BIG Brown Trout in Gin Clear Water - A Fly Fishing Dream Come True

Spotting a big brown trout in gin clear water, casting a dry fly, and watching it sip it from the surface is a fly fishing dream come true. Join me for the first part of my 6 day fly fishing dream trip.
#flyfishing #browntrout #dryfly
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I am no longer sponsored or affiliated with any shop or brand. If you would like to know what I am using send me a message or leave a comment. Enjoy the content, you can catch fish with a stick if you need to, it's not about the gear just enjoy your fishing.

[@jamesgibbs8827]

Bro,, What a setup in that Van. I could live in that by myself No problem... Is it your channels Van? If so , you did it up Great. What a life, driving your home to the river, get out & fly fish for Trout . Its most everyone's Dream !! Lol.. The river is beautiful.. When you get ready to.sell the van, maybe hold a raffle to any subscribers that wants in.. You'd make a profit , someone ends up w a home on wheels.. I'm ready to buy my tics.. lol. Really though,, Awesome channel. TY for bringing the outdoors where some of us can't get way out there, into our daily lives. It means a lot to me.. Jim Gibbs New Hampshire USA aka BOSTON STRONG

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks James, it is an awesome van indeed. Wish it was mine but I just rented it for the trip from Jucy rentals. Hopefully one day I can get one for the channel and drive around. Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@amyackley4059]

My husband watched this! he loved it! he can't wait to go home to Maine in June to get the sea trout that run with the tide

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

That's awesome to hear. Glad he liked it and hope he has a great time in Maine. Thanks for commenting.

[@brad5065]

Hey Amy. How about the Bluefish Run in August? That was fun for me I'll tell you that much. I never seen a sea trout in Maine. But I was around Wells Beach and Kennebunk.

[@schmoonkie]

Wow! What beautiful scenery, what an amazing river, and what awesome trout. Thanks for this treat Johan!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Happy to hear you enjoyed it

[@glennamesquita6386]

Beautiful fish and amazing scenery many thanks for this video !

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks for watching and great to hear you enjoyed it

[@haydenstewart1659]

Wow, what a place Johan and some stunning fish.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

It's pretty stunning ay and the fish are awesome

[@anthonyclark6118]

Fantastic. There is nothing better than cruising around NZ South Island chasing brownies! Enjoy to the max Johan and as always super appreciative of you sharing your adventures!!!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thank you so much. I look forward to doing it again next year some time. Hopefully I'll get the chance

[@anthonyclark6118]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing it’s been 10 years since I wet a line in NZ….think I’m well overdue!!!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

@@anthonyclark6118 that's indeed well overdue, you'll have to do it soon

[@Fly_Fishing_Fool]

Holy shit the scenery alone is breathtaking. But the quality of the video and the fishing itself is even better. Mad props!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

The South Island is just majestic. It's such a cool place with awesome fishing. Can't wait to do a longer trip down there next summer. Glad you are enjoying the vids.

[@jamiewaring8296]

Welcome to the south island. It's nice to see how excited you are about the experience down here . You got some nice fish too . Good on you and nice video

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks, I really enjoyed it. Bit more struggles later in my trip but still loved it and will be back next year.

[@KT-wo7lp]

Great scenery. Just beautiful.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

It is so stunning, very lucky to have experienced it

[@WisdomWealthMotivation]

Wow, in the South Island now! Make sure to catch a trophy!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

It's a pretty magical place and each fish is just about a trophy. You do work hard for them but very rewarding

[@KampveKaravanTHEGREATOUTDOORS]

Congratulations, it was a nice fly fishing hunt, you caught some great, beautiful trophies.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it

[@AboveWorryLevelFlyFishing]

Great clip Johan - they just get better and better!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Chris, trying my best to up the quality a bit when I have the time. Good to hear it's showing

[@AboveWorryLevelFlyFishing]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing Absolutely!!

[@flytrout_nz]

Well Johan, thanks for taking us to this stunning place. It's a dream trip indeed. Appreciate the efforts, fantastic video 👏👍👏

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Glad you enjoyed it, now we need to plan our next mission

[@lewispeart2344]

This is insane! Can't wait to see more of the trip !

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

It's an incredible place and also incredibly difficult at times as you'll see in the next one

[@toshmccarthy1554]

excellent video,your living the dream

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thank you, I'm very lucky indeed

[@waikarimoana]

Great footage and a very nice place it is, i have fished there many times and always enjoyable to be there, thumbs up, great video mate.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Tony much appreciated. I'll be back one day for sure

[@Paul-yv5yj]

Wow! Another fantastic video Johan. Loving it.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Paul glad you enjoyed it

[@steveg8322]

Amazing. A salute to Down Under from gruesome Up Over.

