Te Anau Fly Fishing | Guided Trout Fishing NZ | Aspiring Fly Fishing

ABOUT TE ANAU

Te Anau is a town in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and within New Zealand second only to Lake Taupo in the North Island. It is the "Gateway" to the Fiordland National Park which is famed for its scenery, remoteness and world class walk ways which include the Kepler and Milford tracks. Te Anau is connected by highway with Invercargill to the southeast, Queenstown to the northeast, Gore to the east, and Manapouri to the south. It is at the beginning of the Milford road, the section of State Highway 94 that leads to Milford Sound, which lies 120 kilometres to the north.

There is plenty to do for those not fishing in and around the Te Anau with Glow worm Caves a short boat ride across the lake, some fantastic day walks ( Drive to Rainbow Reach on the Lower Waiau River and walk 3 hours through pure pristine wilderness back to the lake-shore). Or just hang out in the township and dine out at  the local cafes and restaurants, some of which are world class and offer unique "KIWI STYLE" cuisine !

THE FISHING

Fiordland's rivers and lakes are well-stocked with both brown and rainbow trout, and there's some great fishing in Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri, especially if fishing from the shores of these lakes, and also in the Waiau river  that connects the two lakes. The average size of fish  ranges from 1.5kg to 3kg, there are bigger browns present and some may reach up to 10lbs in some rivers especially if we experience a mast year (mouse year). Lake Te Anau and its tributaries hold both brown and rainbow trout in reasonably good numbers and in some of the most breath taking scenery you will find anywhere ! The region boasts several smaller streams that are ideally suited to sight fishing with nymphs and dries when conditions are right, and hold some fantastic brown and rainbow trout ( see below photos from the previous summer months).