SETTING NUMBERS:
Chris Moon and David Tuvlin's report is from a
"hard-core" fly fishing adventure- if you can call
it "hard core" at one of NZ's finest fly fishing
lodges. Chris and David combined two stays over
eight days fishing, using as headquarters Lake
Rotoroa Lodge and a farm stay with our favorite
independent Kiwi guide. I've been monitoring
results carefully from all our NZ travelers over the
last four years, and I've never heard of results
like this from anyone, anywhere. This is what you
call hitting it "just right" by a couple of
outstanding fly casters. Chris and David are now
screwed-up for life and will probably never
recover. The highlights excerpted from an
incredible sight-fishing experience:
From Chris: "Awesome trip - it was truly a
memorable experience." Best days:
"…..had over a dozen fish released, all between 4.5
and 5.5 pounds with half on the surface with a
red-body humpy."
"……clearly my best day with over 24 fish released
between 3.5 and 7 pounds and almost all on the
surface with a cicada - didn't count the 1 to 1.5
pounders."
From David: "The takes were spectacular. Those
fish don't seem to have a care in the world when
their entire head and shoulders come out of the
water to slowly engulf a dry. Amazing!" Best days:
"… spectacular setting and amazing fishing -
probably the best day for me. Hooked 30 and
released 21 between 2 and 6 pounds. 15 or so were
on the dry."
"….fishing was incredible from the moment we rigged
up til the minute we left. The fish were in all the
right places and hungry. Hooked 38 and landed 33.
Every fish measured between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds, all
taken on nymphs.
Note: David's 33 fish day tied the record for fish
released in a day at Lake Rotoroa Lodge. The world
famous lodge, built in 1924 and since remodeled, is
New Zealand's most traditional fly fishing lodge.
'05 OPENINGS FOR BELIZE, ALASKA, AND THE AMERICAN
WEST
Leland travel programs for '05, such as our salt
water fly fishing school in Belize and Dean and
Babine River steelhead weeks are full, however,
there are many great opportunities still available
for this summer.
For families and couples, the American West has many
varied and interesting options to meet different
goals and objectives. From great fly fishing lodge
experiences to destinations combining family
oriented outdoor activities, golf, and fly fishing,
there are many spots with space still available.
Many of Alaska's famous lodges and float trips have
some spots still open during the prime times. Our
Leland shop trip to Bristol Bay Lodge during the
prime time of early September still has 6 openings.
One opening still remains on the Leland hosted
Belize mothership trip August 9 - 16. Other
openings through September for the Belize mothership
trips:
for parties of two with Captain Charles Westby on
the Seaduction: 7/20 - 27, 8/19 - 26, 9/8 - 15.
for parties of three or four with Captain Martin
McCord on the Meca: 7/9 - 16, 8/19 - 26, 9/18 - 25.
QUIPS AND QUOTES
This month's quote is the second of a two-part
story. It happened on our recent trip while we were
at a lodge near Arthur's Pass in New Zealand's South
Island alps. At dinner one evening, the lodge
manager introduced me to a couple named Vicky and
Jim from Virginia who were getting married at the
lodge the next day. During our conversation, I
learned that this was their first trip to NZ and
that the next day was going to be Jim's first fly
fishing day. Last month's newsletter quoted Vicky
on a statement she made about Jim's scheduled
fishing trip occurring on their wedding day. This
month, we'll pick up the story when the guide
arrives after breakfast the next morning to pick Jim
up.
Upon hearing about the wedding scheduled for that
evening, the guide expressed his concern about
getting Jim back early so as not to delay the
ceremony. Vicky replied, "Don't worry about the
wedding. The fishing is driving the schedule, not
the ceremony." Gotta love it!!!
Either phone or drop us an e-mail if you have
questions or would like more information about any
of our destinations.
An enthusiastic traveling fly fisherman,
Don Muelrath
Leland Fly Fishing Adventures
888-347-4896
flyfish@napanet.net
www.flyfishingoutfitters.com
e-mail Josh Frazier at
Josh@flyfishingoutfitters.com
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