SOUTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND:
HELI-FISH FOR TROPHY BROWNS
THREE DAY HELI-FISHING
This is a three day backcountry fishing expedition with transfers to and from our river basecamp by helicopter. Depending on where you’re staying in New Zealand’s South Island, you’ll probably need to set aside five days for this trip as the preceding day and day following the trip will need to be road travel days to and from your South Island centre.
The final decision on our remote river location will be dependent on local weather conditions. We have options on both sides of the island to minimise inclement weather during our expedition.
DATES
Two three-day expedition dates are set for November 2025. Contact us for availability.
GROUP SIZE
Each group is limited to two anglers plus one NZPFGA-registered guide. If you are a single angler, we can still accommodate you, or we can pair you with another single angler if you wish, assuming you’re flexible on dates.
WHAT TO EXPECT
After decades of fishing the remote high-country and wilderness rivers of New Zealand’s South Island, we’re confident we can put you onto some very impressive trophy sized Brown Trout.
Through these years of scouting (every job has its perks!), we have been able to find a few unpressured streams and their tributaries, locating consistent numbers of large Browns.
We’ll fly into this river for three full days of fishing, staying at a backcountry hut and with riverside tents an option if you prefer. We’ll supply all food, beverages and your guide.
Whilst the number of large fish seen is often directly related to the distance walked, you should expect to have multiple opportunities to fish for very large brown trout in the range of 8-12lb+ over the trip duration, plus frequent daily casts for fish in the 5-8lb range. These streams are not typical of New Zealand backcountry water, they are outliers and the trout are not of the more modest backcountry size you’ll find in many New Zealand wilderness streams.
Trout of this size are very cunning, wary and therefore hard to catch. You’ll need to bring your ‘A-game’, be confident in casting upstream into wind, and have luck on your side. These trip is for advanced and expert anglers.
We’ll give you some information on what to bring, how to prepare and some casting ‘work-ons’ once you’ve booked with us so you can be confident that you are fully prepared for this ‘trip of a lifetime’ expedition into New Zealand South Island backcountry.
All dietary and allergy requirements are addressed upon booking, plus we provide a full expedition gear list, fishing tackle list and can provide any items you may not have brought with you into New Zealand.
We hold an extensive inventory of quality modern camping equipment and supply all the necessary camping and hut gear to keep you comfortable during our expedition.
ITINERARY
The Day Prior: We relocate into the nearest town the day prior to our helicopter transfer into this wilderness river. We can pick you up from most major New Zealand towns or cities, so let’s discuss a possible schedule when you book with us.
Local hotel accommodation, dinner and drinks are included in your trip fare, plus an early breakfast the following morning before we fly in.
You’ll need to bring quality wading boots (no felt soles), quality polarised lens sunglasses and your typical fishing gear. A comprehensive packing list is provided after your booking is confirmed. We typically wet-wade but quality chest waders are also available. We’ll supply you with a muted colour cap/hat plus we can provide or procure any fishing rods, reels, lines, flies and other tackle you require.
Trip Day 1: As early as practical, we fly by helicopter directly to the hut/riverbank, dropping all gear at our camp before being flown downstream for our first day of fishing back up to the campsite. Prepared lunch, snacks and a hearty dinner/beverages are all provided, plus flies and photos!
Your team of two will settle on an agreed approach to fishing for the day to share the fun. If you’re good at listening to – and following – your guide’s instructions, you should expect to get some decent chances to fish for trophy New Zealand Brown Trout.
If we elect to camp by the river, we have modern clean MSR 3-4 season tents, fresh down sleeping bags and inflatable mats, cooking stoves and all the gear to make your remote camping a memorable experience.
Trip Day 2: After a hot rustic breakfast, we pack lunch and head upstream for a full day on the water. Depending on the river we elect to fly into, there will be an opportunity to fish smaller tributaries, backwaters, even an isolated high-country lake – casting for fish of similar size in crystal clear water. Lunch, snacks and warm drinks will keep you energised, but be prepared for long walks and cool starts.
Trip Day 3: The way we spend our last day is often dependent on your success and favourite spots during the previous two days. You can revisit those most elusive trout, fish your favourite water, or continue to explore up or downstream. We’ll decide the night before over the campfire and plan your final day accordingly.
