At the moment New Zealand salmon is increasingly elusive, glad to see a video that actually shows the hours invested in salmon fishing here in New Zealand, its definitely become a quality of fish not number of fish situation. You're always on the right track if you're fishing with the legend himself 😎
Definitely. It was extremely tricky with a lot of work for (possibly) a fish. I'd do it again because it's so special and makes me feel at home, but it's certainly not the best fit for someone hoping for numbers (Alaska is a better option for that). NZ is just so, so, so incredible.
@AprilVokey you'll get good one one day, just got to one the right bit of river on the right day 👍 Neil's word is literally GOLD, if anyone has done the hours its him 👍
Hi April, I'm heading to South Island to chase trout at the end of Jan 2025. Would love to give the Chinook a try. Is a 7 or 8 wt good? Would also love to try some spey. Any recommendations? I believe you are the guest speaker at the Sydney Fly Rodders Christmas Party this year so hopefully see you there. Lachlan
@@lachlanmaple4868 whilst doable I would not recommend a 7weight single handed for salmon in NZ , lightest I would recommend is #8, but you'll be better served with a #9 weight or #10weight. If you're talking Spey rods, it depends on the river, whilst I've stopped salmon with a 6weight spey on the Waimakariri (I was actually targeting trout) if you fishing the Rakaia think seriously about an 8weight, whilst the average size of NZ kings is down on other years, if you hook a 20lb+ fish your going to feel "under gunned", especially when fishing the big salmon rivers in higher flows. Hope that helps.
Hi April great video 😆 I was hoping to make the video as I was the one at that last hole and got the salmon when we were all getting sandblasted and I was impressed with your casting in that wind 😊
@AprilVokey well I was actually hoping to see you catch one as there seem to be a few in that hole and the guy fishing with you hooked 3 I think 🤔 while at the start was just enjoying watch you both fish which was impressive in the conditions. Look forward to seeing you next adventure back here
Not glaciers feed that color is the river clearing after rain up the back. That's the perfect color you see in the video for salmon. The rivers get very clear in the height of summer
@@LarryBlue55 The south island east coast rivers can vary from day to day, they can be unfishable one day and that beautiful blue, as the river drops, but if there's no rainfall on the Southern alps for 2weeks, you can find yourself fishing water so clear you can see the bottom in a 15ft deep hole! But one down pour on the alps and the river resets itself, it's part of the learning process, knowing where and how to fish around incredibly varied flows and conditions. This sometimes means changing rivers, to find fishable conditions, then returning a few days later once conditions have improved.
@@LarryBlue55 unfortunately our heydays of good salmon runs and big salmon are a thing of the past. Most of river now only have around 1000 go up to spawn. From November to April but different rivers have runs at different times. We are only allowed to keep to salmon a season. And they are very small fish alot average around 6 lbs
Bass After Dark did a recent episode on Crayfish and the hundred or so different species of that freshwater food source throughout the American continent. In reference to the waders, washing up liquid treatment by guides at end of each fishing day. It was gob smacking to learn a bit from the freshwater biologists on an important food source such as crayfish (I think that clouser minnows etc would happen been a good imitation for this food source, or flies like Kelly Galloup featured lately on lake fly fishing, the Denny Rickards types of patterns). Kelly himself did emphasize something else on source of food in rivers, talking to Andy Mill of late on the Mill House series. Western rivers and lakes, and the presence of the midge populations in them. Which kept trout in a feeding behavior through the darkest of winter days. Kelly compared it to Michigan where he'd never seen that. The 'Bass After Dark' crayfish species biologist explained something about smallmouth bass behavior and scientific divers under water (Kelly did a lot of diving underwater with trout), the smallmouth bass figure out scientists are diving on a mission to collect crayfish samples, and they try to rob the samples underwater from the biologists.
Todd Castledine's fish tank feeding examples with bass too demonstrated the aggression levels of these feeding bass, Todd did a series on the subject. He's developed a plethora of different baits (a crankbait type of lure again, Kelly would have studied conventional lure types such as the crankbait, is yet another crayfish forage imitator). And the 'Bass After Dark' freshwater biologist went into some detail on the part of the lifecycle where crayfish grow, and discard the older calcium hard shell amour (leading to yet another 'soft plastic' convential bait imitation used to simulate that stage in the crayfish life by the gear anglers who flip and pitch the shallow water regions, for foraging bass). So angling for full time resident fish species is all about this understanding of food source (even say, in adapted 'two handed' rod fishing styles like 'Trout Spey' angling). Out here on these moon scape kinds of rivers though, that is the one single thing one can be certain about. There is no place for 'crayfish' or food of any description to hide in. Which is why these rivers work as Chinook fisheries. The only option or alternative to fish living out here, on the moonscape, is to run to the saltwater, and then try to run back again using the ice flow water. All the best.
