Many streams in the lake Taupo region of New Zealand contain good numbers of big rainbow and brown trout.

Traditionally these streams are only fished during spring and summer and the methods used have not really changed for many years. The most common fishing rig used is the "Kiwi Truck and Trailer". This consists of a large bushy dry fly (usually a Royal Wulff or a Humpy: basically any fly that is big and bright enough to be seen as an indicator and enough hackle and deer hair to make it float high), then off the bend of the hook is tied a nymph at a set depth of around a half to a meter deep. This is a traditional summer set-up which works extremely well.

However, to totally capitalize on the rivers’ ever changing depths and speeds, and the often neglected issue that not all trout will travel up through deep water columns to take a nymph that is only fishing a meter deep, other techniques from Europe can provide astonishing results. Try adopting more continental approaches and use French Long leader and Cheq Nymph methods to get into all the nooks and crannies and deep holes that get bypassed year after year by most fly fishermen.

Dry fly fishing on these small streams can be equally rewarding and can happen all year round although Mayfly hatches are far less frequent during the winter months. It can take time to adapt to the smaller and shorter spasmodic hatches encountered fly fishing in New Zealand. Again it is worth trying other techniques than the traditional Kiwi hackled imitations for Mayfly and Caddis fishing. Try using CDC patterns tied in Petitjean Style adopting local shapes sizes and colours. With this sort of set-up it is possible to fish all day on small streams blind, with no real hatch to speak of , and have good dry fly fishing all day.

Summer terrestrial dry fly fishing on the small Waikato and many other North Island streams can be very enjoyable through the months of January and February. Once again it is worth experimenting by avoiding local imitations and trying semi submerged patterns tied on Partridge Klinkhammer hooks, but in much larger than normal sizes. These large " drowning " insects can be far more effective than high riders for pulling the bigger fish up from the deep pools, especially on the bigger New Zealand rivers.

In the Taupo region, as with fly fishing all over the world, certain parts of the streams fish better in areas at different times of the year and it’s only by putting the time in that gives knowledge that leads to success. Try adapting and applying overseas techniques and you will reap the rewards.