The principal rivers of the One Fly are the Motueka, Buller, Wairau and Pelorus rivers.

The Motueka River:

This medium sized river of gentle gradient features many excellent pools and runs.
The “Mot” boasts the highest fish count of the principal rivers, with fish averaging 3lbs.
The most productive technique in low, clear conditions is to dead drift a small #14 or #16 nymph, emerger or dry fly. “Vine Hopper” dry patterns have been successful over the years when the fish gorge themselves on these abundant terrestrials drifting down the feed lanes. When the river is higher and slightly coloured, the most productive technique involves swinging a small wet fly or lightly weighted nymph on a floating line. The Motueka fish are noted for their diverse colour variation throughout the length of the river.

On average 55 fish or more in excess of 25cm are caught each year at the One Fly.

The Buller River:

The boisterous Buller provides for some of the finest fast water nymphing for brown trout anywhere in the world. It is a challenge to fish this river where fish average 4lbs and several monsters are recorded. The key to fishing this river is to identify the time of day the fish are feeding. Once hooked, these very active fish are a challenge to hold.

On average 28 fish or more in excess of 25cm are caught each year at the One Fly.

The Wairau River:

This is the largest river to be fished at the event. Starting in the northern tip of the Southern Alps the river opens into a vast braided riverbed in its lower reaches.
Trout average 5lbs with many 8-9lbs. Successful anglers work the river methodically and intensively rather than trying to constantly ‘spot’ fish. The afternoon wind can affect the fishing on this river where a selection of dry flies or a dark bodied nymph work well. Over the years the Wirau has yielded some very large fish to One Fly anglers.

On average 30 fish or more in excess of 25cm are caught each year at the One Fly.

The Pelorus River:

The Pelorus is a medium sized river which holds good stocks of small to medium sized rainbows and browns, 1-3lbs with the occasional large fish. The lower reaches provide some exacting dry fly fishing where long slow pools are home to cruising fish sipping food from the surface. The Rai, a tributary of the Pelorus boasts good stocks of rainbows, with few larger fish. The rainbows readily hit a swinging fly and various wet fly techniques work well on this, the only rainbow fishery of the event.

On average 20 fish or more in excess of 25cm are caught each year at the One Fly.
(The Pelorus/Rai was omitted for a few years, but is now recovering well after floods.)