[@christiancherry1377]

Love your videos, Johan! Your willingness to try different techniques is admirable too!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Christian, that's very much appreciated

[@okplayerflyfishing4176]

Your videos make me want to impulse buy a plane ticket to New Zealand and worry about any sort of planning after I’ve caught the first fish

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

I'm glad you enjoy them that much but I would highly suggest some planning 🤣 we are very lucky to live here and fish.

[@padraigcostello8499]

Cracking content mate!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks heaps

[@HighcountryFlylife]

Great stuff mate, good to see you down south mate and enjoying the lovely water we have down these ways. Nice fish caught too Johan

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks mate, it's a stunning place. Absolutely loved it. Struggled the last few days but lots of lessons learnt for the future.

[@HighcountryFlylife]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing yeah it's not about the fish caught or not caught, it's the experiences along the way and the surroundings on the river

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

@@HighcountryFlylife that's the one. The thing with the SI is just being in those surroundings is already amazing. Can't wait to get back next yearm hopefully it works out.

[@NeilgRichardson]

Well done Johan, stunning location to fish, that wind can be a pain in the proverbial sometimes, something we encounter often in the Wairarapa

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Neil. I think I'm due a bit of casting practice for the wind. May have to start visiting my local park with the fly rod when it's windy. The wind really made it difficult the last few days as well. Just need to learn to cope. Glad you enjoyed the video

[@kain4695]

Thanks for telling what gear you where using. Looking forward to next video 🎣 👍.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

I'll try to remember to keep doing that. It often slips my mind as I rush to go fishing 🤣

[@pierevojzola9737]

Hi Johan, nicely setup camera angles to capture a very good fishing technique. Isn’t it surprising how those “Naturals” fly patterns work all over NZ? Beautiful rivers that stretch your horizons. Cheers mate. Harera

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks, those rivers certainly stretch your horizons. Had to pull out all stops and was thankful the classic patterns were doing the trick for me. Kept on have success with those basic patterns later in the week as well. I think its possible to fish an entire year just with Hare and coppers, pheasant tails, parachute adams and royal wullfs in a variety of sizes and weights for the nymphs. Add a few woolly buggers and you are covered for just about anything.

[@pierevojzola9737]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing Yep, you have the NZ fly patterns covered. I just wish that I knew all about fly fishing the way I do now when in 1988 I & The Mrs. + the Dog, bought a self contained camper and fished the South Island for a whole year. My wife kept a diary of the trip as we only stayed at camping grounds twice! She threatens to write a book about it, but those times are gone. Huge memories and very few photos. When we got to Picton, I wanted to do the trip all over again. It’s a beautiful country with a lot of opportunities. Harera

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

That sounds like a great trip and possibly a best selling book too. I'll put a trip like that one my list for when the kids leave home. I think that will be awesome.

[@ericyamashita7273]

Stunning video and good fishing Johan! Funny, I was just the Mackenzie High Country fishing a few days ago too. Aucklanders invade the South Island. Lol!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Eric. Yeah I saw your posts looked like you had a good time. So different from the NI and so stunning. Look forward to doing a mid summer trip hopefully next year.

[@Aucklandsaltwaterflyfishing]

Stunning m8. You are one lucky man.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Tell me about it, still pinching myself. Your trip was not too shabby either ay.

[@Aucklandsaltwaterflyfishing]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing haha yes we are all blessed m8. So good to have all this stuff on our back door step or not to far.

[@philkuklinski5251]

Thanks for the video, fantastic. I plan on retiring down there in 3 or 4 years and fishing all those rivers. In the meantime I might meet you on the Tongariro winter spawning runs sometime. Cheers.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Phil, it would be a magical place to retire for sure. If you see me on the Tongariro this winter come say high. I'll definitely be around a bit over winter

[@AdriftFishing]

exceptional bro! looks like a crazy long leader

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks mate. Yeah the leaders were long but I shortened it a fair bit in the wind. Definitely need to look at more detailed leader construction to make up those long leaders.

[@AdriftFishing]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing yeah watched it till the end! What a day bro

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Yup, went pretty well for my first couple of days in the SI.

