Fishing and Bats

In the evening, after we went looking for kiwi, I went fly fishing for the first time. It is a little tricky, but Gareth was coaching me and I generally hit the water with the fly. The motion is not too complicated, although you have to be patient with your timing. The harder part is controlling line tension with your left hand. And if you want to catch anything, you have to have a good knowledge of fish behavior, which I don't. Of course I didn't catch any fish, but I also didn't catch any branches or rocks, so that was pretty good. Gareth said it was quite good for a first effort. The picture is a rainbow trout that Gareth caught on another fishing trip. Poss, the fellow in the back, cooked the fish for one of the freshest, yet least hygenic meals I have ever eaten. No ill effects though.

Then, still on the same day, I took a bat detector to fields below Minginui and I found long-tailed bats foraging for insects. I had already looked a few times, but never found any. It was cool to learn they were there, especially since bats are the only native land mammals in New Zealand and their population status is not well known. On a day like this, with three major firsts, I know I am making the most of my time here.



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