New Zealand Professional Fishing Guide – Gary Harlen

Thank you for visiting Wild Trout Adventures web site.

As principle Guide of Wild Trout Adventures I get to meet some amazing people from all around the world, as well as a number of fantastic New Zealanders who love our Hawke’s Bay region and waters. Whether experienced or new to the sport, I absolutely enjoy the thrill in assisting each one in making great fly fishing an exciting reality.

Many clients have expressed their appreciation of the skills and knowledge I have been able to offer in helping them adapt to local conditions. Knowledge of trout behaviour, habitat and fly fishing techniques for local conditions is knowledge that invariably leads to a catch.

This is the ultimate privilege of sharing the passion!!

Connections:

I am proud to be a member of The New Zealand Professional Guides Fishing Association. This means I am OSH certified, DOC certified and I belong to a fraternity of Guides who are dedicated in sharing the thrill of fresh water trout fishing in New Zealand. I have enjoyed contributing a few articles to “Fishing and Outdoors” magazine and have become an unintended hotline for anglers fishing locally.
Over the years I feel privileged to be able to support community programmes such as our local Fish and Game “Take a kid fishing”, the police programme ” D.A.R.E” and run trout fishing programmes at some of our local schools.

 

How it all began:

Operating as a fishing Guide for trout, was not in the Big Plan. But having been hooked since my teens, in spending my down time in the solitude of the country rivers and streams, and realising I have a knack-envied by many, for sighting and landing our elusive Rainbow and Brown Trout, it didn’t take much to be persuaded by locals and casual clients that I should be in the business, now operating over 20 years. My initial ventures to the rivers were a 20 plus km, one gear bicycle ride, followed in my middle teens with a less onerous trip on my trail bike and eventually with a Morris 1000.

 This was ideal for parking up on the riverside, taking full advantage of an evening and early morning rise. Purchasing a four wheel drive once I was in business, seemed like a luxury! But the draw of the river and the study of it’s inhabitants, with it’s challenge of freshwater fishing, was something I could not let go. For me it is the ultimate day of relaxation, but with sufficient action and skills applied, to make it a great escape.