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Sarah tell us a little about your background. I’m originally from Wellington and moved to Taupo about 19 years ago for a change of lifestyle to get away from the corporate job. I chose Taupo so I could fish and ski. But life has other plans for me and a combination of two spinal operations and a baby kept me away from both for many years. However now with a titanium l4/l5/s1 in my back in 2020 it’s given me the strength to pursue my passion for fly fishing. I have fallen in love with all aspects of fly fishing. I love the mental and physical challenges. I like being in the outdoors, and love catching fish as well as the planning and fly-tying it’s an all-consuming culture not just fishing. Growing up in Wellington we lived near Evans Bay and always seemed to have access to a boat where we fished Cook Straight and the Marlborough sounds (this was the 70s there were fish in the sounds them!). I loved fishing, but my older sister hated it. I believe you are born an angler or not. Some people just don’t get it. From an early age, I simply loved it. Not sure whether it was spending time with my dad, or actually catching fish, I’m not sure, but I always loved it as a little girl. When I was at university in Christchurch, I found out about fly fishing and realised you could go fishing without a boat, and Malcolm Bell ran a fly-fishing course for beginners, and I had a few outings before partying and travel took over for a decade or so! I’ve always loved the outdoors. As a teenager through school, I got to go to the outdoor pursuits centre in Turangi for a few days, which had a huge impact on me. A few years later, I ended up graduating with a degree in parks, recreation and tourism management from Lincoln University. I then always dabbled with sea kayaking trips, tramps, rafting, and triathlons. Just for recreation, nothing serious. I loved the adventure and outdoors. Your back injury issues sounds serious. How does it affect your fishing? Before my fusion surgery I was too fatigued to go out for the whole day and at one stage I couldn’t walk 100m without having to sit down. It was a risky operation, and they aren’t always successful but at that stage I was 50 years old with a 9 year old and I didn’t want to sit around and do nothing for the next 40 years so I took the risk and the operation was a success for me. How do you get around the back issue? I’m not allowed to run ever again (there goes my marathon career!) Nor use a rowing machine, or anything jarring- so fly fishing is just great for me. I do kettlebell swings and exercises and a lot of stretching otherwise I seize up. I am motivated to exercise as there are places, I want to walk to and fish. This year I walked into a doc hut 8km and fished and walked out again with a pack and fishing gear. This was such an achievement for me. Planning the next trip for 2 nights in November when we get back from the World Champs. What is it that draws you to fly fishing? It is a pastime which ticks all the boxes - physical fitness, and mental challenge trying to catch trout in all types of water, be it a lake (shallow or deep), different rivers large and small, deep pools, shallow runs tests your physically and mentally all the time. So many types of water mean different techniques are needed to catch trout, using different rods and flies. Knowing what to use in each situation is a challenge and a skill; and it’s a lifetime of learning. And the fish takes the hook, Koranga River - Image by Cory Scott Tell us about competitive fly fishing? Competitive sports fly fishing is run on both lakes and rivers. For lakes you have a 3x3 hr session in a small fly-fishing boat. You catch, measure and release for points. On a river, it’s 3x2 hr sessions where you are given a stretch of water to try to catch, measure and release as many within that 2-hr period. There is a minimum size, and you get points for the fish and length. It’s been going on for many years. ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//41
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