New Zealand is a southern pacific island country consisting of 2 main islands, the North island and the South island. It is located approximately 2,000 km southeast of Australia. The only creatures native to NZ are birds, bats, and reptiles, the most widely known of course being the kiwi bird which cannot fly and is currently battling extinction. Sometime around the early 1850’s European settlers began to bring Red Deer from Europe and released them into the wild to provide a naturally reproducing food source. Many other species followed soon after and now NZ has many exotic species of huntable game animals. In more recent years the government of NZ declared all introduced species as pests and so they may be hunted at anytime of the year without a license. As far as fishing goes NZ is world renowned for its brown and rainbow trout fishing. These were also introduced into NZ (well documented) in 1878 from England for the purpose of sport fishing. Unlike hunting in NZ however sport fishing in NZ is regulated and you must purchase licenses and follow the regulations. Because of the perfect habitat conditions and no water or land predators both the game animals and fish populations have flourished in NZ!! What does this mean for hunters and fisherman?? A land of opportunity!!! Endless hunting seasons and world class fishing!! Add to this the many other outdoor activities available and you have a list any outdoorsman would be happy with including:
Deep Sea Fishing
Fly Fishing
Spinner fishing
Floundering
Spear Fishing
Big game hunting
Small game hunting
Bird hunting
Varmint hunting
Spearing freshwater eels
Deep Sea Fishing
The south pacific ocean around New Zealand is some of the best deep sea fishing found anywhere. Favourite target species of New Zealand fisherman include: Marlin, Sailfish, Mako Shark, Tuna, Yellowtail Kingfish, Snapper, Blue Cod, Albacore, Gurnard, Kahawai, Terakihi, Trumpeter, John Dory, Grouper and Barracuda. NZ is also reputably home to the worlds largest striped marlin, with several world records to its name. Do some searching on the internet and you will find a lot of professional fishing charters in NZ waters that will be more than happy to guide you to an awesome NZ deep sea fishing adventure.
Fly Fishing
NZ is known for huge trout, beautiful scenery, friendly locals, and crystal clear water. Flyfishers from around the world cast flies for Salmon, Rainbow trout, and Brown trout in New Zealand’s pristine lakes and rivers. 3-6lb fish are average and 8lbers are common. Some of the larger lakes are home to monsters weighing in at over 14lbs!!! However these large fish are not easily fooled. The style of fishing here is a little different than most North American anglers are used to. The following is an excerpt taken from the website Fly Fishing New Zealand
Fly fishing in New Zealand presents new challenges to visiting anglers. The general fishing style of sight fishing, while great fun and extremely productive, takes a little time to master for those who are unfamiliar with it. Once mastered it opens up a whole new and exciting world of fishing as you go hunting for your fish.
The first skill is the spotting of the fish, easy enough at times when the fish are sitting out in shallow water with a light coloured background but most of the time they blend in with their surroundings and it takes a while to develop that hunters eye for spotting the quarry. The best spotting conditions are therefore when the sun is high with the best time to be on the river being through the middle part of the day. Polaroid sunglasses are essential. And yes these big fish do sit out all day in bright sunshine!
Once spotted we approach the fish from directly behind as the fish have a blind spot there. A careful approach is needed and it's usually possible to get quite close to the fish.
Being able to make an accurate short to medium distance cast will enable you to catch a good number of fish with relative ease. By this I mean you need to be able to present your fly ahead of a fish in such away that the fly will drift down to that fish in a natural dead drift. And if you can present the fly on your first cast with a minimum of false casts then so much the better. Then if you can do the same in windy conditions so much the better as enviably the wind will blow at some stage and having the ability to push a cast into it will produce rewards for you.
Because of the clarity of the water the fish will pick up on strange coloured fly lines zipping over there heads, so for this reason dull natural coloured fly lines are essential. For the same reason, attached to the end of your fly line you will need a relatively long leader of say 12 to 16 feet. I use hand tied leaders and find them best.
The fly needs to land far enough ahead of the fish so as not to spook it, if you're using a nymph it also needs to be far enough ahead to allow the nymph time to sink down to the level of the fish. Your leader needs to be sufficiently long so that the floating section of line lands behind the fish, again sufficiently behind as to not spook it.
