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Lake Brunner - Te Kinga Fishing Lodge
Lake Brunner - our fishing lodge at Te Kinga. Lake Brunner is the largest lake in the South Islands West Coast region, 7 miles across at the widest point, and some 22 miles of shoreline. Loaded with prime brown trout, its tributaries provide superb fly fishing all year round. This is currently the only fishing lodge at Te Kinga, Lake Brunner.
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The trout fishing here is excellent. Large numbers of brown trout, averaging 2.5 lbs, are found throughout the area. Within a few miles of the house, there is access to a variety of smaller lakes, and rivers large and small. The overall angling pressure is small, especially outside holiday periods. It is possible to spend days fishing here, and not even see another fisherman. The West Coast has a very high rainfall, around 150 inches per year at Te Kinga. The rivers flood quickly, and just as quickly subside, but the lakes are fishable all year round, regardless of conditions.
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Looking towards the south-eastern corner, with the Refuge Islands in the centre. And yes, that really is snow on the mountains in the background! Legend has it that the ancient Maori, who inhabited the some area 200 years ago, used the islands to confine their prisoners.... until it was time to cook and eat them! Fortunately, this practice has long since ceased!
It is 28 miles from Te Kinga into Greymouth, population 10,000, the largest town on the West Coast. Tourist destinations abound throughout the Coast, including The Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers, and the spectacular blow-holes on the the Tasman sea shoreline at Punakaiki National Park.
There are three rivers flowing into the lake. The Crooked River is maybe the best - certainly in terms of access. The others are the Orangipuku River (and its tributary, the Bruce) and the Hohonu River. Access along these two is awkward as they are largely forested to the waters edge.
At the exit, the famous Arnold River begins its 15 mile journey to its junction with the mighty Grey River. Renowned for its dry-fly fishing, and high trout stocks, access along much of its length is also constrained by steep banks, reeds, willows and scrub. This makes our drift boat fishing trips a winner, as we can fish every pool and lie.
Te Kinga, where our fishing lodge is located, is on the northern side, and 3 miles from the village of Moana. Te Kinga was once a thriving timber-milling village, with its own town hall, school, hotel, butcher shop and general store.
My family moved here in 1910, my great-grandfather came to manage a team of horses used for hauling logs to the sawmill. He was a keen fisherman, and is on record as having once caught a 16 lb brown trout in the lake. Nowadays, the village of Te Kinga has a barely a handful of permanent residents, and a few holiday residences. Quiet for much of the year, awakening a little on long weekends and holiday periods, and the brown trout remain undisturbed for long periods..... The fishing lodge was originally one of the many houses constructed as accommodation for staff of the sawmill, and my great-grandmother lived in it for many years when I was just a little boy at school.
Location & Place Names
The following is a list of place names, rivers and lakes in the Canterbury and West Coast areas. Visit MapQuest to view maps of these locations;
Location: 28 miles, or 50 kilometres inland (east) of Greymouth, the largest town in the West Coast region. There are two other significant towns, Westport, in the Buller region, and Hokitika in the Westland region. Approximately 220 kilometres from Christchurch International Airport, some 2.5 hours drive through the picturesque Southern Alps.
Places: Te Kinga, Moana, Haupiri, Kopara, Ahaura, Stillwater, Dobson, Ikamatua, Nelson Creek, Greymouth, Rotomanu, Jacksons, Kumara, Ross, Westport, Hokitika, West Coast, Westland, Christchurch, Otira, Arthur's Pass, Springfield, Sheffield, Darfield, Kirwee, Amberley, Waipara, Greta Valley, Hurunui, Scargill, Ethelton, Domett, Culverden, Waiau, Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand
Rivers: Crooked River, Haupiri River, Trent River, Waiheke river, Waikiti River, Arnold River, Grey River, Upper Grey River, Blue Grey River, Rough River, Slatey Creek, Moonlight River, Hohonu River, Ahaura River, Orangipuku River, Bruce River, Taipo River, Taramakau River, Hokitika River, Arahura River, Waimakariri River, Boyle River, Hope River, Waiau River, Hurunui River
Lakes: Lake Poerua, Kangaroo Lake, Lady Lake, Swan Lake, Lake Haupiri, Lake Ahaura, Lake Hochstetter, Lake Whahapo, Lake Ianthe, Lake Mapourika, Lake Kanieri, Lake Taylor, Lake Sumner, Lake Tennyson, Lake Coleridge, Lake Grassmere, Lake Sarah, Lake Pearson, Lake Ida
Lake Brunner - Te Kinga Fishing Lodge
Lake Brunner is, the locals say, "Where the brown trout die of old age." Check this out when you stay at our Te Kinga fishing lodge.
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