The Weekly Five - 13
From Big Hole to The Holy Well
Welcome to The Weekly Five - 13th edition where we go Big Hole to The Holy Well and back to New Zealand.
A week into their new season and Tasmania’s Penstock Lagoon has been fishing well for early season Aussie anglers braving the cool conditions.
As reported in The Weekly Five - 11 (July 26), NZ’s Designated Water Licence rules will remain unchanged next season due to lobbying of New Zealand’s Minister of Hunting & Fushing (wink). There’s more in the letter below.
Montana’s Big Hole is back in the angling news with some sections reopening. However low flows and increased irrigation draw from this river is combining to drive their stock of fluvial Arctic Grayling to extinction. This Big Hole population is the last native fluvial Grayling in the ‘lower 48’.
Staying stateside, if you’re looking for a new fly reel, it’s hard to go past the Ross sale prices at Moonshine Rods right now.
What I’m watching: The Holy Well - Fishing for Tarpon with Poppers from the Poncho crew. This played on the 2023 Fly Fishing Film Tour.
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NZ Minister Rejects Fish & Game’s Proposed Licence Changes to Designated Waters.
New Zealand Fish & Game proposed to expand the number of named rivers on the Designated Waters Licences and to lift the daily charge for Non-Resident Anglers from NZ$40 to NZ$60 per day. Not only was this rejected by the Minister, but a review into the efficacy of the DWL has been sought. He seems well-briefed on his portfolio.
Image: Letter from the Hon. Minister Todd McClay to New Zealand Fish & Game officials. Source: NZ Fish & Game Council.
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Coming in August
A Guide to New Zealand’s Designated Waters
Fly fishing Tasmania in 2024
Gear Review: Tonic Sunglasses
How to DIY Argentina for Sea-run Brown Trout
You know the drill …
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Image: An IFS staff member with a brown trout at Penstock Lagoon.
Credit: Inland Fisheries Service, Tasmanian State Government.
Patagonia - Rio Grande Exploration February 2025
Only two spots now available for a Base Camp Expedition on a private Chilean estancia next SH summer. Access to 60+ miles of private Rio Grande water. Sea-run brown trout and resident browns, rainbows, big brookies on beaver ponds. Get in touch for more info!
Image © 2024 South Flyfisher, Fiordland, New Zealand
It might be useful to reinforce that the Designated Water Licence endorsement costs for New Zealand Resident Anglers is simply a nominal annual fee for each selected region with DW that you choose to fish, in addition to your Resident Full Season Fishing Licence. Whereas Non-Resident Anglers are limited to a capped few fishing days per region per season and pay per diem on top of their Non-Resident Full Season Fishing Licence. This lop-sided arrangement is supposed to serve as a lever to balance the non-resident/resident access to rivers and their tributaries named as Designated Waters. I guess the review called for by the Minister will report on whether it's working in this capacity or not.