[@ricksfishingandleisure]

Awesome Vid really enjoyed it .. 👍 😀

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Rick, very happy to hear that

[@MrKveite1]

Not too annoying music so props, good stuff:)

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Great, thanks for the feedback

[@regquinn400]

Congratulations on the quality of the video and the fishing, nicely presented and produced, the perspective makes it look like the viewer is actually there. At 4.54 you mentioned that you presented a size16 hare and copper nymph under the dry. The run, at least as far as I could judge, was reasonably fast and deep, given the clarity of the water. Can I ask, what make of hook and model was the hare and copper tied on and did it incorporate some lead wire and a tungsten bead? Johan, thank you in anticipation. Reg.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Reg, that's much appreciated. Yes the Hare and copper has a black tungsten been, from memory a bit oversized for a size 16. Probably 2.8mm if not 3mm bead to get down fast. The ribb is also red copper wire as well. It was fast but I don't think it was more than knee deep. So it's not far to get down and the fish are likely to come up in the water column for it as well as they are actively feeding so no need to get all the way to the bottom. I was tying those on size 16 barbed scud khumho hooks but have now gone to barbless tiemco and hanak hooks. I don't know the model numbers though but I think the hanak one is called the all round.

[@johnhobbs7697]

Love it

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Excellent, thank you

[@TheBigchuckie]

I'm just starting to watch this epic video and I'm guessing you brought everything but your spork

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

🤣🤣🤣 thankfully the camper was fully stocked with everything I needed. But my wife did buy me a fancy new metal spork for future trips. I'll show it once I do another camping trip.

[@jakeschuberg4705]

Loved the video! Quick question though, where was the video filmed?

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

South Island, New Zealand, around Queenstown arean. South mostly.

[@robgrubb420]

tail or no tail on the hare and copper?

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

I tend to do a tail of pheasant tail fibres but honestly can't remember with these ones. This was some time ago.. I tend to tie variations depending on what materials I have at hand

[@23v0lv32]

Amazing stuff!! Aside from the GoPro what cameras do you use?

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thank you very much. For this video I was using a gopro and my trusty old Panasonic GH5 plus I think it was my old Mavic Air drone. These days, if you see newer videos I now have 2 GoPros and the GH5 and often add an Insta360 One X2 as well and my drone is now A DJI Mini 2. Sometimes too many cameras are just a pain and when I go backcountry and have a friend to help filming I like to just take the GoPros and the GH5. Hope that helps. Tight lines.

[@timkeir6467]

Awesome Johan,yea the old south island gets under your skin alright Is your tripod camera linked wirelessly to the chest camera ,? Can you operate either from wherever? Just curious, dont have to get to technical with your reply .cheers Tim all the best for the rest of your trip

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Tim, I'll be back for more that's for sure. The camera stuff is all manual. I guess where I am going to be in frame set it up and start recording. The Gopros I can operate with my voice from close by so that's handy for filming fish. The two gopros are magnetic mounts as well so can quickly remove them for underwater shots etc. So I don't keep the fish out of the water for long. But otherwise all manual and a lot of walking back and forth between cameras 🤣

[@timkeir6467]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing thankyou for the reply ,,had me scratching my head when you were holding up a fish or doing somthing and i could see the tripod in the background all good ,still must take abit of sorting on your own.Tim

[@FishingForeverFilms]

You’ll be addicted to the South now mate!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

I am mate, definitely

[@capadocia27]

Great video, you should pay a visit to the upper ahuriri, another great one for browns…

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thank you. I was meant to go there but the weather turned bad up that way according to the forecast so I didn't want to risk driving there and not be able to fish. Next time hopefully.

[@capadocia27]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing yes the weather in that valley is hard, January and February are the best time over there…

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Hope to time my next visit for that time of year.

[@zbigniewkolasinski4627]

Pięknie🙂👍

[@flytrout_nz]

Poludniowa wyspa. Wedkarstwo bardziej wymagajace, szczególnie na niektorych wodach. Definitywnie warte wysilku. Poludnie slynie z pieknych widokow.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Dziękuję bardzo

[@markm417]

OK i'm not criticising because maybe i was taught the wrong thing but i notice a lot of videos on youtube involve spotting fish sometimes even with a second person up high coaching. I was raised that sightfishing is unsporting, like shooting a pheasant on the ground. Like we're not just reeling in fish here, we're supposed to be able to figure out where they might be. I noticed the only time the host seemed not pleased but thrilled was when he guessed where one might be and hooked one there. It's hard but satisfying. The way i was taught, that IS the sport. Just curious what others think about this.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks for sharing your views in an understanding manner. Appreciate that. Until recently I had not heard this before but another viewer commented on it. Sight fishing is pretty much the standard and preferred method here. Especially because many of the rivers in the South Island have very low numbers of mainly big brown trout which plus clear water. It makes fishing blind very unproductive. To spot and find the trout you have to know where they hold anyway in order to find them. They aren't that easy to spot in most cases. A skilled fisher able to read the river and find the trout then approach them carefully is way more likely to do well. Hopefully that makes some sense as to why you see this so often in New Zealand content. It's just how we fish and how we learned. Tight lines

[@markm417]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing that makes sense, different place different methods. Different water clarity, all kinds of things. The overhanging brush that keeps our fly lines endlessly tangled n hung up here also keeps us from standing out to the fish. You're in a very different place and it looks fantastic. Enjoy.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

We still have plenty of similar rivers which I spend a lot of time in the brush and braches. You might enjoy some of my small stream videos where it will be similar. We don't do as much sight fishing in the North Island where I am based and do most of my fishing. Tight lines

[@troutfixnz]

Nicce

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks 😊

[@kenlloyd5195]

bring on the next one

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Hope to get it done for next week

[@rattlelibre]

where is this?

