Mataura River Lodge

It's only 2.5 minutes from Dean Whaanga's door to the Mataura River. The river's pure water with ideal pH levels for brown trout is the reason Dean and partner Fiona Hishon said goodbye to their lodge in Te Anau and moved to Riversdale, 20 minutes from Gore. Dean is one of New Zealand's top fly-fishing guides and the only NZ guide with the coveted Orvis endorsement. His career spans 35 years, and he knows every drip and curve of the country's river network. “Gore is the brown trout capital of the world, but regardless of where you are, the trick to fly fishing is patience and observation. As a guide, people aren't paying me for locations but my eyes. I'm looking for signs of the mayfly hatch coming on, for certain observations. The weather in

Southland is changeable, but our central location means that if it's not good here, we can jump in the car and go. There are 30 rivers within 30 minutes.” The fishing season runs from October to April, but it pays to book several days, rather than pinning hopes on a short stint. That's where the Mataura River Lodge happens to be convenient – Dean and Fiona have created two rooms in their recently renovated home where guests can stay and enjoy some Southern hospitality in between their river stints. Once guests have dried off and finished comparing the size of their catch, dinner includes homegrown vegetables and locally sourced meat (the local butcher makes the best sausages for miles).

Rutland Street, Riversdale.

027 491 2585, mataurariverlodge.co.nz

Dean Whaanga and Fiona Hishon