About Southflyfisher

Michael Gregg | Fly Fisher | Explorer | Honest Gear Tester

I write honestly about the products I use and share insights from the field – what works, what doesn’t, and where things are headed for those of us chasing trout and saltwater species around the globe.

What's Coming Up

The 2025/26 New Zealand trout season kicks off in October, and I’ve got plenty of days planned on the water – some from helicopters, some on foot – fishing alongside anglers from the USA and elsewhere.

Over Spring and Summer, I’ll be in pushing into Te Anau, heading north to fish through my favourite haunts in the Lewis Pass area and getting over to the deep backcountry on the West Coast – camping, hiking, and chasing trout whenever I can.

In February, I head to Chile and Argentina for the start of the Patagonian sea trout season – chasing chunky brookies in beaver ponds, sea-run browns the size of porpoises, and even Atlantic steelhead in remote streams beneath the Andes.

I’m hosting a small group of U.S. sea trout anglers at a new Tierra del Fuego ranch called Estancia Las Segadas and we're staying at the new Las Segadas Lodge. It's previously unfished water (very exciting) on the Chile side of the Rio Grande that’s opening up for the first time in February and March 2026.

I’m hoping to squeeze in a trip to Fanning Island and Kiritimati in April before returning to New Zealand for the last of the late-summer fly fishing in the deep south.

After that, it’s more winter spey casting and streamer practice on the local Mata-au – training for future Patagonia trips.

Right now, there's also the possibility of a dash to Cocos Keeling Island with an Australian angler in March/April, but we're still working on the logistics.

2026 Hosting

I've partnered with specialist fly fishing travel operator, Isolation Outfitters, to host a series of freshwater & saltwater fly fishing adventures over the next year. These are a chance for individual anglers – or a small group – to join an expedition and explore some incredible bucket list destinations.

NEW ZEALAND

SOUTH ISLAND: November, 2025: Heli-fishing NZ Wilderness for Skybound South

2026: November, 2026: Heli-fishing NZ Wilderness for Skybound South (Annual Trip)

THE SEA-RUN SESSIONS

TIERRA DEL FUEGO, CHILE: February 1-8, 2026: Las Segadas Lodge opening, Rio Grande

TIERRA DEL FUEGO, CHILE: February 8-15, 2026: Rio Grande at Las Segadas Lodge

ARGENTINA: February 22 - March 1, 2026: Rio Menendez/Rio Grande at Wuijoor Lodge

THE SALTWATER SERIES

CHRISTMAS & FANNING ISLANDS: April 1-14, 2026: The Last Flats, CXI/Tabuaeran

XCALAK, MEXICO: May 29-June 5, 2026: The Costa Maya Slam at Costa de Cocos Lodge

ESPIRITU SANTO BAY, MEXICO: JUNE 5-12, 2026: Grand Slam Mexico at Tail Inn Lodge

If you would like to know more about any of these hosted adventures, please contact the team at Isolation Outfitters.

If you’re in the fly fishing industry and would like to work with Southflyfisher, just drop me a line. Thanks!

Who I Am

Hi, I’m Michael Gregg – also known online as Southflyfisher.

I’ve been fly fishing in New Zealand since 1982. I caught the bug as a kid after watching a big brown trout cruise under a willow branch. It saw me, bolted, and set off a 40-year obsession.

I learned to cast on small, clear streams near home – spooking fish more often than fooling them. I caught my first trout on a #12 Dad’s Favourite dry in a tiny spring creek – a 2½-pound brown that showed more patience than I deserved.

Since then, I’ve fished over much of New Zealand’s North Island and South Island backcountry – on foot, by raft, and by helicopter. I’ve tramped out of valleys in the dark, camped under the stars, and swum across rivers with my pack held overhead. I’ve also explored Taupō, Rotorua, and Fiordland, chasing rainbows and browns through almost every season across multiple regions. It's my thing (but I guess you've worked that out).

More recently, I’ve turned my attention to international waters, with a bucket list stretching from South America to the South Pacific – and far too many species still to catch.

I’ve balanced these angling adventures with a career in marketing and advertising, raised a family in Wānaka, and tried to keep the scales tipped slightly toward adventure whenever possible.

Image: Southflyfisher circa 1986 on a New Zealand spring creek.

What I Do Now

With decades of marketing consulting experience and a deep love for fly fishing, I’m now focused on understanding how anglers choose gear, what earns their loyalty, and what really works in the field. I buy and test a lot of kit – fly rods, reels, waders, packs, apparel, boots, tents, cookers and other tramping gear – and then write about the ones that pass the test.

If I’m reviewing something, it’s because I genuinely use it and rate it.

I share my packing lists, location guides, gear reviews, and fishing insights on this site, on social media, and through my Substack, Exploration Angling. I write about broad regions – not exact locations – because I believe in keeping special waters wild and un-pressured.

I also speak honestly about access, conservation, and fisheries management, especially here in New Zealand and in fragile areas like Patagonia, or most recently Montana, USA.

Let’s Fish

If you’re planning a trip and I’m in the area, drop me a line. I fish with a wide range of people – Kiwis and internationals alike – and I’m always happy to share a few flies, some hard-earned lessons, and a yarn or two.

Hope to see you on the water soon.

Cheers,
Michael (Southflyfisher)

Image: Southflyfisher with a fine South Island Brownie.