I live in Wellington and I have just started out fly fishing and have only been out once on the Wainuiomata River over a year ago.

I have an old #6/7 rod which works ok and just want to get out and do some fishing. I am also not afraid to do some walking as long as it is not a 3 hour walk up a mountain .

Can anyone recommend anywhere in the lower North Island which would be good for a beginner to try?

Ditto on recommending the Hutt...

I fluked a couple of impromptu fish in a crazily accessible spot this week after picking up a new mid range Sage Flight.

Had a reel in the car, but no waders, so parked up and stood on the stones in ugg boots to test the action of the new stick... very, very impressed with its castability.

River had dropped to about 30cumecs after peaking the day before at 150, it looked spot on for a  streamer

2nd and 5th casts saw the new stick blooded with a 2lb and 3.5lb brown ... I was only intending to test cast the new wand so needless to say its made a great first impression

Rather than a 3 hour walk up a mountain this was a 20min session standing next to my car...

 The river dosnt always give it up as easy as that but it is outstanding on its day given it flows 10mins from a capital city and meanders through urban areas for most of its fish holding length



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Good stuff Matt, the Flight is a fantastic rod for the money - the 6wt is my new central NI rod, gone are the days of 8wts up there, decisions, decisions...... to pop out to the Hutt this afternoon or the harbour for a feed of Tarakihi... it's a bugger of a spot we live in.

I might pass on adding ugg boots to my fishing gear. Mind you blending into your surroundings seems to be a sensible idea.

I take it, as with other shore based fishing, dawn and dusk are the best times to go?

Where are good areas to fish in the Hutt river? i.e. Where no fish will laugh at my poor casting technique.

Mud fishing is what it was FF.. you didnt miss anything, had a few half hearted casts in the margins but not overly inspiring.

Went to the hutt this afternoon for a look, was still pretty high and dirty. Spooked one in the shallows, then seen a couple of trout jump out on the other side of the river. I thought that was abit odd and about 5 minutes later i see a seal playing round in the current! Must have been chasing the trout.