The course — from 9am till 5pm at the Queenstown Events Centre — is a hands-on introduction to a wide variety of topics including casting, fly selection, finding fish, making knots, reading water, insect life and how to land and release fish properly.
Rated as the most comprehensive and best-value beginners’ course anywhere, it costs $150 a head and has allowed many locals to dabble their feet into what’s become a lifelong hobby.
In recent years the club has also stepped up its outreach to women.
Someone who’s taken women’s sessions is local angler Shelen Boyes, who’ll do the casting tuition on the 25th.
She says the course "really walks you through the most basic parts of learning how to fly-fish".
"Because there’s so many parts to it, it really is nice to help simplify it and break it down for newbies.
"Fly fishing has always sort of been an older person’s sport, but in Queenstown we’re really lucky to have so many young people wanting to do something really different."
Boyes notes most anglers have got the knack of catch-and-release, "but in New Zealand trout aren’t native, so we’re not ever going to make anyone feel bad for wanting to harvest their kai".
As to what spins her wheels, or rather rod, "the main joy for me is having such a peaceful and immersive experience with nature, but it also can be whatever you want it to be".
"It can be going out and learning a new skill, it can be about catching the biggest fish of your life and spending the next season looking for that trout, maybe it’s about exploration, maybe it’s about community."
Meanwhile, this month’s course attendees go into a draw for a fly rod worth $699, and also get 50% off their first year’s club membership.
Loan gear’s also available on the day.
To reserve a spot, email wakatipuanglersclubnz@gmail.com
