International Fly Fishing Programs
New Zealand. Montana. Patagonia.
Three very different journeys, each built around the fishing, the place and the people who know it best.
GVFFC has been taking anglers beyond our home waters for many years, building programs in places we know personally and returning to the same regions, guides and partners season after season.
The format differs from destination to destination. Southland is a week based in one corner of New Zealand. Montana is a thirteen-day journey moving through three regions of the American West. Patagonia combines varied fishing with a lodge experience that is as much about food, wine and comfort as it is about trout.
What they share is a simple approach: small groups, experienced local guides, careful preparation and someone from GVFFC taking responsibility for how the trip fits together.
Explore the three journeys below, or contact Anthony if you would like help deciding which one suits you.
Which Journey Suits You?
| New Zealand | Montana | Patagonia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character | Intimate, technical and fishing-focused | A travelling American road journey | Fishing combined with a premium lodge experience |
| Typical duration | 7 nights | 13 days / 12 nights | 7 nights |
| Guided fishing | 6 days | 9 days | 6 days |
| Fishing style | Sight fishing, walking and wading | Predominantly drift boats with some wading | Drift boats, walk-and-wade, spring creeks and varied water |
| Group style | Small weekly groups | Four guests on standard departures | Small hosted lodge group |
| Accommodation | Twin-share at Dunrobin | Private room standard | Private suite |
| Best suited to | Anglers who enjoy observation, walking and careful presentation | Anglers wanting variety, scale and the American West | Anglers or couples wanting excellent fishing with a higher level of comfort |
| Main season | January–March | June–July | November |
There is no objectively “best” trip. The right one depends on how you like to fish and what you want around the fishing.
What GVFFC Adds
The fishing in each destination is conducted with people who know those waters professionally.
Our role is to make the different parts work together.
Before departure, we help with equipment, preparation and the practical questions that often arise when travelling to unfamiliar fisheries. On the ground, Anthony oversees the program, works with the local guiding teams and coordinates the arrangements around the fishing.
That continuity matters when you are changing rivers, guides, accommodation or even countries.
The intention is not to shield you from the destination. It is the opposite: to remove enough of the organisation that you have more time to experience it.
Southland, New Zealand
Clear Water. Wild Brown Trout.
A seven-night week in Southland, with six guided fishing days and only four anglers.
Our New Zealand program has been built through repeated seasons in Southland and is based at Dunrobin, a working property in the Aparima Valley.
The fishing is predominantly walking and wading. Rivers are selected each morning around water level, clarity, weather and the anglers in the group, giving us access to everything from larger freestone rivers to intimate spring creeks and stillwater options.
The emphasis is on finding fish, approaching carefully and making the presentation count.
At a glance
- Seven nights in Southland
- Six full guided fishing days
- Four anglers each week
- Five days at one guide for every two anglers
- One full day of individual guiding for each guest
- Twin-share accommodation at Dunrobin
- Queenstown Airport transfers and daily fishing transport
- Breakfast provisions, streamside lunches and dinners arranged through the week
Southland suits anglers who enjoy walking, watching the water and working deliberately for individual trout. You do not need to be an expert, but patience and an interest in learning are valuable.
Montana
Three Regions. Nine Guided Days. One American Journey.
A thirteen-day hosted journey through Montana and the greater Yellowstone region.
We began hosting our Montana program in 2010 and have refined the structure around repeated visits, established local guiding relationships and the rhythm of moving through three different fishing regions.
The standard trip spends four nights in each region, with three guided fishing days before moving on.
The Missouri provides expansive tailwater fishing from drift boats. Southwest Montana introduces different rivers and a different scale of water. The greater Yellowstone region brings another shift in landscape, fishing and character.
The travel between those places is part of the experience rather than simply transport between bookings.
At a glance
- 13 days and 12 nights
- Nine professionally guided fishing days
- Three distinct regions
- Standard departures for four guests
- One guide for every two anglers
- Private bedroom for each guest on the standard package
- Ground transport throughout the hosted journey
- Personally hosted by Anthony
Montana suits anglers who want excellent fishing but also enjoy the broader experience of travelling through the American West: small towns, changing landscapes and several distinctly different fisheries within one journey.
