A Fly-Fishing Tribute To Rangitīkei Country

A JOURNAL BY TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHER & FLY FISHER, GEORGE COLLIER 

We are all about exploring the hidden gems our incredible country has to offer, and our mate George Collier did just that in the Rangitīkei river with his brother and mother.

George wears many hats - including those of a department of conservation employee by week and a freelance photographer and passionate fly fisherman by weekend.

George's fly-fishing mission proves that there are always stunning new places to explore in our own back yards if we give them a chance.

The team getting ready to head out, wearing Desolve wading gear. 

 
EXPLORING UNCHARTED RANGITĪKEI RIVER WATERS 

Back at the beginning of the season, my brother Henry, mum (Amanda) and I planned a fly-fishing trip in some unexplored waters in our local region growing up.  

Having explored much of the local rivers in and around the Rangitīkei region, including many sections of the Rangitīkei river and its northern tributaries in the ranges, there was one stretch of water along the upper reaches of Rangitīkei itself that we were keen to fish which is typically inaccessible on foot due to private farmland.  

Unless you’re mates with some of the farm/station owners, it’s pretty difficult to get to these areas of the river, so we could only assume the trout would be having a feeding frenzy uninterrupted by the many eager anglers that frequently fish along the Rangitīkei river.  

 

Fishing by kayak, Henry wearing theDrift Wader andDrift Boots. 

SECURING LOCAL RAFTING GUIDE & NAVIGATING GNARLY RAPIDS 

After a dry spell of no rain where the water flow was clearing of any sediment, and a good stretch of weather ahead, we were stoked to put the plan to action on an early October’s morning.  

We managed to arrange a local rafting guide to steady the ship downstream over some pretty gnarly rapids, as we’d have no chance at trying to tackle some browns, juggling the changing of flies, all whilst trying not to lose an ore down some white water. Mum had also taken a tumble downstream a few years earlier in the Kaimanawa range headwaters when wading across some heavy flow whilst it was snowing (a story for another day), so we weren’t taking any chances.  

Amanda wading in the Rangitīkei River. 

IMMERSIVE SCENERY & A DAY'S BOUNTY 

Travelling downstream and fishing by kayak came with a new set of challenges. 

 Approaching pools from upstream required beaching the raft in advance, scrambling along the riverbanks unseen by suspecting trout, and looping back underneath. At first, we were having no luck in the glaring sun where trout sit in the shadows despite throwing bright flashy fly patterns to entice them, but the skies quickly started clouding over and the trout started getting active.  

 

Henry fishing for trout in the rapids, wearing theTrutta Tee in Khaki and theDrift Wader. 

The caddis larva fly patterns worked well to start the season, as the warmer temperatures brought fresh hatches. We hauled in a few sizeable rainbows throughout the day, but to top it off, the scenery we travelled through made us want to come back again.  

George with one of his sizeable trouts, wearing theBrownie Fish Face Hoodie, theDrift Wader andDrift Boots.

Henry with one if his rainbow trout catches.  

We slowly drifted downstream through rock canyons, gorges with dense overhanging native bush, and big open valleys of farmland. We had never cast our eyes on this area of our local stomping ground despite growing up just outside of Taihape.  

We always say to our mates ‘Rangitīkei is such an underrated part of the country.’   

George Collier: 

Instagram:@grgcollier 

Website:georgecollierphoto.com