Fishing for compliments in Rotorua

By JENNY FORSYTH

The sun was shining, Lake Rotorua shimmered in the foreground and the only sound was the rhythmic "whoosh" of my fly-fishing rod and line arcing backwards and forwards.

I was lost in a daydream, imagining my first heroic battle with a 10lb trout when the bark of an Irish brogue brought me crashing back to reality.

"Ah Jesus, you've snagged my TV aerial again," said fisherman Hugh McDowell with a pained smile.

"Your casting's fine. Can you just try missing the house this time?"

In my quest to catch a trout, this wasn't quite what I'd had in mind.

My first suggestion was that the keen beginners, my husband and I, simply head off to a Rotorua lake or river and learn by experience.

Down the phone, McDowell sucked the air through his teeth.

"A waste of time. You'd spend the whole time pulling your line out of the bushes behind you and bull-whipping the water," he said.

So it was that we found ourselves at a landlubbers' lesson at McDowell's lakefront home at Ngongotaha.

McDowell, who has fished for New Zealand and is something of a legend in the angling world, ushered us into a homely living-room that spoke volumes about his lifelong passion. The shelves were stacked with fishing guides and fly-tying manuals, antique fishing rods stood guard in the corner, and the walls of this all-male preserve were dotted with award-winning hand-tied flies and trophy fish.

At his side was his faithful, but deaf, gun dog; a whiz at obeying hand signals but also the unfortunate owner of an ear-splitting and completely tuneless bark.

We spelled out our mission - to catch a trout, preferably by casting - before our return to England. McDowell thought it wouldn't be a problem, if we gave it some time and got the casting right.

But, before the lines on the lawn - the nature lesson.

You can't catch a trout without knowing what it wants to eat.

McDowell sat us down for our lesson and pulled out a vast collection of home-made flies to demonstrate the faux food.

There were fake smelts, nymphs, sinners, mayflies, caddie flies, cicadas, damsel flies, dragonflies.

There was one of McDowell's favourite - the Royal Wulff - and quite a few touches of red, which trout apparently have a penchant for.

"It's worth warning you that fish can be very choosy," he said sagely.

"Some days they'll only eat one morsel from a banquet of delicacies. And there's a herd instinct. They all go for the same thing.

"People are always seeking the one deadly fly but I'm sure there's no such thing. And what would happen if you found it? There'd be no challenge."

Ironically, when asked how smart a trout is McDowell points to the punch hole of an A4 pad.

"Their brains are only this size. It must be reflex."

Who would have thought it? With all this talk of hunting the trout, tempting the trout, teasing the trout, the last thing I wanted to do was catch the trout. A date with the esteemed trout seemed more in order.

But after two hours of practice we left with tired arms, a little skill and McDowell's assurance we were ready for greater things.

At 7 am the next day we set off with fishing guide Ernie Skudder for our first taste of lake fishing.

Skudder, a former forestry engineer who began his dream "retirement" job last September, is a walking tourism advert. He bubbles with enthusiasm over both his customers' catches and their joy in New Zealand scenery.

"I've fished all my life. My father was a fly-fisherman before me and he taught me the art," says Skudder.

"It's been a busy summer and I'm loving it. I love the situation where people are whooping because they've caught a huge fish and they can't believe the sight of blood red pohutakawas surrounding the lake."

Lake Rerewhakaaitu, Skudder's chosen spot, was indeed the type of place to take a tourist's breath away. It was beautifully still, with only the squawk of a noisy flock of Canadian geese breaking the silence.

Again, catching the trout wasn't my first priority. A few hours' wading in thigh-high water, casting my line and admiring the strong morning sun was enough for me.

Which was just as well, because after four hours of concentrated fishing, we had caught nothing.

In fact, the hunting, tempting and teasing was being done by the trout. They plopped up occasionally, keeping a tantalising short distance, but thought better of striking.

Returning a month or so later, we took to the lake with our trusty guide Skudder again, this time harling (towing a lure just below the surface) from his boat on Lake Rotorua.

Fortune smiled, four trout grabbed the fly or lure behind us, and I experienced the thrill of slowly reeling in one beauty with the strength of Hercules and tactics of a submarine.

But, even stuffed with herbs, baked with lemon and washed down with fine wine, our trout was somehow second-rate.

McDowell, with his hand-tied flies, deaf dog and inimitable double-haul casting, had made us fly-fishing purists. Our trout carried the taste of deception.

Casenotes

WHEN TO GO: Lake Rotorua is open for fishing all year. Most other Rotorua lakes are partially closed from this Friday until October 1. Check with the Department of Conservation or your fishing licence for details. The Tongariro River and the Tauranga Taupo River are open for winter fishing.

GUIDED FISHING: Details on available guides can be found at www.purenz.com and at www.rotoruaNZ.com

Guides listed include Affordable Trout Fishing, Gordon Randle, ph (07) 349 2555; Clark Gregor Trout Fishing, ph (07) 347 1123, e-mail fish@trout.nz.co.nz; Hamill Charters, John Hamill, ph (0508) 888 7688, e-mail john@hamillcharters.co.nz; Tarawera Interlude ph (07) 362 8431, e-mail tarawerainterlude@xtra.co.nz; Parfect Charters and Homestay, Dave Parr, ph (07) 362 8736, e-mail dparr@xtra.co.nz; Down to Earth Fishing, Jim Koller ph (07) 362 0708, e-mail j&c.koller@xtra.co.nz

COSTS: Prices range from around $70 an hour, plus you need a fishing licence.

Families, groups, novices, experts can all be catered for.

Professional guide rates are generally by quotation but there is a minimum of $350 a day a group for fly fishing. Boat fishing is $75 an hour, with a minimum of two hours. There's a half-day rate of $300 for five hours, or full day, dusk till dawn, $500, normally a minimum of eight hours' fishing.