I'll be in NZ at the end of the year and as well the river/lake fishing I'd like to have a go at the salt.
I have a rod and reel that is suitable (an 8# I use for pike fishing). I got a free WF floating saltwater line thrown in with a reel some time ago and I bought a hand full of clousers from a forum member.

Do I need a sink tip or sunk line? Do I need a wider selection than clousers.
Anything I'm missing. Any essential tips?

Thanks

Richard

You might want to take this advice with a pinch of salt as I am a recently converted saltie and have only ever fished the salt in South Africa but here goes. When I started out I used one of the specialy designed bonefish floaters, the only problem being that the SA coastline was not specialy designed to be fished with these lines and with its rough surf the line was washed all over the place making it imposible to keep in contact with the fly (I have a suspition that the NZ coastline may suffer from a similar afliction) so the trick is to use an intermiediate, even for surface work. It helps, if only slightly.

P.S. Fantastic blog

__________________
"Creeps and idiots cannot conceal themselves for long on a fishing trip." - John Gierach

Lefty's Deceiver is a great generial alround saltwater fly.
with what you've got get a few toothly critters leaders and that should give you a start. You can pick up washing up bowl to use as a line tray in NZ

It certainly does help.
I did hear something about intermediate lines being 'surf friendly'. I'll try and find out what I'll be up against in NZ and then if needs be, buy 'another' fly line.

Glad you enjoyed the blog. Thanks.

Is a wire trace fairly standard salt tackle or is this a particular need for NZ?

The toothly critter is a 9ft nylon leader with a wire tippet at the end.
worth having anywhere in the world as you dont know what you might come across when fishing the salt, a lot of saltwater fish have teeth and it would be a sham to loose the best fish of the day to a frayed leader

I think it depends on the surf conditions. I've fished some on the other side of the Pacific in California where average surf is about 4-5ft and in those conditions you can basically forget about a floating line except in really calm conditions usually protected bays etc. The standard line there for surf zone species on an open beach is about a 300 grain integrated head or shooting head of similar weight. Obviously clousers work fine. Don't know if its the same in NZ, but I suspect the surf is similar if 12,000 miles away.

From memory, places like Kaikoura and the Coromandels on the East Coast have plenty of sheltered areas to fish from, even if there is a swell. The only bit of the West Coast I had a look at was Haast beach, below Greymouth. It is a magnificent, wild surf beach, difficult to fish from.
http://www.travelfisher.co.uk/Photos...0Beach%202.JPG
Haast beach

You could try Haast Estuary though. The whole place is pretty deserted, even in high summer. There is a small campsite and a few houses. There may be accommodation in Haast village.
http://www.travelfisher.co.uk/Photos...%20Estuary.JPG

Haast estuary

http://www.travelfisher.co.uk/Photos...ection%203.JPG
Kaikoura peninsula 1

http://www.travelfisher.co.uk/Photos...20Kaikoura.JPG
Kaikoura peninsula 2

For the Coromandels, where do you start?

Hot water Beach, Hahei
Whitianga Bay

Otama Beach
Opito Bay
Whangapoua beach

Damn, I shouldn't look at these. Now I have to go back.

Thank you.