Team Tuesday - Jeff Forsee

I grew up in the Midwest of the United States fishing for the abundant species of warm water fish that are available in that part of the country.  It wasn't long until my wanderlust got the best of me and I moved west to experience the mountains of the Western United States and all that they have to offer.  After a few years of living in between Alaska and traveling the world I decided to pack up my things(mostly fishing gear)and move to the South Island of New Zealand to be with my partner Hilary.

It didn't take me long to realize that the stories of this fishing Eldorado were true.  After spending several years of tireless day in and day out research on the rivers and lakes of New Zealand's South Island I started an independent guide service focusing on giving guests a quality and professional Kiwi fishing experience. Fishing has never been a seasonal thing for me and the way I look at it neither should guiding.

As things begin to slow down in New Zealand I am busy tying flies and planning for my return to Alaska where I guide at a remote bush camp on the Kanektok river for Deneki Outdoors Alaska West.  Alaska and New Zealand are both very special places to me and I feel fortunate to be able to spend my year between them both and to have had the opportunity to become so intimate with the two vastly different fisheries.

At the end of the day I am a trout bum.  I love to fish and I'll throw flies at just about anything that swims.  For me and most people, I think, the crown jewel of NZ fishing is sighted brown trout.  Seeing a big brownie sitting on station literally give me the shakes still... I love it.  That being said I've had a lot of fun exploring some of the other fisheries around the South Island over these past four years. Sea trout in the estuaries and head waters, chinook salmon, yellow tail kingies and kawhai.  I love single hand fishing and I love swinging too. I just picked up a Scott t3h 1106 that I've been swinging for trout with up here, I'm pretty stoked to put to use on some sea runners when I get back to New Zealand

I love fishing the gorges and head waters that pop into our heads when we think about New Zealand Flyfishing but I'm also pretty content fishing the less appreciated stuff.  Places like the Taylor river that flows right through the heart of Blenheim.  Roll casting a streamer to a slashing sea trout under the bridge at night while the Marlborough percussion band is playing the Star Wars theme song near by is pretty alright in my book!  It's pretty awesome to be splitting my year of guiding between New Zealand and Alaska.  It's great to keep the ball rolling year round.  I have a long bucket list of places to fish and fish to catch, so I'm pretty excited about my fishing future.