The first cast is always the most important one, present the fly well the first time up and you'll more than likely to hook your fish. The chances of catching a fish probably diminish by 50% for every subsequent cast made.
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If you are up to the challenge fly fishing NZ can be very rewarding to say the least.
Spinner Fishing
While Fly fishing takes most of the glory as far as the trout fishing goes there is still plenty of opportunity for the spin caster. Large fast flowing rivers and large fish make a perfect combination for casting spinners and spoons. Also the many lakes are ideal for spinner fishing as well and many of the locals choose to jig or troll in the lakes instead of fly fish. Soft baits are also a popular choice throughout NZ.
Floundering
The activity known as floundering is generally done at night with the aid of a light. The angler wades in knee deep or shallower water with a spear and shines his or her light on the sand bottom, when a flounder is detected you simply spear the fish and place it in your carry bag or pail. This is easier said than done as these flat fish blend in almost perfectly with the bottom. There is definitely a skill to spotting flounder and novice anglers will often step on the fish before seeing them. If you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary I recommend you give floundering a try.
Spear Fishing
Spear Fishing in NZ is a very popular sport and there are even several competitions each season. Many spear fisherman take pride in the fact that spear fishing allows a fisherman to selectively harvest the fish of their choice ether for a trophy or for the dinner table. Leaving unwanted catches swimming free.
Big Game Hunting
Big game hunting is hugely popular in NZ and if you are a hunter you need to do everything in your power to make it to NZ and go on the hunt of a lifetime! Huntable species include: Red Stag, Sitka Deer, Fallow Deer, Wapiti/elk, Thar, Chamois Sambar, Rusa and Wild Rams. The most famous of course being the Red Stag. Most visiting sportsman choose to hire the services of a professional outfitter and this has become a huge industry in NZ. Locals simply head into the hills and hunt but I would recommend hiring a guide as the NZ bush is thick and stag hunting is not an easy task. The Deer are amazingly wary nothing at all like we are used to in North America. You will almost never see a wild deer from a vehicle and certainly never near any kind of residential area. The Thar and Chamois live in the high country and knowing your way around is a must. Bring a sturdy pair of hiking boots, good optics and be prepared to shoot long distances and often at steep up or downhill angles. While the mountains don’t compare to our Rocky Mountains NZ is still quite rugged and a good level of fitness is required. If researching outfitters make sure to do your homework as a lot of NZ has high fenced hunting operations and is not fair chase so know what your getting into before you book. Truly this is a sportsmans dream no bag limits lots of species and no end to the season!! Some magnificent trophies come out of NZ every year so if you’re a trophy hunter you need to go.
Small Game/Varmint Hunting
NZ is host to several small huntable creatures including: Rabbits, Hares, Possums, and wallaby. These can make for a fun afternoon of shooting. Rabbits are active all day and can be found out in grassy fields in the middle of the day while hares generally don’t come out until after dark. Night time hunting is legal in NZ and with the possum populations in the millions its is actually a conservationist effort to spotlight and shoot possums. Wallaby look like a miniature kangaroo and are nocturnal as well.
Bird Hunting
Bird hunting in NZ is not as popular with the locals as other types of outdoor activities however there is plenty of opportunity for the wing shooter. Huntable Bird species include: Mallard, Canada Goose, Black Swan, Peacock, Turkey, Pheasant and Paradise Duck. Unlike all other game in NZ there are actually seasons and limits on migratory waterfowl. Please check local regulations before engaging in any consumptive activity.
Spearing Freshwater Eels
Eeling is another popular activity in NZ. Because of the lack of mammals in NZ indigenous peoples relied on kiwi birds, fish, and eels for food. Even today eels are harvested extensively for food. The sport of spearing eels is accomplished by wading the rivers and stream at night with a spotlight and spear in hand. Approaching the eel from downstream you attempt to thrust your spear through the body of the eel which takes more skill then one would think. Because of how light bends through water you must aim lower than where the eel appears to be. This takes some practice but once you get the knack it can be great fun. Use caution eels have sharp teeth and although they are in no way aggressive toward people they are capable of drawing blood.
Hopefully I have shown you that NZ is quite simply paradise for hunters, fishermen, and all outdoorsman no matter what their game of choice. Now you need to get out and experience it!!!
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