Fraser's Cedar Lodge

Cedar Lodge is located on New Zealand's South Island, about 90 minutes northeast of the resort community of Queenstown. The snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps surround the Makarora Valley and the cozy lodge that has hosted the most illustrious names in fly fishing for nearly twenty-five years. The owner and host at Cedar, Dick Fraser, is an expert bush pilot with 28 years flying experience; most of those aerial hours have been logged flying anglers into the remote fishing near his home. His knowledge of the waters, trout habits, and friendly nature make him a natural for the job and a joy to have as a host on your fishing vacation. Dick's wife, Robyn, and his daughter, Juliet, are two of the most accomplished Cordon Bleu chefs in the Southern Hemisphere and take a great deal of pride in their reputation for serving what many guests believe is New Zealand's finest food.

Still, of all the wonderful things that are said about the guides at Cedar and the Fraser family, it's the fishing at the lodge that has made this spot a must for serious fly-rodders. When Dick or one of his pilot/guides lifts off from the heli-pad (the front lawn, essentially, that is only a stone's throw from their dining room) and turn in any of three directions, they are immediately inside Mt. Aspiring National Park. These are the most productive fly fishing grounds in the country and, arguably, the most difficult to get to on foot. The alpine geography of the park is spectacular. Other than the two-lane highway that carves through the center of this national treasure, there are no roads, and the trails to many of these incredible streams and rivers are extremely rugged.

All the water of New Zealand is open to the public, but Fraser, using his Robinson Raven II helicopter, can be on water in minutes that seldom sees anyone but Cedar guests. There are, in fact, more than two dozen blue ribbon

Package Cost:
The cost of the week-long Fraser's Cedar Lodge package is $6200 per person

•  All rates inclusive of New Zealand Government Tax of 12.5%
•  Shorter stay rates available (call us at 800-669-3474 for details)

Inclusions:
Included in your angling package at the Fraser's Cedar lodge is round trip flight transfers between Anchorage and the lodge, daily jet boat access to four area rivers, personal guide for each 2-3 guests, fly fishing lessons, fishing licenses, leaders, flies, and all meals including beer, wine and soft drinks.

Spring (November)
The functional opening of the fishing season for Cedar Lodge, and the rainbow trout are just gaining their post-spawn weight back again. There is often dry fly activity, but the emphasis is often with nymphs. The trout are sometimes still in groups, so higher per day catch rates are not unusual. Anglers should expect cool-but-warming air temperatures.

Early Summer (December)
This is considered peak fishing, particularly sight-fishing for numbers of trout – action can be with both nymphs and dries. Possibly the best time if you like the smaller mountain streams, as the water flows are still full, so the fish are not yet especially finicky (by NZ standards). The days are long and warm, and because Americans generally don't like to travel to fish during the holidays, the streams are pretty lightly fished.

Depart the States for New Zealand:
Direct flights from the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or San Francisco International Airport (SFO) via Air New Zealand depart in the evening, arriving two days later into Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand. Though the flight time from LAX or SFO to Auckland is only 12 to 13 hours, you will cross several time zones and the International Dateline, arriving two days later on the calendar.

Arrive in Auckland:
Air New Zealand flights will arrive into the Auckland Airport, a super-modern international facility, early in the morning. Here you will clear immigrations (passport control) and customs. This is all very easy, and you will immediately know you are in a different land, by the courteous and polite nature of the airport officials.

From the International Airport it is a five minute, free shuttle bus ride (or a pleasant 15-minute walk, albeit with your luggage in tow) to the adjacent Domestic Terminal. Here you will take one of several daily domestic flights via Air New Zealand to Queenstown on the South Island. The flight takes only about an hour and fifteen minutes. Located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, which means "Lake of the Sleeping Giant" in the native Maori tongue, and across from The Remarkables mountain range, Queenstown is the South Island hub for adventure tourism, magnificent scenery and emerald blue waters.

Cedar Lodge's 5-acre property lies astride the banks of the Makarora River, dead-center in the Southern Alps and is bounded by the majestic Mount Aspiring National Park. Once you lift off in the lodge's modern helicopter, you can travel in any direction over spectacularly rugged and beautiful mountain landscapes before setting on the banks of a wild "kiwi" river for a day's fishing. Heli-fishing with Cedar Lodge is trophy trout hunting like no other.

There are 4 spacious and comfortable double occupancy rooms, connected to the main lodge with a breezeway. The rooms have recently been remodeled and feature en suite, full bathrooms, comfortable beds, and offer plenty of space to unpack and organize your gear. The large picture windows in the rooms afford amazing views of the Southern Alps and Mount Aspiring National Park.

These gourmet delights are created by the Mother and Daughter team of Robyn and

These are full fishing days, and the exact schedule will depend on the guest's wishes, water conditions and prevailing weather conditions. Anglers, two at a time with a guide, will board the modern and safe Robinson R-44 Raven II helicopter at the lodge or nearby landing zones and fly to one of a dozen or better remote rivers, usually no more than 20 minutes away. You will be in the field all day, until the helicopter returns in the afternoon at an agreed upon take-out site. Seasoned Kiwi guides will carry lunch, ground-to-air capable radios and emergency supplies.

All the water of New Zealand is open to the public but Fraser, using his Robinson Raven II helicopter, can be on water in minutes that seldom sees anyone but Cedar guests. There are, in fact, more than two dozen blue ribbon streams and rivers that are within easy striking distance and these fisheries have enough diversity that they appeal to every angler. The most distant are the wild, rugged, coastal rivers where there are sea run brown trout and resident trophy browns and rainbows. The angling menu is completely filled with crystal clear spring creeks and