"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it."
Norman Maclean

Sunday, June 11, 2006

NZ River Rain or Shine

Carrying An Umbrella And Fly Fishing
The rain had fallen during the night and had stopped. Well, at least it had stopped raining at my house. I left home at the usual time and carried with me the usual fly fishing equipments and a pair of rubber boots.

Kuan was already at the meeting point when I reach there. He came over to my bus for a chat while we waited for Uncle Wong and Ady. Both New Zealand River diehard fans. These guys will turn up to fish rain or shine. Uncle Wong was armed with his son’s army Gortex rain jacket. He brought a disposable plastic rain coat for Kuan. Ady was carring an umbrella. I didn’t bring my army poncho with me because it wasn’t raining at my house. If I were to go fly fishing with them, I'll be all wet. So I too brought along my wife’s umbrella which she had kept in my bus in case of bad weather.

Fly casting with an umbrella?
Yes.
It can be done.
And I caught a good size peacock bass too.

Uncle Wong was catching most of the Peacock Basses. He was using a black fly which looked like a tadpole. Kuan lost his after a few casts and had to get another tadpole from Uncle Wong. He was catching and releasing fish after fish while the rest of us could only watch and hope we too can get one.

I finally got a good size Peacock Bass. Ady got a few smaller Peacock Basses. Kuan blanked.

Morning kopi-O and mee-kia dry as usual at the usual place.

Enjoy the photographs.


Caught this Peacock Bass with the Jas Gordon Cave Bamboo Rod matched with a Classic Teastick Fly Reel.


Rain or shine. That is the moto of this group of ah laus, me included.


Kuan hiding from the rain in my bus.


This is all you can see when we arrived at the river.



Hardly anyone and anything for that matter.


Ady as usual is the first to wet his line. Casting and carrying an unbrella.


Kuan with the raincoat Uncle Wong brought for him.


Tying the black Uncle Wong fly that looked like a tadpole.


A NZ River diehard fan. Rain or shine.


Uncle Wong already caught a few Peacock Basses while we were still wondering if we can catch one.



Kuan went over to beg Uncle Wong for a tadpole fly which had seen non-stop action for Uncle Wong this morning. He begged one for me too.


Uncle Wong trying again with Kuan.



Kuan, still yet to get one.


Casting with his new 13 strip bamboo rod from Swiss Bamboo Rods.

Kurt Zumbrunn, the rodmaker from the eastern Berner Oberland, is building rods with semiparabolic to fast action, which allow due to a special taper a very delicate presentation. Inventor of the unique 13 stripes split cane rod. His wife designs the incomparably beautiful rodwindings and the handmade reel seats. He owns a lodge for fishermen at the Reichenbach near Meiringen. Fish with him in his beautiful little creek at the Sustenpass or let guide you to catch nice fish in the young Aare river or other mountain waters near Meiringen.
Check this out: http://www.bamboorods.ch/index_bamboo_e.html


Finally I got a hook up at a small cove.


Rod left and rod right.


A beautiful specimen.



Caught with my Jas Gordon Cave Bamboo Rod.


I was roll-casting most of the time. Until I discovered that I could stick the umbrella between my fat tummy and the utility belt.



Yes. I could cast too...................... muahahahahahahaha


Uncle Wong is wearing a Gortex rain jacket. I think it is time I get one.

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