TAKING THE BAIT

Taking the Bait - Luxury Travel Magazine

Taking the Bait

By: Rob Woodburn, Issue 40 – Spring 2009

(Tasmania, New Zealand, Queensland, New South Wales)

EXPERT FISHING GUIDES ARE TEAMING UP WITH LUXURY WILDERNESS LODGES AND OCEAN FRONT VILLAS TO TAKE PASSIONATE ANGLERS TO WHERE THE BIG FISH ARE.

The passionate angler is spoilt for luxury choice, yet it’s equally true that no amount of choice, comfort or cash can guarantee anyone a fine catch. Local expertise is both priceless and essential when stalking a wily brown trout or tackling a testy black marlin. Having an expert at your shoulder radically improves the chances of combining “tight lines” with the finest creature comforts.
At the top of the game are superb wilderness lodges working with esteemed guides and sport fishing charters operated by highly motivated skippers who know exactly where to find the big fish.

Tasmania is fly-fishing heaven, its thousands of lakes and tarns filled with shy yet feisty wild brown trout. The best fishing is often on private land so a prerequisite is having a guide with the right connections for access. The Lodge at Tarraleah, a two-hour drive from Hobart, was originally built for top brass involved in the 1930s’ hydroelectric scheme. It’s been transformed into a small luxury hotel with a distinct art-deco heritage, butler service to all rooms, fine dining and a cellar filled with cool climate wines.

Using expert guidance, guests cast their lines in the numerous nearby lakes and streams. The bag limit is 12 wild fish a day and the trout weigh an average of two to four pounds. After a day outdoors what better way to soak away river chill than in the cliff-top hot tub prior to being totally pampered in the spa.

Tasmania’s best-known fly-fishing estate is London Lakes, established in the 1970s. It’s now owned by a group of families and the lodge beside Lake Samuel, when not being used by the owners, is available only for groups. It sleeps 10. There’s alternative accommodation for eight guests in the London Marshes farmhouse overlooking Lake Big Jim. London Lakes may not be the most opulent destination but its global fame for excellent dry fly fishing ensures it is a place on any avid fisherman’s wish list.

New Zealand has spectacular scenery, pristine fishing spots and luxury lodges second to none. Poronui is an acclaimed fishing and hunting lodge in the Taharua Valley on North Island, a 40-minute drive from Taupo. Both brown and rainbow trout live in the Mohaka and Taharua rivers flowing through the 16,000-acre property. Remote rivers and streams in the adjacent mountains are accessed by helicopter at an extra cost. Seven guest cabins are perched on a riverbank near the main lodge or guests can stay at elegant Blake House overlooking the Taharua River. It has four luxurious bedrooms, two bunkrooms, sauna and steam room. Many visitors also choose a night in one of two luxury tents beside the Mohaka River. Fine dining at Poronui takes place at a shared table in the main lodge. Resident chef Claire Hall’s menus are seasonally inspired and the lodge boasts a 10,000-bottle cellar.
Both Huka and Tongariro are New Zealand icons. The four bedroom Owner’s Cottage and two-bedroom Alan Pye Cottage are the most exclusive hideaways at world-famous Huka Lodge, on the banks of the Waikato River near Lake Taupo. Huka represents the quintessence of no-expense-spared gracious living with top-flight fishing.

Tongariro Lodge, on the banks of the Tongariro River at the southern end of Lake Taupo, lures anglers whose sole focus is pitting their skills against the mighty Tongariro trout. The river produces rainbow trout averaging 4lbs and brown trout averaging 5lbs. Trophy fish over 10lbs have been caught.
The northern tip of the South Island has some of the best wild brown trout fishing in the world. The Motueka, Pelorus and Buller rivers can all be fished on day trips from Nelson. Edenhouse is an elegant country house on 48 acres in the Orinoco Valley, 45 minutes by road from Nelson. It has its own helipad. Fishing for wild brown trout on the Motueka River is only five minutes away, with more remote streams and pools reached by car or helicopter. Edenhouse hosts only six guests. It has two upstairs suites and a garden cottage for greater privacy. The house has a den, library and formal dining room. There’s a private spa pergola in the garden and splendid mountain views.

Truly big fish are the target along the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns. Giant female black marlin spawn off the reef’s outer edge from September to December and more 1000lb marlin have been caught or released here than anywhere else. To achieve anything truly remarkable in deep sea sport fishing can often means contracting a highly experienced guide able to package the entire venture. Dean Butler is one of the best, sometimes hired for up to a month at a time to chase world record fish, deal with all the logistics and, at the end, provide clients with an outstanding visual record of their great adventure.

Cairns, Port Stephens and Bermagui are the top Australian east coast sport fishing ports, whereas the “new frontier” is the west coast between Broome and Coral Bay with Exmouth as epicentre. This is where the Continental Shelf comes closer to the coast than anywhere else in Australia.

The irresistible lure for avid wealthy anglers is the ultimate prize of a grand slam. This means catching, in one day, all four species of billfish, being sailfish, striped marlin, black marlin and blue marlin. Even better would be the “fantasy slam”, all four billfish plus a swordfish, which are only caught at night. Dan O’Sullivan is the only skipper currently offering dedicated billfishing charters out of Exmouth.
Far North Queensland also presents the option of fishing by day then sleeping in luxury on dry land. Lizard Island is the top choice when combining the best of both worlds, being only a half-hour run from the fishing grounds. Elsewhere, fivestar sport fishing usually means factoring in the backup of a luxurious mothership specifically for evening dining and a heavenly sleep.

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The Lodge at Tarraleah

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