This was my fifth trip to New Zealand in search of trout.

I was with some friends from Adelaide, moving between four centres – Hanmer Springs, Flock Hill, Kopara and Twizel – doing it all ‘on the cheap’: staying in very basic accommodation and fishing without guides.

My iPhone ‘health data’ says that I walked 150 kms and climbed 150 flights of stairs in three weeks fishing on the South Island (it can’t differentiate between stairs and hills!) The toughest day involved a 6.5 kilometre ascent to a glacial tarn in the Ahuriri Conservation Park and the same distance back. I’ve attached an image of the view from the highest point on our way back – the car was near the scree in the far distance.

I managed around 40 trout from three rivers and eight lakes. Most were brown trout with the two biggest both caught on dry flies: 5 lb 2 oz. and 7 lb 4 oz. I also had three rainbow trout between 3 and 4 pounds, plus a small chinook salmon and five sockeye salmon around two pounds apiece.

Photo: The Walk Home & The first 4 pounder!