Gordy Watson was looking after Randy O’connor and his family on a Heli scenic exploration/fishing trip that would take us from Milford Sound up the coast to Haast and back to Queenstown via some back country rivers.

You haven’t seen rain until you see what it can do in Fiordland!! Milford Sound has been called the 8th wonder of the world and when you see the place after its been raining for a few days you will see why!!

Randy & Family had walked the Milford Track. Actually they had to be helicoptered out on the last day because of severe flooding and along with Brendan Thow we were the transfer back to Queenstown via a few special spots along the way.

Gordy, the wild west coast.

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I hate making excuses, but since xmas 09 we have been flat out busy!!

The Fishing Dairy has lacked evidence of our busyness,  I’ll let the pictures tell a few of the stories of some of the adventures we have been getting into.

This one in particular was with Bob Payne and his family from California. A heli-scenic into Milford Sound and some Fly Fishing on the way. Not a bad way to finish 2009 off and see 2010 in..

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At the turn of the 20th century Emperor Franz Josef gifted a few chamois for release only in the Southern Alps near Mt. Cook. Since that time, unhindered by any predator except man, they have spread south into Fiordland and north into Nelson-Blenheim area.

Chamois are quick, elusive and have extremely good eyesight making them one of the more treasured trophies. Male and female carry horns and are available to hunt all year. The mating period when the buck is with the does is May-June. This is considered the more favourable time. Free range hunting: Private/public land.

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John and Peter were into some exploration of our high country rivers. The weather in the west was rough so we hit central Otago. This place is Cowboy and Indian country that offers some challenging fishing and will give your skills a test. We mixed up the accommodation with Local Pubs, and a overnight Tent camp.

Managed to fish the Greenstone for a day, flying with Brendan at Alpine Choppers. Over all we had some great fishing with a few shots at some good fish. My personal definition of a good fish is 7 pound + and we had shots and hook ups on more then a couple of good fish. One fish up in the Nevis would have been 10 pound + easily!

Cheers Peter and John, looking forward to the next mission code” FIORDLAND”

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Pictures paint a thousand words they say, and for Gordy Watson and myself  well we reckon the place where we went was worth more than a thousand words, much more!!

Myself,Gordy Watson, Craig, Wendy & Shane Cole, Just being there is special. If there was ever a place to go fly fishing in your wildest dreams?? This could be it!!

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We spend alot of time on the lakes and river valleys spotting fish. Sometimes we forget that there are eyes in the hills and mountains above us. The south island back country is full of wild game that like the trout we hunt are as cunning and can be there one second and gone the next!! Just like knowing how and where to find trout in the rivers and lakes, we reckon we are pretty good at finding some of the wild game that run freely about the mountain ranges of the south island. Gordy Watson and i spend some time checking out whats checking us out when we are on the rivers. We shot some photos of some Fellow Deer that roam the hills not far from where we often go fishing.

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Queenstown is right on the doorstep of one of the worlds largest World Heritage Areas. Fiordland National Park is on the list of places to see when you visit New Zealand. Photographs don’t do the place justice, you have to see it for yourself to beleive it and more so feel it. If you have travelled from the other side of the world and your time is limited, let us organise a day that will feel like a week long  journey of experiences and leave you thinking that it was all just a dream…….

We even caught some Rainbow Trout on the way. Now that is a day that is hard to forget!!

If you ever talk to Anthony and Angela Hamilton or Leon and Fiona Christianakis  or Bruce and I then we will tell you how it was…..

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October 2008, and Randy & Leslie are here in Queenstown. Blanket Bay Luxury Lodge on the shore of Lake Wakatipu in Glenorchy is the accommodation. 

The setting is picture perfect and a great base to explore the amazing sights that are available within minutes drive and flight from the Lodge.

Pictures paint a thousand words they say, i reckon they paint ten thousand plus words..

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