One thing the biologist guest mentioned was the Alabama State, about diversity of food source. Literally a hundred separate species of crayfish in that one State, all with different adaptations to environments (he did briefly mention rivers in Arizona, the Grand Canyon too, which I know the 'Trout UnLimited guests on the Anchored channel lately did talk about). It turns out, in parallel with native, non- native in terms of trout populations, . . that down at the lower level of forage and food source, a whole entire story unfolds across the continent, to do with native, and non- native crayfish movements. The biologists of these freshwater habitats have to imagine and understand what is happening at different levels in this hierarchy, at the same time. Not just the top of the pyramid. What has never been done for these migratory fish river environments, . . what has never been done, is to bring a freshwater biologist from Alabama (100 species of crayfish), to a New Zealand, or to a British Columbia. Why? To simply shock them, when they literally see how sanitized, how devoid of underwater life activity these river environments can be. And further to this point, . . again, biologists from richer, more diverse, food richer habitats should come to British Columbia. Why? To figure out what exactly is supporting smallmouth bass populations which spread across these system, or even resident rainbow trout populations. Those resident fish species are nature's answer to a problem of where the forage base down at the bottom of this pyramid has changed dramatically. To a point to where the habitat can sustain resident populations of bass, trout etc. Iceland as a country is unusual in that respect, as it has rivers and habitats which do it all. Support large resident brown trout, and other systems which don't. In close geographical proximity. The reason why biologists from Florida, Carolina or Alabama never went to the Pacific northwest region is simple, there was little to no overlap in terms of research required. The modern time however, suggests somewhat that this is changing, or it has changed. There are few of those barren, remote, sanitized and clean Chinook New Zealand kinds of habitats remaining. Or a lot less than before.
Awesome video, you had to work for them but the rewards are SO worth it! 😊
April, this is an awesome video! Thank you for sharing! Now, I REALLY want to go to New Zealand!
Wow beautiful rivers what an amazing trip
My goodness those are beautiful rivers. Cheers from CLE, OH.
At the moment New Zealand salmon is increasingly elusive, glad to see a video that actually shows the hours invested in salmon fishing here in New Zealand, its definitely become a quality of fish not number of fish situation. You're always on the right track if you're fishing with the legend himself 😎
Definitely. It was extremely tricky with a lot of work for (possibly) a fish. I'd do it again because it's so special and makes me feel at home, but it's certainly not the best fit for someone hoping for numbers (Alaska is a better option for that). NZ is just so, so, so incredible.
@AprilVokey you'll get good one one day, just got to one the right bit of river on the right day 👍 Neil's word is literally GOLD, if anyone has done the hours its him 👍
Hi April,
I'm heading to South Island to chase trout at the end of Jan 2025. Would love to give the Chinook a try. Is a 7 or 8 wt good? Would also love to try some spey. Any recommendations?
I believe you are the guest speaker at the Sydney Fly Rodders Christmas Party this year so hopefully see you there.
Lachlan
@@lachlanmaple4868 whilst doable I would not recommend a 7weight single handed for salmon in NZ , lightest I would recommend is #8, but you'll be better served with a #9 weight or #10weight. If you're talking Spey rods, it depends on the river, whilst I've stopped salmon with a 6weight spey on the Waimakariri (I was actually targeting trout) if you fishing the Rakaia think seriously about an 8weight, whilst the average size of NZ kings is down on other years, if you hook a 20lb+ fish your going to feel "under gunned", especially when fishing the big salmon rivers in higher flows. Hope that helps.
@ Thanks so much. I’ll obviously need some beefier rods for my trip!
That's very cool. Me and a mate have talked about this but just so hard not to get distracted by the trout fishing.
Nice!
Hi April great video 😆 I was hoping to make the video as I was the one at that last hole and got the salmon when we were all getting sandblasted and I was impressed with your casting in that wind 😊
Wish I’d caught that on video!!!
@AprilVokey well I was actually hoping to see you catch one as there seem to be a few in that hole and the guy fishing with you hooked 3 I think 🤔 while at the start was just enjoying watch you both fish which was impressive in the conditions. Look forward to seeing you next adventure back here
👍👍👍✌️
The rivers there look like its dark green or blue color from the Glaciers. I am curious just how much visibility in the river. it looks beautiful.