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Various rivers in the South island of New Zealand.

[@brad5065]

Wow man. Holy Cow. A dream and a half I would say. I don't understand if the park was so full why wasn't the river filled with fishermen? I will bet 90% of the uneducated would take a pass on shallow waters like that. Those Browns are what 6 pounds? The one I caught up north looked very different. Not as brown and more red spots. I was wondering two things bro. Do you ever have to match the hatch? And do you have a name by any chance? lol.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Thanks Brad, my name is Johan. I think that most of the visitors were tourists going through to another big attactraction nearby. It's also about 30km strectch of river so I think I was lucky and there would have been other fishers somewhere on the river

[@brad5065]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing Cool. It is like our Rivier Rouge, or Red river in laymans terms. Very long and beautiful, though not as awesome of Sl. In 1982 I went white water rafting on the rouge anc then pitched a tent ten miles up river where it was calm and void of others. Still though big trout like you catch are a bit of a rarity unless you drive 150 miles at $8.00 per gallon or $2.00 a liter. I know all about fly fishing from books and stuff but I didn't take to it because the trout here will take anything and I've never had a fly fishing buddy. But my biggest thrill was catching s 3 pound sucker (chub) on my Algonquin fly rod with a big hairy fly I tied myself. Twas long long ago my friend. When the air was clean and the water sparkled like the sides of a rainbow trout at spaening time. Haha. Ok, so that's Jo Jo right???

[@brad5065]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing Johan. I don't know how to cut and paste but ther is a cool underwater video on youtube called I recorded underwater fishing/In india eel...

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Sounds like a lovely river. I'm keen to try a raft trip next summer. There are a couple of outfits that do overnight trips camping next to the river as well. Definitely keen to give that a go and get access to some lovely water.

[@ShanePleasance]

My back garden! Flick me a message if you come down again. I am a spin fisher - you teach me to fly, I will show you the spots. Love your channel, new subscriber!

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Cool, glad you enjoyed it. Awesome area to live. I'll be down again some time next summer hopefully. Going to go check out the canals this winter too.

[@ShanePleasance]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing I am Southland based. Terrific fishing. I haven't done the canals yet, there is a food festival in Twizel and it looks like I will be going then. I learnt my fishing in the Drakensberg around Magoebaskloof and the Lowveld. Fished all round the world.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Nice. I did very little troutfishin back in SA, mainly yellowfish in the vaal and grew up catching carp in our local dams in the Free State. Learnt mostly over here and went straight to fly fishing but I'm happy to fish any method. Only my channel is focussed on fly fishing.

[@ShanePleasance]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing and you've taken to it rather well!

[@sedge11111]

24:42 bad fishing 😩

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

I agree with you. However, just thought I would mention how wonderful a gesture it is of you to watch the whole video and point that out. It really makes my day and makes all the effort put into making the worthwhile.

[@antipropo461]

Why do you not tell us which river you are on? It's not a state secret.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

I don't post river names on social media and generally try not to reveal obvious landmarks. Giving river names on social media is considered spot burning and very much not appreciated by local anglers. These rivers can't handle huge pressure. There are limited numbers of big fish which are resident. The rivers are already busy over summer. The information is out there with a bit of research and time they are there to be found and that is how I found them.

[@antipropo461]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing Fair enough,I asked you answered. Btw,I was born in Dunedin,raised initially in Central Otago, still remember fishing the Taeri River with my father as a very young boy.

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

@@antipropo461 it's a stunning part of the country and while I don't share on social media I'm always contactable personally 😉. Hopefully I will get back there some time this summer.

[@WilliamMallinson]

I only put small trout back. I see no point in catching decent-sized trout, unless I eat them: hunting.....

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

Nothing wrong with that. However many of the rivers here, especially in the South Island can't sustain that level of take. These fish are big old and resident and regulations often prohibit more than one fish taken. I do like eating trout but I only take them when they are in good condition for eating and from rivers where it's sustainable. Tight lines and thanks for watching.

[@WilliamMallinson]

@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing I totally agree! Thanks for explaining.

[@brad5065]

Forget that William. I eat 7 inch brookies fried in the pan with flour head and all man. And yes, those monsters do taste Good.