A reasonable fish on a soft hackle...

[Johnno]

No Mike that is definately a "straight" brown. I have never really thought of the Motueka browns being an unusual colouration. They have swum in these waters and the tribs for some 140 odd years so over that time they may have slowly taken on this look. Its a free stone river with some bed rock as are most of the tribs. All our South Island browns pretty much can be sourced from from the Test river via Tasmania in 1867 - 1868.

We also have searuns but they are early spring and also a smaller later autumn run but mid March is probably too early. I don't expect to see them for another month or so and a lot closer to the sea. This location is maybe 12 - 15 miles from the mouth.

I think browns tend to be a bit "plastic" in their colourations according to the waters they swim in. A nearby stream, the Riwaka (my home stream) which has no connection to the Motueka has browns that can be almost red in colour

[Johnno]

Here is a smallish searun of around 2 1/2 lbs from a couple of days ago from the same river but closer to the sea. Another soft hackle victim BTW! He was dinner and the flesh was as orange as a salmon



And the type of fly that took him: I think the one I was using had a claret thread rather than olive. The touch dub is a mix of mole and muskrat and the hackle is Spur Winged Plover wing



And this fish shows how different the markings can be from place to place in the same river. This fat fish - about 4 lbs - was taken last week from the same area as that first one at the beginning of the post (not a soft hackle this time!)

[William Anderson]

Johnno, I'm very envious of your locale. That is a very nice fly as well. Nicely done.
w

[letumgo]

How long is your fishing season, John? Are you able to fish there all year long?

[Ruard]

Beautiful pictures and nice fly also!!

[Johnno]

Letumgo: Regular Fishing season is 01 October to 30 April. There a limited winter season on the Motueka for a few miles up from the sea. Not that a good time for fishing due to spawning etc but there are still some good hatches in later September and early May, plus a few S/Rs in the river. Thats about it locally. Some lake fishing further afield but its a bit of a drive and with a lot of ice on the road and sometimes snow I rarely bother. A few days out mid winter on the river is nice though to clear the head.