Send in your catch report to [email protected]  with as much info as you can i.e. fish type, length/weight, where it was caught, what fly etc. If you have a photo send that in too.

Latest reports:

July  28 - fishing a rabbit style streamer across and down stream on the Wairau produced a fair sea-run brown of around 45cm at about 2pm. The river flow was good, with very clear water and sunny skies. I only fished for about an hour and-a-half, about 500m below the confluence of the Waihopai and Wairau. - Sven Herselman

Christmas fish
A report from club member Bill Floyd: Caught my first trout last week! (With much help from top “ghillie” trout-spotter casting-coach netter Tony Orman.) Made it a very special Christmas-New Year holiday! And not only was the trout well hooked: I am too!
Tony and I caught two trout within 5 minutes: about 10.15am on 28 December.
On the Wairau River about a mile upstream of the Tua Marina township.
We used my rod (CD composite 5-6) with a wet fly lure: a Hob Nail Boot pattern that Tony tied from black fur from a possum tail.
Because the river was slightly discoloured which precluded spotting fish, Tony tied on the Hob Nail Boot size 8 to fish "across and let it swing around" technique on the off chance of hooking a fish. Tony explained to me that it's a good technique for slightly discoloured water and besides is a good way for a beginner to "practice" casting while having a chance to hook a trout.
I have a sinking line on my rod, but Tony has suggested replacing that with a floating line; he only uses a floating line for all Wairau River fly fishing.
As a general comment Tony says that “The Wairau River which has been in the doldrums for several years, has revitalised this season with good fishing resulting. No one knows why!!”.
Tony had shown me the eye of a specific section of water and did a trial cast and immediately hooked a beautiful brown trout. I stood alongside and watch him bring it in and learned how to net properly.
So Tony then did another cast to explain again and wham, another immediate strike: we were gobsmacked and he immediately gave the rod to me and said it’s all yours: I played it for a minute or so (it did some runs that had the reel singing…a beautiful sound!) and watched it leap and got it gently into the net.
So my first trout but I must confess (fishermen don’t lie) with a little cast-assist.
Shortly after I misjudged the back-arm flick and the line curled right around behind me and lodged in Tony’s cheek: fortunately he told me in quick and gentlemanly fashion and I stopped and no harm done (except quite a fashionable scar on my ghillie: sort of like a German sword fencing champion J!)
A great day: one trout each. I’m sure it doesn’t always happen like that but only my second time on the river so the  strike rate looking very good (for now)
Sandee served it up pan-fried in butter with a sauvignon blanc/cream/fennel sauce: perfect!

Taylor river night fish
Got a nice 3.5 pound fish in the Taylor River on New Year's day at 10pm. Got the fish at the confluence with the Opawa fishing a big olive wooly bugger on floating line. The fight was rather disapointing unfortunately but landing the fish in the dark (we forgot lights) was interesting. Released to fight another day.
I've also managed a couple of 3 to 4 pound fish in the lower section of the Wairau above the Tuamarina bridge on dry flies and one on a favourite streamer of mine. The #16 to #18 adams seems to be fly of choice when the mayfly hatch is on, but I did get a good fish on a brown beetle too. Good festive season fun.
- Sven Herselman