Double Handers and Canterbury Sea Runs

The lower reaches of Canterbury's big braided rivers get raided every summer by trophy browns feeding on silveries and whitebait. Targeting these fish on classic fly tackle has always been hard work, but double handed fly rods are a perfect solution.

Simon McMillan from Hamills Christchurch fishing a heavy sink tip on a double hander for Sea Run Browns

Where the double handers really come into their own is in the ability to handle heavy sinking heads and control bulky flies cast after cast. As we all know this is possible on a single handed rod but hard work to say the least. Consequently when using a double hander you can simply relay get into a rythm and systematically fish your way through a pool or run.

This is what it's all about Simon with a classic Canterbury sea run.

During change of light the white bait and silveries move into the shallows with the big browns in tow.

These Canterbury sea runs range in size from 2lb through to 20lb, so you never really know what you might come accross. What's more as the season progresses your chances of picking up a salmon are increased more and more......not a bad by catch for chasing sea run browns.