Patagonia
Trevelin, Argentina
Wild Trout. Varied Water. Refined Comfort.
Seven nights at Patagonia River Guides’ Trevelin lodge, with six guided fishing days and a different style of water available almost every day.
Patagonia is the most complete lodge-based experience in our international program.
We run the week with our partners at Patagonia River Guides, whose Trevelin operation provides access to spring creeks, freestone rivers, drift-boat water, larger rivers and remote lakes. The fishing changes with the conditions and the interests of the guests.
The lodge is an important part of the experience. Private suites, thoughtful food and wine, generous shared spaces and non-angling options make this particularly attractive to couples where only one person may want to fish every day. The Trevelin program combines fishing with a level of comfort and hospitality that is deliberately different from our Southland and Montana journeys.
At a glance
- Seven nights at PRG’s Trevelin lodge
- Six full days of guided fishing
- Private suite accommodation
- A mixture of walk-and-wade and float fishing
- Spring creeks, freestones, larger rivers and stillwater options
- Food and wine central to the lodge experience
- Non-angling activities available for partners
- Hosted in partnership with Patagonia River Guides
Patagonia suits anglers who want outstanding fishing without giving up the pleasures of a very good lodge, and couples looking for a destination that remains enjoyable when one person does not intend to fish every day.
Discuss Your Patagonia Trip
Three Destinations. Three Different Experiences.
Choosing between them is less about which destination is “best” and more about the experience you want.
Choose New Zealand if…
You enjoy clear water, walking, sight fishing and the process of finding individual trout. You want a fishing-centred week with a small group and a familiar base.
Choose Montana if…
You want variety, scale and a very social trip. You enjoy drift-boat fishing, several different river systems and the idea of travelling through the American West rather than staying in one location.
Choose Patagonia if…
You want fishing to sit within a broader holiday. You value private accommodation, food, wine and lodge hospitality, or you are travelling with a partner who wants more from the destination than fishing alone.
If two destinations appeal equally, speak with us. Your experience, preferred fishing style, travel companion and the time of year you wish to travel usually make the answer considerably clearer.
Why Travel With GVFFC?
GVFFC began guiding in 1994. The international programs have developed from the same principle that shaped the local business: spend enough time in a place to understand it, work with people you trust and keep the groups small enough to look after properly.
New Zealand has become a long-running seasonal program. Montana has been personally hosted since 2010. Patagonia is built around an established relationship with Patagonia River Guides and their Trevelin operation.
We do not attempt to replace the local experts. They are an important part of why these trips work.
Anthony’s role is to bring the journey together: helping guests prepare before departure, working with the local teams, coordinating the arrangements and remaining available throughout the trip.
For returning guests, that also creates continuity. You may be standing on a very different river from the Goulburn, but you are travelling with someone who already understands how you fish and what you value from a day on the water.
Travelling Alone or With Others
Many fishing trips begin with a simple problem: you want to go, but the people you normally fish with are not available.
You are welcome to enquire on your own.
The arrangements differ between programs. Montana standard departures provide private bedrooms, while New Zealand uses twin-share accommodation and Patagonia provides private suites. We discuss room arrangements and group structure before confirming your place.
Friends and established groups are equally welcome. Some programs can also be adapted for larger private groups, subject to accommodation, guide availability and the destination.
The individual trip pages explain those arrangements in detail.
Preparing for the Fishing
The better prepared you are before travelling, the easier it is to enjoy the fishing once you arrive.
Before departure, we can discuss your existing equipment, what the local guides supply and whether any particular casting or river skills would be useful to practise.
For anglers wanting additional preparation, GVFFC also offers:
- Private Fly Fishing Lessons
- Private Streamcraft Tuition
- Guided Fishing on the Goulburn
- Drift Boat Fishing
There is no requirement to book additional tuition. It is simply available when a guest wants to arrive with particular skills feeling more familiar.
Talk to Anthony About Your Trip
You do not need to decide which destination is right before contacting us.
Tell Anthony what sort of fishing you enjoy, whether you will be travelling alone or with someone else, how long you want to be away and what matters to you outside the fishing.
From there, we can talk through the programs and the available dates.
Call or text: 0418 995 611
International: +61 418 995 611
Email: info@gvflyfishing.com