The Canterbury region around Christchurch is home to numerous rivers that hold wild brown and rainbow trout that average 3 to 5 pounds. This area is perhaps best known for trophy brown trout. Giant, magazine-cover fish that most people can only dream about! The area waters are crystal clear, so sight fishing is almost always the preferred angling technique. Patiently searching the rivers and stalking your prey is imperative for successful fishing in this area. Longer casts with a delicate presentation is key, and the standard approach is for your guide to spot your trout from above while you set up below the fish to present your fly. The excitement from your well-perched and camouflaged guide yelling “"Set mate!”" as the trout takes your fly is hard to match. This is a true "team effort" and one of the more rewarding guide-client scenarios that you will experience. 

The fly patterns fished in this area will be larger then your standard Western U.S. tailwater selection, and tippets can be heavier and stronger. As the number of false casts and presentations increase, however, the fish become more wary, meaning that changing up patterns between casts and making each and every cast count can be crucial. Your relationship with your guide (and the big fish that he'll show you!) will be what you remember most about your New Zealand trip. Martin Langlands and his team of guides have a true passion for their local waters and fishing environments, and they can easily accommodate most angling requests. The guides can pick you up at your Christchurch-area accommodations and put you in the middle of “trout country” in no time at all.

The guided helicopter trips (a great option) will also put you on pristine rivers where zero footprints and large, willing trout are the norm. These “heli-trips” may be arranged on a daily basis or for multi-day camping ventures. While these helicopter trips make things easy, they are by no means required, as the guides are more than happy to hike far into the backcountry as a more economical way to enjoy pristine environments. Non-angler companions who like to hike can accompany the angler and guide for a memorable day in the backcountry. One might hike for an hour or more before turning around and hiking back, all the while searching for and sight fishing to holding trout.

THE GUIDES: Martin Langlands - Martin has been involved with fly fishing on the South Island since 1985. He's worked in fly fishing retail, as a professional fly tier, and as a full-time, dedicated guide - something that meshes well with his keen interest in freshwater ecology and entomology. Over the years, Martin has developed a number of innovative and unique fly patterns and fly fishing techniques specific to his home waters. His aims as a guide are to be innovative, informative, professional and friendly. Martin has been featured in a number of industry publications and fishing magazines, including the December 2005 issue of Fly Fisherman Magazine. Martin'’s other interests include hiking, pre and post European New Zealand history, native plants, and New Zealand trout fly heritage.

At 32 years old, Peter Langlands is one of the most knowledgeable and energetic guides around. Peter has spent many hours fishing and guiding both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. During the summers, Peter guides full time. In the off-season, he works as a consultant for New Zealand Fish & Game and as an advisor to local government planners on salmonid fisheries issues. Peter's articles have appeared in numerous publications, including New Zealand Trout Fisher, New Zealand Fisherman, and Wilderness Magazine. His strong appreciation and background in science relating to entomology, ecology and fisheries is made apparent through his highly-productive days on the water. Peter’'s other interests include sea– kayaking, mountain biking, conservation and photography.