We’ll have our gear packed and ready for the transfer back to civilisation before we depart camp for a third day fly fishing, and advise the helicopter by satellite phone where to pick us up. By late afternoon we’re in the chopper, heading back to the hotel for a hot shower and a celebratory dinner in town.
The Day After: After breakfast, we deliver you back your New Zealand metropolitan location as agreed when planning the trip together, or we say goodbye at the hotel so you can continue your New Zealand adventure. Finally, we’ll edit our awesome trip photos & videos and send these to you to share with your friends.
EXPEDITION FARE
Based on two anglers, the fare is US$4,875 per angler including all accommodation (night before and night after), all meals, guiding, helicopter transfers, and any fishing gear you require.
This fare excludes your international air travel to New Zealand and NZ domestic airfares to our agreed South Island centre for pickup/drop off. Also excluded is your New Zealand Fishing Licence/s which we will arrange with you after your booking is confirmed to ensure we have any specific licensing requirements covered for the chosen river systems we’ll be fishing.
THIS IS YOUR BUCKET LIST KIWI TRIP OF A LIFETIME.
If you’ve fished New Zealand’s South Island and have come up short on securing an impressively large Brown Trout, or if fly fishing New Zealand is still on your bucket list, our heli-fishing expeditions are the best way to success.
During the booking process, we work with you to plan your visit from start to end to ensure you have the maximum chance of success on your trip here.
We’ll provide full gear lists, advise on casting and tackle requirements, consider the menu, include your favourite beverages and snacks, and do everything we can to make your heli-fishing expedition highly memorable.
GENERAL INFORMATION
TRIP ENQUIRIES
Please contact us by sending us a message via our Contact Form, or calling us to discuss availability.
We will share more trip information with you email and phone, and discuss your fitness, fly fishing experience and understand what you’re looking for from this expedition.
WEATHER DELAYS
November is spring in New Zealand. We’ve selected this time to maximise your chance at early fish before the summer season brings increased trampers, anglers and traffic to the backcountry.
If there is severe weather across the South Island of New Zealand and we have to make the difficult decision to delay your trip, it will likely be due to the helicopter not being able to fly into our selected backcountry location due to high winds, heavy rain, snow or low cloud.
We will be in frequent contact to discuss implications to your travel in moving dates forward or back, or adding a fourth day to ensure you get the best chance on the river subject to your travel requirements. If travelling to New Zealand specifically for this expedition, we recommend setting aside a few days either side of the expedition dates to allow for the unlikely shifting of dates or location.
SATELLITE PHONE/MESSAGING
We carry multiple Garmin Inreach Mini2 messaging devices, an Iridium Extreme Satellite Telephone and a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) on every trip. You can call home, send messages to cellphones as you wish, or message between teams on the river, plus this technology allow us to receive weather updates daily throughout the expedition, and to schedule our helicopter pickups.
In the event of a medical emergency, we will have direct contact with our helicopter pilot for urgent evacuation to the nearest medical centre.
FARE PAYMENT
The fare for this expedition is outlined on this page in US Dollars (USD$) and will not change after confirmation of your booking, regardless of any fluctuations in international currency, fuel or travel costs. A detailed list of what is included is provided with your booking. Individual anglers are invoiced separately or together as you wish.
Currency: Payment can be made in US Dollars (USD$) into our Montana USA deposit account or our New Zealand bank account as you choose. If you wish to pay in NZ Dollars (NZD$), we will agree a suitable foreign exchange rate into NZD$ from your preferred currency at the time of booking.
Credit Cards: Alternatively you may wish to pay by credit card. We accept most major international credit cards and can provide a link for online payments.
Deposit: A deposit of 50% of the fare is payable to confirm your booking. Payment of deposit is deemed acceptance of our Terms and Conditions.
Remaining Fare: We require settlement of your full account 30 days before the trip proceeds. If you are a visitor to New Zealand, proof of comprehensive travel insurance and any required medical insurance will be required at this point.
Additional Travel or Tackle: We can arrange road or air transfers, and provide fishing gear for you to keep after the trip. Any costs for these will be invoiced directly to you and are payable before the trip commences. Any additional trip preferences, changes to the expedition travel, or specialist gear obtained on your behalf at your request will be payable on invoice.
SINGLE ANGLER EXPEDITIONS
Whilst our expeditions are set up for two anglers, we can easily accommodate a single angler/guide on the river for these multiday adventures. Please contact us to discuss the fare for a single angler Heli-Fish Excursion.