Going Ninja: Hunting Giant Trout on the South Island of New Zealand

New Zealand fly fishing is legendary for its giant wild brown trout, gin-clear rivers, and spectacular backcountry scenery. But catching these fish is another story altogether. On the South Island, near Nelson, guide Manny Shchukin of Southern Latitude Guides spends his days "going Ninja"-- stalking trophy browns and rainbows in some of the most challenging sight-fishing waters on the planet. From 13½-pound monsters to trout that seem to have a sixth sense, Manny takes us deep into a world where stealth is everything, your first cast might be your only cast, and sometimes the fish have a few surprises of their own.

Listen to Episode 181 of The Destination Angler Podcast, Top of the South with Manny Shchukin, and join us as we go ninja into the backcountry of New Zealand in search of giant wild trout.

Welcome to the Top of the South

Picture yourself hiking through a dense New Zealand forest, surrounded by moss-covered trees, twisted branches, and vegetation so thick you half expect a hobbit to come wandering down the trail. Somewhere ahead, a crystal-clear river winds through the wilderness, and beneath its surface are wild brown trout that can reach ten pounds or more. Sounds like fly fishing heaven, doesn't it? Well, there's just one catch. These fish are incredibly difficult to fool.

My guest on The Destination Angler Podcast is Manny Shchukin, a Canadian who moved to New Zealand with his wife seven years ago, thinking they'd stay for a year or two. Today, Manny guides anglers through the remote rivers around Nelson, at what's known as the "Top of the South." It's a place where the scenery is almost as remarkable as the fishing, and Manny has developed a real knack for finding and catching some extraordinary trout.

Manny describes the native forests as something out of a fantasy movie, calling them "more like goblin forest," with trees growing in all sorts of strange directions. Throw in a wild river, some spectacular mountain scenery, and the possibility of a double-digit brown trout, and you've got the makings of one heck of an adventure.

The 13½-Pound Brown That Almost Went Unnoticed

One of my favorite stories from our conversation involves Manny's personal-best brown trout, a magnificent 13½-pound fish that was hiding behind a large boulder in fast, oxygenated water. Now, you'd think a fish that size would be pretty easy to spot, especially in New Zealand's famously clear rivers. But that's not necessarily the case, and this particular fish was doing a pretty good job of staying out of sight.

Manny spotted just a tiny piece of its tail sticking out from behind the rock. That's all he had to work with, but it was enough to convince him there was something special down there. He began working a stonefly pattern through the turbulent current, struggling to get a decent drift, when suddenly his line came tight. The fish held its position for a moment before taking off downstream on a run that covered roughly 100 meters!

Imagine trying to keep up with a fish like that, stumbling over slippery rocks, managing your fly line, and praying your tippet holds. Manny eventually landed the monster, a true trophy even by New Zealand standards, where trout over ten pounds are affectionately called "doubles." What amazes me is that the whole thing started with the slightest glimpse of a tail. Makes you wonder how many big fish we've walked right past without ever knowing they were there.

Fly Fishing New Zealand: Stealth Is the Name of the Game

If there's one thing Manny emphasizes, it's that New Zealand fly fishing is as much about hunting as it is about casting. These fish live in extraordinarily clear water, and they've become masters at detecting anything that looks suspicious. A careless approach, a shadow crossing the water, or one poorly placed cast can send a trophy trout disappearing beneath a boulder before you've even had a chance to present your fly.

"Always looking. Always looking," Manny told me when I asked about his approach to spotting fish. He's constantly scanning the water, watching for subtle movements, unusual shapes, or the slightest flash of a tail. It's almost like stalking a deer, where patience, observation, and using the terrain to your advantage can make all the difference.

And this is where things get interesting for those of us who fish closer to home. Manny shares some terrific advice about sighting fish, stealth, presentation, and fighting big trout that applies just about anywhere. Whether you're fishing a spring creek in Pennsylvania or a freestone river in Montana, there's a lot to learn from someone who makes his living fooling some of the wariest trout on earth.

The Fish That Disappeared Beneath a Boulder

Now, I've heard a lot of crazy fishing stories over the years, but this next one from Manny is right up there with the best of them. He was having a frustrating day on the water, having already lost two good fish, when he hooked another big trout that promptly buried itself beneath a massive boulder in a deep pool. No matter what Manny tried, he couldn't get the fish to budge, and eventually he resigned himself to the fact that this one was gone too.

Rather than immediately breaking off his line, Manny laid his rod in the grass, tightened up the reel, and decided to take a lunch break. He ate, had some water, collected himself, and eventually returned to his rod to break off the fly and start over. After all, the fish had been pinned beneath that rock for quite some time, and there was no reason to believe anything had changed.

Well, let's just say that what happened next caught Manny completely by surprise, and I nearly fell out of my chair when he told me the story. I've certainly never heard of anything quite like it, and I suspect you haven't either. You'll have to listen to the episode to hear how this one turned out, because I don't want to spoil one of the best fishing stories I've heard in a long time.

 Sometimes the biggest surprises are hiding beneath the rocks

Sometimes the Best Fishing Advice Is to Slow Down

One of the things I really enjoyed about talking with Manny is that his advice isn't all about flies, leaders, and casting techniques. He's a big believer in taking care of yourself on the river, something I suspect many of us overlook when we're caught up in the excitement of fishing. How many times have you skipped lunch or pushed on to the next pool because you were convinced there was a big trout waiting just around the bend?

Manny sees it all the time. Anglers get tired, dehydrated, and impatient, and that's when they start making mistakes. "You have to fuel yourself," he explains, pointing out that a short break, a snack, and some water can actually make you a better angler. Coming from a guy who regularly tangles with trophy trout, that's pretty good advice, and one we can all put to use on our next fishing trip.

Ready to Go Ninja in New Zealand?

From stalking giant browns in water so clear you can watch the entire drama unfold, to navigating remote wilderness and battling fish that seem determined to outsmart you, Manny gives us a fascinating look at fly fishing New Zealand's South Island. Along the way, he shares plenty of practical advice on spotting trout, making that critical first cast, and fighting big fish that you can use wherever you fish.

And trust me, you'll want to hear the rest of that boulder story!

Listen to Episode 181 of The Destination Angler Podcast, Top of the South with Manny Shchukin, and join us as we go ninja into the backcountry of New Zealand in search of giant wild trout.

Tight lines and great adventures!

Steve Haigh
The Destination Angler Podcast