There is a brown trout in Gore, on Southland´s famous Mataura river, that must be fifteen feet long at the very least. Maybe more. I have often stood in awe beside it. If you don´t believe me you just need to look at the photo Harry sent me. I´m hardly going to make up something like that!
Harry is fishing the upper Mataura at the moment. Here, in his own words, is an account of his adventure:
“The most amazing feature here in the clear upper sections is how small and light one has to fish up here.
All 18s or 20s on 6x fluroflex (3.5 lbs bs) and even then they will look carefully and maybe turn away.
Some really beautiful trout …not only their size but their whole conformation and markings….some ugly ones as well of course.
Had what I think was the most beautiful trout I ever caught in my life a few weeks ago….just stunningly beautiful… about 3.5 lbs with big red spots and beautiful thick body down to its tail……of course I did not have a camera with me. Caught it in an irrigation link of the lower Taieri river on a large nymph this time as I had to get the nymph down into running water quickly at head of the pool that I had seen him sidle into earlier as I walked upstream. Returned him of course.”
That sounds like a hell of a fish he caught. What a shame he didn´t have a camera. It would make a fine subject for a portrait!
fishydreams 