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  The Art Of New Zealand Fly Fishing - 2002 Calendar. From original watercolours by Michael Scheele. The Caxton Press, PO Box 25 088, Christchurch, New Zealand. E-mail: print.design@caxton.co.nz $26.95 NZ including economy postage overseas. Since 1998 The Caxton Press has been producing calendars featuring the art of New Zealand Fly Fishing. The 2002 edition features over 100 illustrations by Michael Scheele, a fly fishing artist.
Each month features an inset waterfront scene by Mr. Scheele, who has been fly fishing in New Zealand for 30 years. Surrounding the main art - which includes a delightful portrait of an angler on the Rough River, a tranquil waterscape of Lake Rerewhakaaitu and an intimate sketch of the tangled Ngamawahine River - there are several illustrations of flies. The combination of the waterscape and the colorful collection of flies can’t help but get you thinking of planning your next trip to New Zealand. Each month also features a selected fly, and a brief profile of a fly fisherman. It’s not clear, but we assume the fisherman tied the featured fly, which is illustrated by Mr. Scheele. In November, for example, the feature fly is a Bloodworm, and the profiled tier is Mike Weddell. On the page above is an illustration of the Mataura River, and half-a-dozen flies, including the Cul d Canard Dun, C.D.C. Emerger and Hare’s Ear weighted with a tungsten beadhead. It’s comforting to see such familiar patterns are popular on a far off water like the Matuara, and it assures us that catching trout in New Zealand is not all that much different than in North America. Hang this calendar on your office wall - and every time you check the date you’ll be reminded that you could be in New Zealand, right now, watching a trout finning in crystal clear waters. Charming Bed & Breakfast in New Zealand. 2002. Travelwise. NZ$32.00, which includes a NZ$21.00 air mail charge. E-mail: info@travelwise.co.nz
B & B’s are a great way to meet fellow travelers and they put you in touch with local proprietors who will usually go out of their way to see that you have a great holiday. If that means calling up a local fly fisherman to find out what the trout are taking, or helping you plan your itinerary for the day, you can count on friendly help from your hosts. Most B & B proprietors aren’t in the business to make money. They’ve opened their homes, generally, because they love people. This is especially true in New Zealand, where you’ll find your hosts are delighted to meet you. All of this isn’t to say there aren’t poorly run B & B’s out there - and that’s where a guidebook like the Travelwise edition comes in so handy. The book is well organized, and in a glance tells you what the home looks like outside and in, the price range and other key information. The book explains the difference between a ‘farmstay’ and a ‘homestay’ - and in most cases it provides a small picture of the hosts. Maybe you can’t tell what people are like by glancing at a picture of them, but it’s nice to have a sense of who you’ll be staying with. There are luxurious estates, quaint homes and working ranches in this guidebook. Lots to consider while you plan your holidays in New Zealand. Personally, I liked the look of Trelawn Place (pg 269) with its flower draped deck and a spectacular view of the Shotover River. The hosts, Nery Howard and Michael Clark look like they’d be pleasant company.....and we note that Michael is a fly fishing guide.
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If you’re going to New Zealand on a fishing trip, you’re going to want to stop, on at least some nights, in a bed and breakfast. Years ago, B & B’s might have been rustic, poorly run operations, which were always a bit of a gamble. But the business has come a long way in the past decade, and if you’ve been passing up B & B’s because you weren’t sure what to expect, you’ve been missing something.
