Dorothy – 30/01/04
We have all heard of fishermen who are generous about sharing their catch, but Ron Giles shares more than this. He shares his knowledge! ! He is the author of Hooked on Trout 2000 – a guide to quality fishing in locations that offer solitude, Catch That Trout! Fishing the South Island of New Zealand 2002 and Catch That Trout! Fishing the North Island of New Zealand 2003.
Hooked on Trout Published Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd, August, 2000
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Ron has written a fishing guide for anglers, Hooked on Trout, and he himself has been guided by the results of surveys which say that solitude and a quality fishing experience are of greatest importance to anglers.
The result is a book that describes twenty of what he considers the best trout fishing rivers and lakes in New Zealand, chosen on the basis of solitude and the chance of a quality catch.
To sample what Ron’s books offer read the chapter on the Wangapeka River from Hooked on Trout.
Catch That Trout! Fishing the South Island of New Zealand 2002 NZ $39.95
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Catch That Trout! is the complete guide to fly fishing for trout in the South Island of New Zealand. This book has been designed so that any angler, either from New Zealand or overseas, can quickly identify the type of water they prefer to fish; be it wild mountain streams or gentle lowland waters. The best examples of these types of waters are given, with expert advice on:
- access and directions, including detailed maps
- the most common trout food and the best flies to imitate them
- the best fishing technique to use for that type of water
No matter what your level of fly fishing expertise, this book will help you catch more trout.
Catch That Trout! Fishing the North Island of New Zealand 2003 NZ$39.95
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Catch That Trout! is the North Island follow up to the best-selling South Island version. This book also enables any angler to select the type of water they prefer to fish and then quickly select the technique and flies to use on that particular type of river or lake.
Purchasing the book opens access to free advice service There is also a unique service available to any purchasers of the book where they can contact Ron Giles and receive free advice on any aspect of fly fishing for trout in New Zealand.
This service is enhanced by the author’s recent six month fishing trip to USA where he picked up several new troutfishing techniques. Ron is happy to pass on these fishing secrets to his readers so they can indeed ‘Catch That Trout!’ Find out about this on his detailed website. www.trout-fishing-new-zealand.com
All you need to know for each area All the books give you instructions on getting to each area and contain full and clear maps. Ron also recommends the best fishing technique for the area, shares his ideas on fly tying with special instructions to follow, and includes some of his own experiences in the area. It’s all illustrated with quality photographs.
Who is Ron Giles? How did he become so well informed about flyfishing? Ron Giles is an outdoor writer, addicted to trout fishing and an enthusiast for New Zealand lakes and rivers. He used to have a job that involved a lot of travel around New Zealand. For the past thirty years he has always taken along his flyrod. He has fished all the major rivers and lakes in New Zealand, but he has also tested out many trout waters known only to local anglers and their friends. He attributes to such ‘inside’ information his success in catching more than 20 trout over the magic 10 lb (4.5 kg) mark. Several of these fish were caught in waters described in his books. Some anglers say sadly that the New Zealand rivers are all fished out, but does not agree. His catches continue.
Meticulous record keeping Ron has kept detailed records of every fishing trip, noting weather, river conditions, trout hooked, technique employed and successful flies. These records provided the information for his books.
From the start Ron has tied his own flies and he seems to have found the secret of attracting trout with them.
Ron has belonged to the Auckland Freshwater Anglers Club for 25 years and always enjoys sharing fishing stories. Using such material he has written regularly about trout fishing for many different magazines and web sites. He has the knack of sharing information in a readable and entertaining way, so that the subject does not seem too technical and boring even to readers outside the fishing fraternity.
Ron strongly believes that what most anglers want is trout fishing books to tell them WHERE and HOW to catch trout. They need to know where to go to catch either a big fish or a lot of fish. They also need advice on the technique which is best for each stretch of water when they get there. So many anglers have reached what Ron calls “the intermediate stage”. By that he means that they have fished the popular rivers and are ready for a new challenge in an area without too many anglers already there. Ron has found that there are very few books that give detailed information about where this experience is possible. With his books he aims to fill the gap.
Combining a fishing trip with visits to tourist attractions Ron is well aware that some of the anglers’ families want to join in the travel, but not to go fishing. The rivers and lakes he has chosen are in areas that offer more than just fishing opportunities.
The book covers ten rivers/lakes in both islands from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island. Notable tourist attractions near the chapter locations are myriad. To mention just a few, listed from north to south:
The Waipapa River is in the Waipapa Kauri Forest in Northland, near Kerikeri and not far from the Bay of Islands.
The Waitawheta River is in a Forest Park and near the Coromandel Peninsula, an area known for remote beaches and kauri forest. The mouth of the river enters an old gold mining area in the Ohinemuri Gorge where there are a museum and mining relics.
The Ruakituri River is near Lake Waikaremoana in the wild and remote Urewera Mountains.
The Waipunga River flows from near Lake Taupo into one of New Zealand’s most noted wilderness rivers, the Mohaka.
Manganui o te a o River is a protected waterway due to the presence of the endangered Blue Mountain Duck. The river starts in the Tongariro National Park, high on the slopes of the ski mountain, Mt Ruapehu.
The Wangapeka River is followed by the Wangapeka Track in the rugged Kahurangi National Park in north west Nelson. The track follows the river to its source, traverses the Southern Alps and ends on the West Coast, south of Karamea.
The Travers River for its whole length is followed by one of the most popular walking tracks in all of the Nelson Lakes National Park. The track starts at the head of Lake Rotoiti which is one hour’s drive from the Marlborough wineries.
The source of the Blue Grey River is Lake Christabel and the track to this lake follows the upper river. A feature of this unpopulated, remote area is the unspoilt beech forest and the native birds that live in it.
The entire length of the Boyle River is followed by the St James Walkway in the Lewis Pass area. This is perhaps the most popular tramp in Canterbury.
The Tekapo River is the outlet of Lake Tekapo, not far from Mt Cook and Lake Pukaki. It flows into Lake Benmore, part of the mighty Waitaki River hydro scheme – the largest in New Zealand.
The Cascade River is at the southern end of the West Coast highway, in the Haast wilderness area, popular with eco tourists.
The whole length of the Greenstone River is followed by the Greenstone Track, leading into Key Summit and the famous Routeburn Track, second only to the Milford Track in popularity.
The Upukerora River is situated virtually in Te Anau and on the road to Milford Sound. It flows into Lake Te Anau, the largest lake in the South Island.
Varied accommodation for the anglers A wide variety of accommodation is available in most places which means that fishing the areas Ron recommends is not just a privilege for the rich. Places to stay range from campgrounds, to cabins/chalets, to motels/hotels, and right up to luxury lodges.
Purchasing the book To obtain a copy of the books visit your local bookstore.
Anyone wanting a signed copy can buy direct from Ron.
They can be ordered direct from Reed’s website at www.reed.co.nz
Alternatively you can email Ron at: gillies@xtra.co.nz
Please supply the following details to enable your order to be processed.
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