Not glaciers feed that color is the river clearing after rain up the back. That's the perfect color you see in the video for salmon. The rivers get very clear in the height of summer
@@LarryBlue55 The south island east coast rivers can vary from day to day, they can be unfishable one day and that beautiful blue, as the river drops, but if there's no rainfall on the Southern alps for 2weeks, you can find yourself fishing water so clear you can see the bottom in a 15ft deep hole! But one down pour on the alps and the river resets itself, it's part of the learning process, knowing where and how to fish around incredibly varied flows and conditions. This sometimes means changing rivers, to find fishable conditions, then returning a few days later once conditions have improved.
I am curious if there is a great number of Chinook Salmon that migrate your rivers and how many migrate and the Month of season.
@@LarryBlue55 unfortunately our heydays of good salmon runs and big salmon are a thing of the past. Most of river now only have around 1000 go up to spawn. From November to April but different rivers have runs at different times. We are only allowed to keep to salmon a season. And they are very small fish alot average around 6 lbs
On the Denny Rickards trout and lake end of it (versus moonscapes of the salmon angler).
Bass After Dark did a recent episode on Crayfish and the hundred or so different species of that freshwater food source throughout the American continent. In reference to the waders, washing up liquid treatment by guides at end of each fishing day. It was gob smacking to learn a bit from the freshwater biologists on an important food source such as crayfish (I think that clouser minnows etc would happen been a good imitation for this food source, or flies like Kelly Galloup featured lately on lake fly fishing, the Denny Rickards types of patterns). Kelly himself did emphasize something else on source of food in rivers, talking to Andy Mill of late on the Mill House series. Western rivers and lakes, and the presence of the midge populations in them. Which kept trout in a feeding behavior through the darkest of winter days. Kelly compared it to Michigan where he'd never seen that. The 'Bass After Dark' crayfish species biologist explained something about smallmouth bass behavior and scientific divers under water (Kelly did a lot of diving underwater with trout), the smallmouth bass figure out scientists are diving on a mission to collect crayfish samples, and they try to rob the samples underwater from the biologists.
Todd Castledine's fish tank feeding examples with bass too demonstrated the aggression levels of these feeding bass, Todd did a series on the subject. He's developed a plethora of different baits (a crankbait type of lure again, Kelly would have studied conventional lure types such as the crankbait, is yet another crayfish forage imitator). And the 'Bass After Dark' freshwater biologist went into some detail on the part of the lifecycle where crayfish grow, and discard the older calcium hard shell amour (leading to yet another 'soft plastic' convential bait imitation used to simulate that stage in the crayfish life by the gear anglers who flip and pitch the shallow water regions, for foraging bass). So angling for full time resident fish species is all about this understanding of food source (even say, in adapted 'two handed' rod fishing styles like 'Trout Spey' angling). Out here on these moon scape kinds of rivers though, that is the one single thing one can be certain about. There is no place for 'crayfish' or food of any description to hide in. Which is why these rivers work as Chinook fisheries. The only option or alternative to fish living out here, on the moonscape, is to run to the saltwater, and then try to run back again using the ice flow water. All the best.
One thing the biologist guest mentioned was the Alabama State, about diversity of food source. Literally a hundred separate species of crayfish in that one State, all with different adaptations to environments (he did briefly mention rivers in Arizona, the Grand Canyon too, which I know the 'Trout UnLimited guests on the Anchored channel lately did talk about). It turns out, in parallel with native, non- native in terms of trout populations, . . that down at the lower level of forage and food source, a whole entire story unfolds across the continent, to do with native, and non- native crayfish movements. The biologists of these freshwater habitats have to imagine and understand what is happening at different levels in this hierarchy, at the same time. Not just the top of the pyramid. What has never been done for these migratory fish river environments, . . what has never been done, is to bring a freshwater biologist from Alabama (100 species of crayfish), to a New Zealand, or to a British Columbia. Why? To simply shock them, when they literally see how sanitized, how devoid of underwater life activity these river environments can be. And further to this point, . . again, biologists from richer, more diverse, food richer habitats should come to British Columbia. Why? To figure out what exactly is supporting smallmouth bass populations which spread across these system, or even resident rainbow trout populations. Those resident fish species are nature's answer to a problem of where the forage base down at the bottom of this pyramid has changed dramatically. To a point to where the habitat can sustain resident populations of bass, trout etc. Iceland as a country is unusual in that respect, as it has rivers and habitats which do it all. Support large resident brown trout, and other systems which don't. In close geographical proximity. The reason why biologists from Florida, Carolina or Alabama never went to the Pacific northwest region is simple, there was little to no overlap in terms of research required. The modern time however, suggests somewhat that this is changing, or it has changed. There are few of those barren, remote, sanitized and clean Chinook New Zealand kinds of habitats remaining. Or a lot less than before.
Don't I remember a blond. Still gorgeous though.